COVID-19 Testing Information

  • Haga clic aquí para información en español de pruebas de COVID-19

    **Due to extremely high demand, staffing shortages, and transportation challenges beyond our control, testing hours and capacity may vary.**

    • Reno High School will not be hosting testing on Wednesday, January 19 from 3:30-4:30pm.
    • Only rapid antigen testing is currently being offered at WCSD testing locations.
    • Due to shortened testing time, each WCSD testing site will only offer 75 rapid antigen tests for symptomatic/close contact testing between 3:30-4:30pm. 

    Whether you have symptoms, are testing after a close contact exposure, or testing for an activity, only official laboratory COVID-19 antigen or PCR test results can be accepted. Home tests and antibody results cannot be accepted. Consult the Self-Screening Tool for test timing.

    Community Testing - 

    • Washoe County Health District offers free testing 5 days a week: https://covid19washoe.com/testing/ or call 775-328-2427. 
    • Northshore Community Testing*: Public walk-up testing locations are open 7 days a week from 8 am to 4:30 pm. Due to extremely high demand and staffing issues, locations may need to close early. No appointments or reservations are needed or available.
      • Bartley Ranch Regional Park, 6000 Bartley Ranch, Rd, Reno
      • Eagle Canyon Park, 400 Eagle Canyon Dr, Spanish Springs
      • South Valleys Regional Park, 15650 Wedge Pkwy, Reno
      • North Valleys Regional Park, 8085 Silver Lake Rd, Reno 
    • Other community testing offerings*: https://nvhealthresponse.nv.gov/find-covid-19-testing-in-nevada/
      Scroll down this page to "Start COVID-19 Self Assessment" or scroll further to enter your zip code under "Find Near Me" to find a list of COVID-19 testing locations near you. Such locations* will include CVS, Walgreens, Test Well, DispatchHealth.

    *Testing locations are not endorsed or vetted by the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services or Washoe County School District.

    WCSD Testing Locations for Staff, Student and their Families

    Washoe County School District has partnered with Northshore Clinical Labs (NCL) to offer free COVID-19 testing at 11 district high schools, two days each week.

    • Athletic Teams and Student Activities traveling out of Washoe County
      • Testing is available at each large high school as listed below (times may vary as schedule demands).
      • Teams participating in Close Contact Sports (as defined by the NIAA) must test weekly.
      • Those traveling out of Washoe County for activities or competitions must test in the 7 days before travel.
      • Testing requirements apply to vaccinated and unvaccinated participants, per WCSD Board of Trustees.
    • WCSD students, staff, and their family members who are SYMPTOMATIC or excluded for CLOSE CONTACT (Handout)Student, Staff and Family COVID-19 Testing Handout
      • Special symptomatic/close contact testing is available AFTER school hours from 3:30pm to 4:30pm at testing high schools other than Incline. At Incline High School, this testing will be available 9am-12pm.
      • Symptomatic and excluded individuals may not enter campus during school hours. (Incline has a special area set aside. Follow signs.) Masks are required at ALL times. Take precautions to avoid exposing others to potential illness.
      • Symptomatic individuals must wait for 48 hours after symptoms begin to have test collected.
      • Asymptomatic individuals who are excluded for close contact with a positive COVID-19 case cannot test out of the 5-day quarantine.

    START HERE to test at WCSD High Schools

    1. Register with Northshore Clinical Labs through the WCSD registration site BEFORE arriving. Complete one online registration form for each person who will be tested.
    2. Choose a day of the week and location:
      • Mondays and Wednesdays:
        • Damonte HS - 10500 Rio Wrangler Pkwy, Reno, NV 89521
        • Galena HS - 3600 Butch Cassidy Way, Reno, NV 89511
        • McQueen HS - 6055 Lancer St, Reno, NV 89523
        • Reed HS - 1350 Baring Blvd, Sparks, NV 89434
        • Reno HS - 395 Booth St, Reno, NV 89509 (No symptomatic/close contact testing from 3:30-4:30pm on 1/19/22.)
        • Spanish Springs HS - 1065 Eagle Canyon Dr, Sparks, NV 89441
      • Tuesdays and Thursdays:
        • Hug HS - 2880 Sutro St, Reno, NV 89502
        • Incline HS - 499 Village Blvd, Incline Village, NV 89451
        • North Valleys HS - 1470 E Golden Valley Rd, Reno, NV 89506
        • Sparks HS - 820 15th St, Sparks, NV 89431
        • Wooster HS - 1331 E Plumb Ln, Reno, NV 89502
    3. Attend only during testing times for the appropriate testing category:
      • Athletics/Student Activities: 1-3pm
      • Symptomatic/Close Contact: 3:30-4:30pm at high schools other than Incline; 9am-12pm at Incline High School. *If you are sick or have been exposed, DO NOT ENTER schools outside of these testing hours.*
    4. Check test results in your email inbox.
      • If your rapid antigen test is positive, you will be notified by telephone immediately.
      • If two tests were collected (antigen and PCR) and you do not receive notice that your rapid antigen test is positive, wait for PCR test results.
      • If a PCR test was collected, PCR test results will be emailed to you as soon as the results are available.
        • If you have not been excluded (are testing for screening), you can continue with normal activities while you wait for results.
        • If you are excluded for symptoms or close contact, you must wait for PCR test results. Follow directions on the Self-Screening Tool and What to do after your COVID-19 Test handout. Depending on processing time, it can take 24-72 hours (or longer during periods of extremely high demand) to receive PCR test results.
      • For additional information, see the What to do after your COVID-19 Test handout.

    Testing information:

    • NO COST – Testing by Northshore Clinical Labs comes at no cost to families. Your insurance information can be provided, but there is absolutely no cost-sharing. If an individual does not have insurance, coverage will be provided through the HRSA COVID-19 Coverage Assistance Fund at no cost (identification of parent/guardian is required). If you provide insurance information, there will be a line item on the coverage documentation but there will be no cost to the insured individual/family.
    • COLLECTION OPTIONS – Both antigen and PCR test samples will be collected for every patient. Antigen test samples will be collected with shallow nasal swabs. PCR tests will be collected with shallow nasal swab or cheek swab.
    • SCHEDULING – Appointments are not required or offered. 
    • BREAKS & HOLIDAYS – Note that while testing schedule may vary during school breaks and holidays.