By Emily Deskevich

As the positivity rate in Richmond spiked as a result of the Omicron variant in the last two months, resources for testing began to diminish. In efforts to combat this, Collegiate School’s bookstore, The Cougar Shop, began selling at-home COVID-19 antigen tests on January 5 to the community.

Self-administering at-home COVID-19 antigen tests became available in The Cougar Shop at the start of the second semester. Over Winter Break, Collegiate, as well as Richmond, had a spike in COVID-19 cases. Eric Kolenich, writing for The Richmond Times-Dispatch, stated in a recent article, “Finding take-home tests has become a challenge, as the surging omicron variant, holiday gatherings and new recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have created a shortage of the tests in the Richmond area and nationwide.” This increase in cases led to a scarcity of tests, and the availability of testing was limited in Richmond and surrounding areas. 

With the return to school quickly approaching, the need for COVID-19 testing became a priority for Collegiate. Due to the increased demand for tests, BetterMed, Collegiate’s resource for testing and an on-call medical provider for Virginia and North Carolina, was no longer able to provide concierge-style test appointment service to members of the Collegiate community. Previously, BetterMed was a testing location for students and faculty who needed tests to return to school. Students and faculty were able to choose the testing location they desired, and BetterMed provided convenience for scheduling. Since then, Collegiate has created an agreement with TestHere to allow a set number of test appointments to be available to the Collegiate community each day. However, they still needed another resource to provide adequate opportunities for testing. 

COVID tests sold at the Cougar Shop. Photo credit: Emily Deskevich.

To order tests through The Cougar Shop, initially an order form was sent to the community to gauge interest and need. Cougar Shop manager Jennifer Holloway states that the new resource, “has been met with such gratitude and relief.” Tests are purchased in packages of two per box, and each household can purchase up to two boxes. This is distribution is similar to a new resource that the Biden administration has announced. As of Jan. 19, Americans can now order up to four at-home tests per household from the federal government through the US Postal Service. 

Since the start of the pandemic in 2019, several types of tests have been produced to detect the virus or antibodies associated with the virus. 

According to the CDC, “Antibody tests can detect antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in your blood. Antibodies are proteins that your immune system makes to help fight infection and protect you from getting sick in the future.” Antibody tests are taken after you believe you have been infected, not as a diagnosis for COVID-19. 

On the other hand, viral tests are used to diagnose the COVID-19 virus. Laboratory tests take multiple days to provide a diagnosis but have been deemed more accurate than rapid tests, as they are examined in a lab for a longer period of time. While they are not always as accurate, rapid tests are still a respected form of diagnosing COVID-19. Collegiate started accepting rapid tests as a valid form of diagnosis at the start of the 2021 school year. As described by the CDC, “​​Viral tests use samples that come from your nose or mouth. Rapid tests can be performed in minutes.” Rapid tests can be self-administered, meaning you can purchase and take them at your convenience. 

Ultimately, The Cougar Shop’s decision to sell tests derived from a shortage of tests needed to fulfill the need in the community. Holloway stated, “people just couldn’t find tests anywhere, and that’s a little scary. Especially when you are experiencing symptoms or know of an exposure. It is just really important to have testing.” 

Due to uncertainty of reaction and demand, the shop decided to only fill orders through a form. However, due to the mass amounts of orders being made by the community, tests became available to anyone in walk up or curbside pick ups. 

Outdoor pick-up is available for either symptomatic or cautious customers. A table sits outside the shop where tests are placed for no-contact pick up. Alternatively, customers can come inside and purchase tests without having to place an order online. 

In comparison to other things they sell, The Cougar Shop makes no profit off of tests. The selling of tests in The Cougar Shop was out of necessity, thus The Cougar Shop sells them at cost. The majority of insurance companies will cover the expenses of a purchased COVID test from The Cougar Shop. 

The Cougar Shop’s COVID-19 tests will depend on the demand for them in the market. If the shortage and demand decrease, the need for The Cougar Shop to stock tests might also diminish. Testing shortages and availability still remain uncertain, but for now, the Collegiate community can depend on The Cougar Shop for their test needs.

Featured photo credit: Emily Deskevich.