Johnson County residents, employees offered free COVID-19 testing

With or without symptoms, the county is now hosting free drive-thru tests this Friday.

This Friday, Johnson County residents and employees alike can be tested for COVID-19 for free, according to a news release posted on the Johnson County, Kansas website.

Individuals 18 and older living or working in the county can visit the drive-thru testing clinic on Friday, June 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. located at the College Boulevard Activity Center, 11031 S. Valley Rd., in Olathe. Testing will be available until supplies run out, according to the release.

Those being tested are asked to stay in their vehicles with the windows rolled up until it is time for their test. The testing, like many other COVID-19 drive-thru tests, will involve using a swab sample from the inside of the nose.

This is the sixth community testing event, and the first to include non-residents of Johnson County.

“By testing a wide range of people, with and without symptoms, we can find out who in the community is infected with COVID-19 and put appropriate protective measures in place to stop transmission of the virus,” Johnson County Department of Health and Environment Director Dr. Sanmi Areola said. “The data from these testing clinics is trending in the right direction, but the virus is still out there,” he said.