Eagle County announces two new, free COVID-19 testing facilities

Eagle County on Thursday issued the following press release on two new, free COVID-19 testing facilities in the county:

Two free community COVID-19 testing sites are opening to increase overall testing capacity in Eagle County. A new COVID-19 testing facility opened on Tuesday, Sept. 7 in Eagle at the Eagle Pool and Ice Rink, and a second testing location will be added in Gypsum beginning Monday, Sept. 13.

The testing site at the Eagle Pool and Ice Rink at 1700 Bull Pasture Road in Eagle is currently open 7 days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and has the capacity to conduct between 300 and 400 tests daily. Advanced appointments and registration are highly encouraged.

An additional 100 to 150 tests will be available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.., beginning Sept. 13. That testing facility is located by the restrooms in the parking lot outside of the Gypsum Sports Complex at 3295 Cooley Mesa Road. Individuals may register for an appointment at rfvcovidtest.com, but walk-ups with on-site registration are also welcome.

The PCR testing sites are a collaborative project between Eagle County Public Health and Environment (ECPHE), Mountain Recreation, Roaring Fork Neurology, Town of Gypsum, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), and Mako Medical. The locations were selected to meet the demand of residents in the lower portion of the Eagle River Valley seeking testing. 

“As disease rates have increased in recent weeks, so has the demand for residents seeking testing,” said ECPHE Director Heath Harmon. “We are grateful for this partnership to help better meet the COVID-19 testing needs for all Eagle County residents.”

Results are typically available within 24-48 hours. Since these results are not available immediately, Public Health officials also advise that individuals adopt certain precautions to help limit potential exposures and spread of COVID-19 to others:

-If you have symptoms consistent with COVID, regardless of your vaccination status, stay home except while seeking testing.

• testing should be conducted between 24-48 hours after your symptoms began.
• testing sooner than 24 hours may provide a false negative result.

-If you have symptoms and are being tested,

• remain at home until test results have been received.
• If the results are positive, remain home for 10 days from when your symptoms began.
• If your results are negative and you were not exposed to someone with confirmed COVID-19, remain home until your symptoms have cleared.
• try to isolate from other household members during this time.

-If you were exposed to someone confirmed to have COVID-19,  do not have symptoms and are fully vaccinated, 

• you should seek testing on the 5th day from your exposure.
• you should wear a face covering until you receive your results, but do not need to stay at home.
• if the results are negative, you no longer need to wear a face covering.
• if the results are positive, you will need to remain home for 10 days from the day the test was performed.

-If you were exposed to someone confirmed to have COVID-19, do not have symptoms and are not fully vaccinated (partially vaccinated or unvaccinated)

• you should remain home for 10 days if you were in contact with the person who has COVID-19
• you should seek testing between days 5-7 from your exposure.
• if tested and the results are negative, you no longer need to stay home after day 7.
• if the results are positive you will need to remain home for 10 days from the day the test was performed.

Testing locations throughout the Eagle River and Roaring Fork Valleys are listed at https://sites.google.com/eaglecounty.us/covidtestingsites/english.