Last community COVID-19 test site in Tri-Cities is closing. What to know if you need a test

The last community testing site for COVID-19 in the Tri-Cities is closing due to low demand.

UW Medicine announced Tuesday that it will be pausing operations at the Columbia Basin College COVID-19 Test Site due to a low volume of clients and decreased demand, according to a news release.

The last day of testing will be Tuesday, Nov. 22.

UW Medicine said confirmed COVID-19 case rates have continued to decline as the availability of free rapid at-home tests have increased.

“In January 2022, we were seeing more than 1,000 patients a day at our testing site and in the last couple of weeks, the number of patients for several days has been in the single digits,” a spokesperson for UW Medicine said.

Commercial testing locations are still available, and pharmacies including CVS and Walgreens offer free COVID tests.

Health centers also provide testing. To find a location for a COVID-19 test, visit the Benton-Franklin Health District’s website.

UW Medicine said that if the need arises for more testing, the community test site can be reopened quickly.

They said the move is good news for everyone involved because it helps reduce unnecessary strain on the health care system.

The Washington Department of Health offers free at-home COVID-19 tests. They can be ordered through the Say Yes! Covid Test website.

Two orders each month can be made per household or residential address.

Shipping is free and each order comes with five rapid antigen tests, which provide results within 30 minutes. Some areas also allow pickup at community sites.