Travel mandates dictate that vouchers be given to Alaskans returning home from travels abroad, to pay for a COVID-19 test. Soldotna Professional Pharmacy began operating a drive-through COVID-19 testing site on June 8. This marks the first drive-through testing site in the central peninsula, greater Kenai and Soldotna area.
Justin Ruffridge of Soldotna Professional Pharmacy told Dan Nelson, Kenai Peninsula Borough Emergency Manager, that they are prepared for handling the influx of testing from travelers: “We’re currently testing people that are symptomatic. Some of those symptoms would be cough, shortness of breath, fever, loss of taste or smell, certain gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, something like that. For those who are asymptomatic, or without symptoms, we can still do a test but they have to have a couple of conditions met: either a referral from their physician or a travel voucher. When they come to the pharmacy after we’ve set up an appointment, they’ll just drive through to the two tents in the parking lot. It’s labeled as an entrance out there. Dial the phone number on the sign.”
Ruffridge went into further detail about testing eligibility: “The voucher comes from those folks who are entering Alaska after having traveled somewhere outside of the state. I do want to be clear: we can test people that are symptomatic without that referral from the physician. You can just call and order that. If you do have no symptoms, that’s the part where you would need to have that referral happen. So, the travel voucher is usually given to you at the airport or at a port-of-entry.”
He also noted that results are typically being returned within 72 hours. For those concerned about the discomfort of the test, Ruffridge says that the self-administered they utilize is a bit more comfortable. It is a mid-turbinate nasal swab which only enters the nose about an inch until a bit of resistance is felt. After the test is administered in each nostril, the swab is placed in a bag and returned to the pharmacist at the drive-through testing spot.
The testing team at Soldotna Professional Pharmacy told KSRM News in June that planning ahead is necessary: “We are appointment-only. We have to test according to the state’s criteria, so unfortunately, as of right now, we cannot test asymptomatic people unless they have a travel voucher or a referral from their physician. There’s a space for them to park, and then they can call us and we’re doing all of the testing inside of their vehicles.”
To make an appointment or to get more information, the pharmacy asks folks to call (907) 714-1603.
