Berks picked to be pilot site of national COVID home test and treatment program
Berks County will be the country’s first pilot site for a new national COVID-19 home testing and treatment program.
The Home Test to Treat Program is run by the National Institutes of Health and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response through the U.S. Department of Human Services. The state Department of Health will help administer the program.
The program is designed to learn more about home testing and treatment programs and how they can be used as a defense against COVID.
“The Department of Health is committed to creating health equity across Pennsylvania,” Dr. Denise Johnson, acting secretary of health and physician general, said in a statement announcing the pilot program. “The Home Test to Treat pilot program is a step toward that goal, and we are excited that Berks County was chosen as the first in the nation to pilot this important program.”
A total of 8,000 Berks residents will be able to enroll in the program, which will provide testing, telehealth consultations and the delivery of anti-viral medication at zero cost to eligible community members. Information on how to enroll will provided soon, according to the state Department of Health.
Once enrolled, participants will be eligible to receive at-home rapid tests by mail. If they test positive for COVID-19, they will be invited to participate in a telehealth consultation with a medical provider and can receive, at no cost to the participant, antiviral medication delivered to their home or for pick-up at a local pharmacy.
Participants should not wait until they are sick to sign up for the program.
“The county of Berks is honored to be selected as the first community to pilot this nationwide program,” said Stephanie Weaver, the county’s public relations officer. “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the county has further developed partnerships within our community that allow us to implement exciting new programs like this.
“We hope our residents will take advantage of these new, free resources and in turn be better prepared to detect and treat COVID-19 when it strikes.”
To participate in the program, individuals must be at least 18 years old, have an email address, speak English or Spanish and consent to participate in the pilot program.
For more information on the pilot program visit doyourpartberks.com/home-test-to-treat.
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