SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Due to lower demand for COVID-19 testing statewide, and as the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) prepares to transition to a sustainable long-term response to the pandemic, officials have announced the closure of several testing sites.

The test sites that will be closed are:

• University of Utah: Many are back.
• Utah Valley University.
• West Valley: Maverick Center.
• Hyrum: Hyrum Senior Center.
• Provo: BYU Football Stadium.
• Bluffdale: Bluffdale City Park.
• Leighton: Ellison Park.

These closures are the first of several to close over the next six weeks as UDOH transitions from COVID-19 testing at a mass community site, a model in which most testing is done by health care providers, private providers or home testing.

We’ve been keeping a close eye on the demand for tests during the pandemic, and especially over the past few weeks. Many places that used to test thousands of people a day are now testing fewer than 100, said Nate Cheketes, executive director of the Utah Department of Health. “We have worked to ensure that other testing options are available in close proximity to each site that we close. Additionally, contracts with trial partners will remain in place, giving us the ability to reopen sites if the situation calls for.”

visited https://coronavirus.utah.gov/utah-covid-19-testing-locations/ To find a test location near you.

Home test kits are also available for purchase at your local drugstore or online. Most people covered by private health insurance can get home test kits that are covered by their health plans.

In addition, the federal government will send out four free test kits to every household in the United States. To order your kits, visit https://covidtests.gov.