The mobile vans are made possible by a partnership between Jefferson County, Douglas County, Clear Creek County, Park County, Northeast Colorado Health Department, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and testing company, Curative.
On Monday, new, mobile testing vans began providing free COVID-19 testing that will be offered in mountain communities, parts of the metro area, and northeast Colorado.
The vans began community testing after larger community testing sites opened in Jefferson and Douglas Counties over the weekend. The Jefferson County Fairgrounds testing site has already seen high demand, which Thomas Harvey saw firsthand Monday.
“I made an appointment for 8:30 thinking I should show up at 8:30 and there were already 600 or more cars in front of me,” Harvey said.
Instead of waiting, Harvey booked an appointment for the mobile testing van’s stop in Bailey.
On Monday, the average wait was about an hour. After that, health professionals inside the van gave detailed instructions out of a speaker so Harvey and others could do the self-administered test properly.
“Very simple,” Harvey said. “It was really easy, and the setting is much more beautiful.”
Bailey is among a number of communities that will see these curative testing sites every week now. It comes at a time when the demand for tests is record high, but gaps in resources remain.
“Our agency has done testing, but mostly in the Fairplay area, so this opportunity allowed us a great opportunity to provide testing here in Bailey,” said Lynn Ramey, Director of Park County Public Health.
The tests at the mobile vans are available to anyone and give results in 24 to 48 hours. Unlike other larger sites that offer drive-up testing, the vans offer walk-up testing.
“Obviously, this will be a little bit trickier in two months, but for right now it’s really convenient,” said Ben Rasmussen.
On Monday, an estimated 180-200 tests were administered at the mobile van, which Park County Public Health officials said is a daily record for the county.
“It’s run fairly smoothly here today for the first time,” Ramey said. “I do wish that it would be easier for people to get tested in their own counties, but the volume just makes it really difficult.”
People needing a test are asked to pre-register at curativetest.com/search for the following locations:
- Tuesday – Conifer Our Lady of the Pines Catholic Church
9444 Eagle Cliff Rd, Conifer, CO 80433 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. - Wednesday – Idaho Springs
(first stop on Dec. 2) Clear Creek County EMS
411 CO-103, Idaho Springs, CO 80452 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. - Thursday – Littleton/Larkspur Sterling Center
8155 Piney River Ave,
Littleton CO 80125 8 a.m. – Noon
– Larkspur Town Hall
8720 Spruce Mountain Rd,
Larkspur, CO 80118 2 – 6 p.m. - Friday – Deckers/Sedalia Deckers Community Center
8570 Hwy 67, Sedalia, CO 80135 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. - Saturday – Larkspur Ponderosa Retreat and Conference Center
15235 S Furrow Rd, Larkspur, CO 80118 8 a.m. – Noon - Sunday – Evergreen Buchanan Recreation Center
32003 Ellingwood Trail,
Evergreen, CO 80439 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
