MOCO Libraries To Give Out At-Home COVID-19 Test Kits

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Montgomery County residents will be able to pick up two iHealth COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test kits per visit on a first come, first served basis beginning next week at the public libraries.

The county is asking that anyone who is symptomatic not go to the library, but instead call their health care provider or make an appointment at one of the PCR testing locations.

“Securing these tests, that are currently in great demand, will help our County mitigate community transmission from the Omicron variant surge,” said County Executive Marc Elrich in a news release. “We appreciate the District of Columbia assisting us and thank our procurement team for their diligence to track down and acquire these tests. We are going to make sure these tests will be given out equitably and fairly throughout the community.”

These library branches will distribute kits from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday:

• Aspen Hill
• Chevy Chase
• Damascus
• Davis
• Gaithersburg
• Little Falls
• Potomac
• Silver Spring
• White Oak

These library branches will distribute kits from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 2 to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday :

• Connie Morella (Bethesda)
• Germantown
• Kensington Park
• Long Branch
• Marilyn Praisner (Burtonsville)
• Olney
• Quince Orchard
• Rockville
• Twinbrook
• Wheaton

“Rapid home tests for COVID-19 are important public health tools to help control the transmission of the virus and are more important than ever given the current spike in cases we are experiencing in our community,” said Council President Gabe Albornoz in the news release. “We encourage our residents to get tested and get boosted, while Councilmembers continue working with County Executive Elrich and our public health and emergency management teams to provide the resources needed to get our community through this latest phase of the pandemic.”

The county said it purchased these kits directly, and will continue to receive more.