Staff Report

WARSAW — Effective Tuesday, Jan. 4, COVID-19 rapid tests at state and local health department testing sites in Indiana will only be available to individuals ages 18 and younger, and symptomatic individuals ages 50 and older.

According to the Indiana Department of Health, “this change is necessary due to the national shortage of rapid antigen tests and is designed to help ensure that students can stay in school and that Hoosiers who are most likely to need a monoclonal antibody are identified within the prescribed window in which they can be administered. Indiana typically uses about 50,000 rapid tests per week but is only guaranteed to receive 11,000 a week at this time.”

Appointments for COVID-19 rapid tests previously scheduled for Jan. 4 will be honored while testing supplies last. Going forward, no appointments for rapid tests will be honored at state or local health department sites except for individuals who fall within the above categories.

“PCR tests, which are the gold standard, will continue to be offered at all testing sites, with results expected in two to three days,” read a statement from IDH.