The South Dakota Department of Health is distributing an initial batch of free COVID-19 tests.
The department says nearly 200,000 test kits are shipping primarily to long-term care facilities across the state.
The department recently purchased a total of 1 million test kits. Shipments were delayed due to supply chain problems.
The Flowflex antigen tests take about 15 minutes to administer with step-by-step instructions. The Health Department wants to make additional tests available for free pickup at courthouses, airports, schools, pharmacies and other sites. The department said that will happen over the next two weeks if no further supply chain problems occur.
The department said the results are reliable and do not need confirmation through a healthcare provider. Upon receiving a positive test result, the department recommends following CDC isolation guidance.
