WAIMEA — People waiting in line for the free COVID test kits Monday were thrilled when the distribution team of Ku‘ulei Takashima, site manager for the Kekaha Neighborhood Center, and Ross Kagawa of the county Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency, opened the distribution ahead of the scheduled 1 p.m. start at the Waimea Neighborhood Center.
“Earlier, we distributed more than 230 kits of the 300 budgeted,” Kagawa said. “We could clean up and set up here in Waimea early. Since there were already people in line, we might as well let them get their kits instead of waiting in the sun.”
A lot of the recipients were appreciative of the early start because they were on lunch breaks or picking up for their neighbors and friends that were working.
Monday was the first day of the third round of distribution of free COVID-19 home test kits that are available to Kaua‘i residents through Friday afternoon.
The free test kits are being provided by the County of Kaua‘i in partnership with the state Department of Health Kaua‘i District Health Office using federal funds.
There are approximately 15,000 kits scheduled for distribution this week at different parts of the island. There is a limit of five test kits per individual/household, and are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.
Today, the kits will be available at the Hanalei Neighborhood Center from 9 a.m. to noon. From 1 to 4 p.m., the distribution will be at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center.
Wednesday’s distribution will start at the Hanapepe Recreation Center from 9 a.m. to noon. From 1 to 4 p.m., the kits will be available at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
Thursday’s distribution will take place at the Anahola Clubhouse from 9 a.m. to noon. The pavilion at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex will have test kits available from 1 to 4 p.m.
The week’s distributions wrap up Friday when the test kits will be available at the Koloa Neighborhood Center from 9 a.m. to noon and the Lihu‘e Neighborhood Center from 1 to 4 p.m.
County officials also remind residents that free test kits from the federal government can be ordered through http://covidtest.gov. These kits will be delivery by mail.
In addition to the home test kits, the County of Kaua‘i and the Kaua‘i District Health Office continue to provide free rapid COVID-19 testing with same-day results.
Testing sites have sufficient capacity and people needing tests need not arrive early.
The Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall testing center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and closed weekends and county holidays.
The mobile testing van is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at different community sites, including Wednesdays at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center, Thursdays at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center, Fridays at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center, Saturdays at Hanalei Neighborhood Center and Sundays at the pavilion at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex.
A full list of testing sites can be found at kauai.gov/covidtest.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
