Baltimore City Health Department To Distribute Free At-Home Rapid COVID-19 Test Kits To Community Groups
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Baltimore City Health Department will distribute a limited number of free at-home rapid COVID-19 test kits next month to community organizations across the city, the agency said Tuesday.
Nonprofits, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, faith-based organizations and other groups can apply for the Abbott BinaxNOW Antigen kits if they are located in the city and mostly serve city residents.
"We are excited about this opportunity to provide COVID-19 test kits to community members," said Baltimore City Health Commissioner Letitia Dzirasa. "We hope that by providing COVID-19 test kits to community organizations who are familiar with and embedded in our neighborhoods, we can effectively distribute COVID-19 test kits to those who are most in need of testing resources."
Groups can start submitting applications Tuesday, and the health department will distribute 60 kits per organization on the week of Dec. 6
On its website, the health department said it is targeting ZIP codes and populations with low immunization rates, including older adults, Latinx residents, Orthodox Jewish residents, young men, pregnant women, people experiencing homelessness and immigrants.
Up to 45 organizations will receive the tests on a first come, first served basis, the health department said.
Health workers will also distribute some of the kits at testing locations across the city on the week of Dec. 6.
Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 is urged to isolate until they are no longer infectious. Residents with severe symptoms should seek emergency care, the department said.
The kits are supplied by the Maryland Department of Health.
