Federal Program for the Distribution of Home Tests for Covid Detection Begins in Bayamon

Press Release

Thanks to a federal initiative, home coronavirus detection tests will begin to be distributed free of charge on the island. The announcement was made by resident commissioner Jenniffer González Colón, the mayor of Bayamón, Ramón Luis Rivera, and the executive director of the Community Health Foundation of Puerto Rico, attorney Nilda Santiago Quiles.

"As part of the action plans that the federal government has been implementing since the start of the pandemic, the distribution of free home tests is now incorporated, which helps to more quickly contain the spread of the virus and do more accessible to populations that cannot afford these tests and that do not get them due to the high demand," said the congresswoman.

González Colón explained that the test distribution program is a voluntary one, for which she urged all qualified centers to request these tests and to make them more accessible to the population of the rest of the island. Per HRSA instructions "only Medicare-certified health centers and rural health clinics that choose to register with HRSA and order from the online ordering system will receive the COVID-19 test kits and any additional testing materials that they require." may be available."

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), has provided free home self-test kits to Medicare-certified health centers and rural health clinics to distribute at no cost to patients and community members. The program is called the HRSA COVID-19 Testing Supply Program (HCTSP); orders and distribution through this program began in December 2021.

The tests will be distributed to those who will have symptoms or have had contact with a positive coronavirus. Patients were required to pre-register to make the distribution in an orderly manner. Health centers will report data to HRSA to support the implementation and integrity of the HCTSP. This information can be shared with the Department of Health in Puerto Rico, with whom they will coordinate so that these tests can have the code (QR code) and the state maintain updated information on infections.

HCTSP will distribute the Quidel QuickVue COVID-19 self-tests, which contain two tests. These rapid tests for resistance that a person can self-administer at home and the results are available in 10 minutes.

These tests can be used whether a person is symptomatic, asymptomatic, or within 6 days of symptom onset. The tests can be self-administered and are recommended for use by persons 14 years of age and older. For children ages 2-13, an adult can test for COVID-19.

The Community Health Foundation of Puerto Rico, center 330 located in Bayamón, began with the distribution of 10,000 free home tests for Covid detection for the entire population of that municipality. They hope to receive more tests weekly and make them accessible to the other municipalities within their jurisdiction, which would be Vega Alta, Toa Baja, Cataño, Dorado, and Guaynabo.

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