The Boothbay Region Health Center, located in the Meadow Mall across from Hannaford, offers COVID-19 Swab Tests by appointment for those who have arrived here from out of state and wish to forego the two-week quarantine. Visitors from New Hampshire and Vermont are not required to quarantine nor to be tested. Those of you visiting from other states are required to certify that you are not currently infected with COVID-19, or you need to quarantine for two weeks upon your arrival in Maine.

Here's how to get a COVID-19 test at the Boothbay Region Health Center. Call 633-1075 during office hours (8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday) to make your appointments. You will receive two appointment times. The first will be for an online (computer, tablet, smartphone) telehealth visit with one of our medical providers, who will take down all your info and register you for the test. He/she will also explain the testing procedure and discuss the different types of tests available (Swab/PCR vs. Antibody). The second appointment will be for the drive thru test. We usually do these a few afternoons per week so our PPE-clad staff can leave right from work to go home to shower and sanitize.

What will it cost? The lab test is usually covered by your health insurance (you can call the phone number on the back of your insurance card to verify) or if you are uninsured, the cost is currently covered by the CARES Act. The televisit (which is required unless you already have a doctor's order for the lab test) is also covered by health insurance. If you don't have insurance, we will charge $66. That covers our costs to gather the info, screen you, administer the test, send the test to the lab, and notify you of the results.

When will you get the results? Right now, it takes 48 hours to get your results. Within the next week, we expect to be able to offer same-day lab results.

No More Quarantine. As soon as you receive a negative test, you can certify (and know for sure) that you are currently virus-free and can therefore be out and about in our community.

Wear Masks When You Go Out. Please practice safe-distancing and wear a face mask when you enter any retail establishment or go anywhere there are other people. You don't want to contract the virus while you are here, nor to unwittingly spread it if you do get exposed. Wash your hands every time you re-enter your home.

We all look forward to enjoying a virus-free summer season in the Boothbay region. Please do your part!