COVID Testing Center At Fairfax Government Center Closes

FAIRFAX, VA — After less than a month, the large-scale COVID-19 testing site at the Fairfax County Government Center closed on Wednesday.

The Virginia Department of Health had opened the community testing site by appointment on Jan. 15 in response to increased testing demand. With the emergence of the omicron variant, statewide testing demand reached a peak in January. Testing numbers have since declined, along with COVID-19 cases. The testing location offered polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the parking lot of the Fairfax County Government Center.

While the testing center is closed, the state's health department will switch to offer testing in communities with lower access to testing. The Virginia Department of Health's vendor will deploy a van to sites based on community needs for testing. After Feb. 15, these mobile testing locations will offer polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

While COVID-19 cases are declining in the Northern Virginia region, the transmission level is still classified as high. The Fairfax County Health Department recommends testing if a person has COVID-19 symptoms, at least five days after a known or suspected close contact, for screening in workplaces or other settings, before and after travel, and when recommended by public health or a health care provider.

Residents can find testing locations from the Fairfax County Health Department or other sites from the Virginia Department of Health search tool.

Free at-home rapid tests can be ordered at www.covidtests.gov. At-home tests are also sold at retailers and pharmacies; reimbursement is available for up to eight at-home tests per month through insurance.