JACKSON, Wyo. — Teton County Health Department (TCHD) announced today, Nov. 5 that beginning Monday, Nov. 8, no-cost, rapid PCR testing for COVID-19 will be available in Teton County.
Results will be available within one hour of the test being completed. The Health Department is encouraging community members to utilize this rapid test if they are symptomatic or a close contact to someone who tested positive to COVID-19 and are in the correct window for testing. “Please try to refrain from using rapid tests solely for surveillance testing or travel so we can ensure those who need a result that day can receive one,” said TCHD in a press release.
The testing will be run by Curative in partnership with Teton County Health Department and the Wyoming Department of Health. The rapid PCR testing location is located at 520 S. Highway 89 in Suites I&J, in the Target/Kmart Plaza next to Subway. Curative will be offering a self-administered, shallow nasal, rapid PCR test for COVID-19 at this location. This type of COVID-19 test is approved for ages 5 and up. Appointments for rapid PCR testing can be booked online through the curative site. This service has no out-of- pocket cost for the community, regardless of health insurance status and no proof of health insurance is needed to book an appointment. Individuals will be notified for their results via text message or email.
Two other Curative kiosks are located at the Teton County Library and the Home Ranch Welcome Center. These send out tests are available for individuals of any age with test results being reported via email within 24-48 hours.
Free at-home Vault PCR saliva tests are still available to the community and can be ordered online. results are available within 2-4 days after the lab receives the test.
Testing through St. John’s Health, and point of care tests at healthcare providers offices will remain available for the community.
Teton County Health Department staffs a COVID-19 hotline. Call 307-732-8628 with questions.
International travel
On Oct. 25, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) amended amended its January 25, 2021 Order, titled, “Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Recovery from COVID-19 for All Air Passengers Arriving in the United States.”
The ammended order effective Nov. 8 at 12:01 EST, states that “before boarding a flight to the US from a foreign country, all air passengers- 2 years or older – are required to present a negative COVID-19 viral test result, within a time period based on their vaccination status, or present documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 in the last 90 days. Air passengers will also be required to confirm in the form of an attestation that the information they present is true.”
Fully vaccinated individuals must get a COVID-19 viral test no more than three days before a flight’s departure to the U.S while not fully vaccinated individuals must get a COVID-19 viral test no more than 1 day prior to departure.
For the full list of requirements and exemptions, please review the language in the Order.
Additional doses
Additional doses and booster dose appointments are available in Teton County through Teton County Health Department and at Albertson’s.
The CDC is recommending that all people who received a Johnson &Johnson (Janssen) vaccine at least two months ago should get a booster shot. “The J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine has lower vaccine effectiveness over time compared to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna,” says the CDC.
CDC recommends that the people in the following groups should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, at least 6 months after completion of their 2-dose Pfizer or Moderna series.
-
- 65 years of age and older
- Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
- Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
- Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings
Examples of workers who may get COVID-19 booster shots include first responders, educational staff, food and agriculture workers, manufacturing workers, USPS workers, public transit workers and grocery store workers.
Underlying conditions include people with cancer or a history of cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, chronic lung disease including moderate to severe asthma, bronchiectasis and COPD, dementia or other neurological conditions, type 1 or 2 diabetes, down syndrome, heart conditions including heart disease and high blood pressure, HIV, immunocompromised individuals or people who are taking medications that weaken their immune system, mental health conditions including depression, mood disorders, and schizophrenia, overweight and obese individuals, pregnant and recently pregnant people, hemoglobin blood disorders, and smokers, current or former.
The Teton County Health Department staffs a COVID-19 hotline. Staff is available to answer questions at 307-732-8628. Messages will be returned within 48 hours.
