Pop-Up Coronavirus Testing Coming To RI For Holiday Season

PROVIDENCE, RI — If you go shopping for Christmas gifts this weekend, don't be surprised if you see an extra booth set up at your local shopping center or grocery store. For the coming weeks, the Rhode Island Department of Health is bringing coronavirus testing into communities, setting up pop-up test sites in the places where people gather.

This includes shopping centers such as Cranston's Garden City, gyms once they reopen Monday and even the Roger Williams Park Zoo. The governor encouraged Rhode Islanders to take advantage of these testing opportunities, which will use the rapid tests that have a result within 15 minutes.

Raimondo encouraged all Rhode Islanders to get tested more frequently, since the state keeps expanding its coronavirus test sites and capacity. The Dunkin' Donuts Center, for example, has the capacity to test 5,000 asymptomatic people per day, but usually only completes around 500.

"Getting tested is simple, incredibly effective, free, and will protect your household," Raimondo said during her weekly news conference.

Related: Rhode Island To Increase Coronavirus Testing In Schools

Ideally, all Rhode Islanders would get tested every 10 days, which would allow the state to quickly identify and isolate positive cases, thereby reducing community spread of the virus. The process is quick and easy, she said, and the new rapid tests are far less painful than the nasal swabs used earlier in the pandemic.

To encourage more people to get tested, all Rhode Islanders are now eligible for free tests through the state-run system, regardless of age or occupation. All tests can be scheduled through portal.ri.gov.