Mahoning County Libraries Offer Free Virus Test Kits

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Free COVID-19 home testing kits are now available through the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County.

Sponsored by Mahoning County Public Health, kits can be picked up at Main Library, all open branches and the Pop-Up Library. A total of 1,900 kits will be given out.

Each kit comes with detailed instruction sheets. Patrons must call the library at 330 744 8636 to reserve a kit, which then will be available for curbside pick-up. Patrons exhibiting symptoms should have someone else pick up their test kit. 

Mahoning County residents who are homebound can also request a test kit to be sent by mail by calling the Library’s Special Delivery service at 330 792 3869, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  

The Ohio Department of Health purchased 2 million at-home, self-administered COVID-19 testing kits that provide reliable results in minutes. Gov. Mike DeWine’s goal is to make these rapid testing kits available and accessible in every Ohio county, and public libraries have been asked to help distribute them.  

Test kits, which have received FDA emergency use authorization for at-home testing, will be used in collaboration with a telehealth session. The test is intended for individuals suspected of COVID-19 within the first seven days of symptom onset.   

“A trained telehealth professional guides those being tested through the at-home self-test via video call, using the free NAVICA mobile app or by visiting the Ohio.EMed.com website,” said Mahoning County Public Health commissioner Ryan Tekac in a statement.  

The tests require a smartphone, tablet or computer with a webcam, microphone, speaker, internet access and an email account. Those who do not have these items will need to be tested at a medical facility. Prior to receiving the kit, participants will need to download the NAVICA app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play App Store and create an account. 

Testing is not done at the library. To ensure there are enough kits for everyone, patrons are asked to request just enough to meet the immediate needs of their family group. 

The library does not collect any personal information and only reports the number of test kits distributed.   

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.