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The best things in life truly are free.

And better yet when they’re also pain-free.

That’s been the case at the COVID-19 testing drive-thru site at Skagit Valley College, where Sgt. Jeff Willard of the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office La Conner detachment is part of the team assembled to quickly and efficiently guide the public through coronavirus self-exam stations.

Located in the large parking area east of SVC’s McIntyre Hall, the site has drawn between 50 and 200 vehicles daily since opening in late April. The site is designed to handle much larger traffic volumes than that, said Willard, who himself went through the testing process

“We get people here at 8 a.m. and we don’t open until 9,” said Willard, a traffic sergeant. “It’s not uncommon for us to have 12-15 cars when we open the gates.”

There are two lanes for the testing tent. Motorists proceed to the lane indicated by a flagger, then crack their window for instructions. They receive a self-swab testing kit and when completed – usually in just a minute or two – can exit.

It’s that simple.

“The test is non-invasive,” Willard said. “It’s a nostril swab only, a self-test under direction of a nurse or doctor.”

Test results are available within 24 to 72 hours. Negative results are announced via text. Phone calls are made to those who test positive.

Katherine Chapman, a communicable disease public health nurse, said collaboration between various Skagit County agencies has made the process work smoothly.

“It’s been a great collaboration,” she said. “Police, fire, emergency management and public health have come together to make this happen quite quickly.”

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers from throughout the region, including Bill Davis, of Shelter Bay, are likewise stationed at the SVC testing area.

No appointments are required to receive the COVID-19 testing, Willard said. Walk-ins and cyclists, in addition to motorists, can avail themselves of the no-charge opportunity regardless of insurance status, he said.

Spanish-speaking interpreters are on the grounds as well, said Willard.

“What we want to make clear to the public,” Chapman said, “is this is a painless test. It’s really oriented to serving the needs of the public during this pandemic.”

The drive-thru testing site will be open through this week – and perhaps longer.

“We will continue testing as long as there’s a community need,” said Amie Tidrington, correctional health manager with Skagit County.

On May 1, nine of 146 persons pulling into SVC tested positive. There were six positive tests out of 113 taken two days earlier. Though May 8, 34 of the 1,229 tests have been positive, a rate of 5.4%. The tests at SVC have found 8.6% of the 397 positive test results in Skagit County.

“The more people you test, the more positives you’ll see,” Tidrington said. “But what it does is help contain that spread. What we’re doing is incredibly vital to getting this under control.”

“We’ve got to get it (COVID-19) under control,” added Willard, “to move forward.”

Through May 8, 631 people had been tested at the County’s drive through site. Thirty-four were positive for COVID-19, A 5.4% rate. There were an additional 44 Skagit County positive cases from May 3 through May 10, an 11% increase to 402 cases from 358. Since February, 48 people have been hospitalized, 221 have recovered. There have been 14 deaths.

For information: Skagit County Public Health: 360-416-1500.