The Virginia Department of Health supports Virginians’ First Amendment rights and welcomes protesters to get publicly-available COVID-19 tests. The State Health Department has has communicated with Local Health Districts where protests have occurred and are encouraging those districts to share information with protesters about community testing events and pharmacy locations where COVID-19 tests are available.
Individuals who have attended protests may be at higher risk of infection of COVID-19. VDH suggests protesters wear personal protective equipment (PPE), wash hands frequently, stay six feet apart from others in crowds, and, if symptoms appear, stay home and call their health care provider.
Allison Balmes-John with the Rappahannock Area Health District says no cost testing is available in the region:
- CVS Locations
- 4201 Plank Road, Fredericksburg, 22407
- 5832 Harrison Rd, Fredericksburg, 22407
- 10000 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg, 22407
- 1511 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg, 22401
- 902 Garrisonville Rd, Stafford, 22554
- Central Virginia Health Services: 1965 Jefferson Davis Highway
Patients must register in advance or make an appointment for all of these locations.
Additional testing sites continue to be updated on the VDH Testing Site webpage: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/covid-19-testing/covid-19-testing-sites/
Balmes John says while CVS asks for SSN or ID in their registration process, they do not require it and can test undocumented individuals at no charge.
All Virginians may get tested if they experience symptoms of COVID-19 or if they believe they have been exposed to others with infections.
“We support the right to protest, but we also want people to be safe. People can have COVID-19 and not show symptoms or have only mild symptoms and unknowingly spread the virus to others. For some people, particularly those with underlying health conditions, the virus can be life-threatening. We urge people who have symptoms such as fever and cough to stay home and to get tested,” said Virginia State Health Commissioner Norm Oliver.
