Responding to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases statewide, Arapahoe County CARES is working with the City of Aurora and the Tri-County Health Department to open additional free COVID-19 testing sites in Aurora, part of a continued effort to make free testing widely available and accessible to County residents.
The COVID-19 community testing site that was operating this summer at the Aurora Sports Park, 19300 E. Colfax Ave., is reopening on Oct. 26. The drive-through site will operate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. (It will be closed Sundays, and its hours on Friday, Oct. 30 will run from 8 a.m. to noon.)
The Sports Park site will run through Nov. 5, after which it will relocate to the parking lot of the Aurora Center for Active Adults at 30 Del Mar Circle, near 6th Avenue and I-225. The site will open on Nov. 9 and will continue to operate until further notice from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday (excluding holidays).
Free testing for COVID-19 will be provided to anyone who wants to be tested, especially those who have symptoms. No appointment is necessary. No doctor referral, no health insurance and no proof of identification are required, but voluntary demographic information will be asked at the time of testing for data collection purposes.
COVID-19 testing is essential for identifying and tracking cases and outbreaks quickly while also providing treatment options and isolation to prevent spread. “With our COVID case numbers rising and the weather cooling down, all our communities are at risk of seeing a spike in the virus,” said Arapahoe County Board Chair Nancy N. Sharpe. “We’re working together to create as many testing options as possible so everyone who wants a test can get one, even if they’re asymptomatic or do not have health insurance.”
To register in advance and shorten wait times, visit tinyurl.com/aurora-co-12594. Pre-registration is not required. Test results from MAKO Medical will be available in four days or less.
Arapahoe County CARES dollars are funding these testing sites, with logistical support from Arapahoe County and the city of Aurora and in partnership with Tri-County Health Department and the state of Colorado.
In addition, starting Oct. 30, the rapid testing at Restoration Community Fellowship, 15660 E. Sixth Ave., which is currently offered on Mondays, also will be available Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. until further notice. Free drive-up or walk-up testing from Advanced Urgent Care will be provided primarily to those who do not have insurance or are experiencing homelessness. A limited number of tests are available each testing day and wait times can be long. No pre-registration is available for rapid testing.
Additional information, answers to frequently asked questions and a complete list of testing sites in the Tri-County area are available at TCHD.org/COVID-19Testing.
