Decline in COVID-19 testing sites led to many closures
After nearly two years in operation, the state-supported COVID-19 testing site at the University of Northern Colorado closed earlier this year as part of a shift away from community locations.
The UNC site at Bishop-Lehr Hall off 20th Street in Greeley was one of 20 state-run community sites that closed Jan. 15, according to information from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Colorado residents have relied more on at-home tests for COVID leading to lower demand for public sites since November 2022, the state said. The state-run community sites fluctuated between 3-6% overall capacity from late last year into January.
The state also said earlier this year that the transition further operationalizes testing plans outlined in its “Next Chapter: Our Roadmap to Moving Forward.” The roadmap was released in February 2022 and covers how testing moves into traditional health care settings.
“Colorado is proud to have opened one of the first drive-thru testing sites in the country in March 2020,” said Scott Bookman, CDPHE’s COVID-19 Incident Commander in a news release. “Since then, we have provided millions of tests to Coloradans at more than 150 community testing sites across Colorado. Coloradans have transitioned away from relying on large community testing sites and toward testing at home with widely available at-home rapid tests, health care providers, or local retail pharmacies. With this transition, the State is focusing efforts on the testing distribution methods Coloradans currently use most and providing testing resources to those who need them most.”
The UNC site opened in January 2021 and was open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The state’s Joint Information Center said some local public health agencies continue to offer community testing. For local testing resources in Weld County, go to weld.gov/Government/Departments/Health-and-Environment/ COVID-19/COVID-19-Testing.
No-cost and low-cost tests remain available at rapid test distribution centers and locations participating in the federal Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) program.