Testing site to close in June, home test kits available

The Dubois County Reginal COVID-19 Testing Site (Former Ruxer’s Golf Course) will be closing at the end of the day on June 30, 2022, due to the discontinuation of funding from the State of Indiana.  

In preparation for this closure, the Dubois County Health Department has obtained a limited supply of COVID-19 take-home test kits to help with this transition. 

Distribution of these free test kits is encouraged based upon need, such as (limited access to testing, minority and social vulnerabilities, signs of illness and/or symptoms, etc.).

Covid-19 tests can up to $139 through some providers — Deaconess and CVS charge $139 for testing according to their website.

Starting on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, COVID-19 take-home test kits will be available for PICKUP ONLY at the Dubois County Health Department’s Drive-Thru, during normal business hours between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm. Limit of 4 test kits per household while supplies last. 

The Dubois County Health Department will not perform any testing, these are TAKE HOME TEST KITS ONLY.  

Shawn Werne, Administrative Director of the Dubois County Health Department, stated this closing of the site will likely impact their ability to determine the amount of Covid-19 spread in the community at a given moment. He added that the at-home test kits already on the market have already impacted their ability to track the spread so he didn’t expect it to be a considerable difference.

We still monitor hospitalizations and advancements in wastewater sampling have given new insight into community spread as well,” Werne said.

He added that if at-home test kits remain available — there was a shortage at the beginning of the year with the spread of Omicron — access to testing won’t be an issue for any future issues related to the pandemic.