Sept. 16, 2021. Reno/Sparks, NV – The Regional Information Center is reminding residents of all COVID-19 testing options as there is high demand in Washoe County.
With recent federal and state mandates that some employees must receive a COVID-19 vaccine or get a COVID-19 test every week, the availability of test appointments is limited but there are options.
- Washoe County Health District – Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center (RSLEC): Schedule an appointment here (all ages)
- Walmart (All ages)
- I-580 and 2nd St. – Walmart, 2425 E. 2nd St, Reno, NV 89502 – Sign up for appointment here
- Lemmon Valley – Walmart, 250 Vista Knoll Pkwy, Reno, NV 89506 – Sign up for appointment here
- Note: The testing is drive through and is done outside the store and not in the pharmacy.
- Area pharmacies: Find locations here.
- CVS Health (Ages 3+)
- Walgreens (Ages 3+)
“Testing at Walmart is underutilized and should be sought by those who need to get tested quickly,” said Kevin Dick, District Health Officer in Washoe County. “As we’ve stated previously, though, the shorter line at the Livestock Events Center is the vaccine line. If you get a COVID-19 vaccine, there is no longer a need to test out weekly unless you’re showing symptoms of COVID-19 so we highly recommend people get vaccinated.”
Cancel testing appointment if you can’t make it
It’s extremely important for residents who aren’t going to make it to their testing appointments to cancel through the platform from which they signed up.
About 20 percent of all appointments at the RSLEC have been no shows over the last week and those appointments go unused. The appointment slots could have been provided to others who need a test if those who cannot show up canceled through the proper channels. For questions about RSLEC testing, please call 775-328-2427.
Businesses should setup own testing
Local businesses that have a large number of employees who are able, but unwilling to, get vaccinated, and choose to get tested weekly instead should make arrangements for testing their employees and not rely on options at pharmacies and the RSLEC.
Community-based testing sites, like our pharmacies and at the RSLEC, are designed to determine if residents have COVID-19 so that we can notify them as soon as possible to decrease the spread of the virus in the community. It is not designed to be an option for obtaining a negative test result in order to go to work or for travel purposes.
Large businesses should reach out to independent laboratories and testing providers for setting up testing for employees.
Get a COVID-19 vaccine at our Community Vaccine Sites
The Regional COVID-19 website for Washoe County, www.COVID19Washoe.com has a page dedicated to events where COVID-19 vaccines will be available in the community. To see those events, go here.
Here are some upcoming events:
Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021
- Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center, 1201 Valley Rd., Reno, 10 a.m.-2p.m. (Hosted by Reno Fire Dept.)
- Great Basin Brewing Co., 5525 S Virginia St, Reno, 4-7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 17, 2021
- University of Nevada, Reno – Joe Crowley Student Union, 1-4 p.m.
- Reno Aces, Greater Nevada Field, 5:30-8 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021
- Fiesta on Wells 2021, S Wells Ave, Reno, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021
- Neil Road Recreations Center, 3925 Neil Rd. Reno, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Hosted by Reno Fire Dept.)
Thursday, September 23
- Ijji Noodle House & Poke Don, 199 Damonte Ranch Pkwy #8m, Reno, noon-1 p.m. (Hosted by Reno Fire Dept.)
Appointment times for COVID-19 vaccine at Livestock Events Center to change next week
COVID-19 vaccines are available at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Starting next week, Sept. 20, 2021, appointments can be made in the afternoon from 1-4 p.m. and no longer in the mornings.
Schedule an appointment here or call 775-328-2427.
Sign up for the COVID Trace App
COVID Trace is a contact tracing mobile app developed by the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services that uses a technology called the Exposure Notifications System from Google and Apple. The app exchanges anonymous information with other phones in your vicinity and can notify you if you’ve come in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. See more here.
The COVID-19 Regional Information Center is working together to deliver COVID-19 community updates in a unified manner. While press releases are only sent periodically for significant events, you can always get daily results on our website, https://covid19washoe.com/, our COVID-19 Dashboard or by following us on Twitter @COVID19Washoe. The entities include: City of Reno, City of Sparks, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Regional Transportation Commission, REMSA, Reno Sparks Indian Colony, Reno Police Department, Reno Fire Department, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, University of Nevada, Reno, Washoe County, Washoe County Health District, Washoe County School District and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Also in the group are the area hospitals, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Renown Health and Saint Mary’s.