January 18, 2022
Media Contact: Brookie Crawford, brookie.crawford@vdh.virginia.gov
Chesterfield Health District Opens Community COVID-19 Testing Center
CHESTERFIELD, Va. – On Wednesday, January 19, the Virginia Department of Health’s Chesterfield Health District will open a Community Testing Center (CTC) at the Chesterfield Fairgrounds to provide free Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing for COVID-19 to increase availability in response to public demand.
The Chesterfield CTC, located at 10300 Courthouse Rd., will operate by appointment only and will be open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The last appointment will be scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Please enter the fairgrounds through Gate 4.
“Testing remains a critical tool in helping us to identify those with COVID-19 for treatment and to prevent the spread of this disease,” said Chesterfield Health Director Alexander Samuel, MD, MPH. “We are pleased to be able to offer this additional testing resource to our community.”
Testing is available for everyone ages 3 and older. However, a parent or guardian must accompany anyone under 18 years old. To schedule an appointment, visit vase.vdh.virginia.gov/testingappointment. Testing will take place in a heated tent; please dress appropriately for the weather.
PCR test results are usually available within a few days, and are very effective in detecting an active COVID-19 infection, even if asymptomatic. CTC test results will be automatically sent via text or email message to individuals being tested based on the information provided in the appointment system.
To protect yourself and healthcare workers, wear a cloth face covering or mask. Keep at least six feet of distance between yourself and other people at all times. Be sure to tell the testing providers if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, deep cough or shortness of breath, or believe that you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
VDH recommends that the following people be tested for COVID-19:
- People who have symptoms of COVID-19.
- People who have come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 should be tested to check for infection at least five days after they last had close contact with someone with COVID-19. The date of the last close contact is considered Day 0.
- People not fully vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine who are prioritized for expanded community screening for COVID-19.
- People not fully vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine who have been asked or referred to get testing by their school, workplace, healthcare provider, state, tribal, local or territorial health department.
“It’s critical that we reserve our hospital emergency rooms and rescue squads for medical emergencies, so if you’re seeking a COVID test and it is not an emergency, please utilize our community testing events or testing at one of our retail pharmacy partners,” Dr. Samuel said.
For questions about COVID-19 testing or a list of testing locations, visit the VDH website or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For those still needing a COVID-19 vaccine or booster, please visit or call 1-877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1). English- and Spanish-speaking operators are available. Translation services also are available in more than 100 languages.
# # #