A national supply shortage has made it a challenge to get a COVID-19 test locally.
Appointments were already hard to come by for both PCR and rapid tests at most locations. Now, the Indiana Department of Health is halting rapid testing for a large portion of the state’s population.
Rapid tests at state and local health department testing sites will only be available to individuals aged 18 and younger and symptomatic individuals aged 50 and older.
The change will impact both community testing sites that are open for walk-in and drive-up appointments, the Johnson County Health Department’s site at the Compass Park event center, and a site at the former Sawmill Woods Elementary that is run through a partnership with the state and Gravity Diagnostics.
“This change is necessary due to the national shortage of rapid antigen tests and is designed to help ensure that students can stay in school and that Hoosiers who are most likely to need a monoclonal antibody are identified within the prescribed window in which they can be administered. Indiana typically uses about 50,000 rapid tests per week but is only guaranteed to receive 11,000 a week at this time,” a state health department news release said.
The change will take effect Wednesday, with appointments for rapid testing in all age groups to be honored on Tuesday, while supplies last. No changes were made to the availability of PCR tests.
Aside from Compass Park and Sawmill Woods, other Johnson County sites are booked for nearly a week, according to the online booking platforms for local CVS and Walgreens pharmacies and Kroger Little Clinic locations.
As a result, local testing sites are seeing longer lines. The lines at Compass Park are so long, people are being turned away, said Betsy Swearingen, director of the Johnson County Health Department.
About 20 cars were waiting in line around noon Tuesday at Compass Park. At Sawmill Woods, a similar scene unfolded.
There have been long lines at Compass Park since Thanksgiving, and lines were especially long right before and after the holidays. Lines have been consistently long for the past two weeks, Swearingen said.
Lines are often held up because there are carloads of people needing tests. Having multiple people who are symptomatic or may have been exposed to the virus in one car is a bad idea, especially if they aren’t from the same household, she said.
Due to how contagious the delta and omicron variants are, if even one of them is positive for COVID-19, they would likely spread it to the other people in the car. If multiple people must travel together for a test, they should take precautions such as rolling down the car windows and wearing masks, Swearingen said.
She asks people who are waiting for a test to be patient and understand that the health department has no control over the state’s changes to rapid tests.
“It is a waiting game all around,” Swearingen said. “Their patience and compassion would be appreciated.”
Several of those getting tested at Sawmill Woods said they had checked several places before deciding to get tested there.
Rodney Martin, of Greenwood, checked with his doctor’s office first, but would have had to wait two weeks for a test, he said.
“After searching everywhere I got on 211. That’s the only way I was able to find this place,” Martin said. The 211 hotline is a state services call center that is available to help Hoosiers find COVID-19 test and vaccination appointments.
It was important for Martin to make sure he is negative before returning to work after the holidays, he said.
Greenwood couple Victoria and Koda Leshen also checked around before ending up at Sawmill Woods. Appointments at area pharmacies were all booked until next week, they said.
“It is tough. But I guess (COVID-19 is) surging so everyone needs a test,” Koda Leshen said.
“The holidays definitely don’t help,” Victoria Leshen added.
At-home tests are also hard to come by due to the national rapid test shortage. Local pharmacies get shipments, but are quickly cleaned out. The same is true for online retailers.
Here’s a look at how to get tested for COVID-19 in Johnson County:
Compass Park
Where: 690 State St, Franklin.
When: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Every third Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Register: No appointment necessary, appointments are available at scheduling.coronavirus.in.gov.
Starlight Dance Academy (Sawmill Woods Elementary)
Where: 700 Sawmill Road, New Whiteland.
When: Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. – 3 p.m., closed for lunch noon to 1 p.m.
Register: No appointment necessary, appointments are available at scheduling.coronavirus.in.gov.
CVS pharmacies
Where: CVS pharmacies in Franklin, Bargersville, Whiteland, Trafalgar and Greenwood.
When: During pharmacy hours.
Register: Visit cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-19-testing.
Walgreens pharmacies
Where: Walgreens locations in Franklin and Greenwood.
When: During pharmacy hours.
Register: Visit walgreens.com/findcare/covid19/testing.
Kroger Little Clinics
Where: Locations at 970 N. Morton Street, Franklin; 5961 N. State Road 135, Greenwood; 8745 S. Emerson Ave., Indianapolis.
When: During pharmacy hours.
Register: Visit kroger.com/i/coronavirus-update/pharmacy#COVIDViralTest.
