PARMA, Ohio — Cuyahoga County libraries have been handing out free rapid COVID-19 test kits to the community since April.
With results in 15 minutes or less, the kits are in high demand for people who are trying to keep themselves and others safe while also getting back to work or school quickly.
“We typically saw about 150 to 200 kits that we were handing out each week [earlier this summer],” explained Hallie Rich with the Cuyahoga County Library. “The start of August, we suddenly saw a rapid increase in the demand for the tests. Last week, we ordered 2,000 kits to distribute and we blew through that. We’ve ordered additional and now we’re doing our best to make sure that our branches have the free kits available for anyone that needs one.”
In July, libraries across the state ordered 7,800 tests for distribution. In August, the number grew to 108,000.
“We encourage everybody to call their local branch ahead of time make sure that there are some in stock,” said Rich, “and then it’s as easy as pulling up to the drive-thru window and requesting what you need.”
As of September, Ohio has documented more than 1.26 million cases of COVID-19 with more than 21,000 deaths.
