The City of Rochester is ready to begin distribution of free COVID quick test kits tomorrow (Thurs), hoping that people will use them to find if they're COVID positive or healthy before going to a Christmas or New Year's gathering.
Mayor Jim Smith says the City Neighborhood Service Center staff will hand out more than 23,000 of the at-home test kits to about 240 churches and 250 barbershops and salons around the city. It will probably take until next week for all locations to get their kits. The churches and barbershops will then supply the free kits to people on request.
There are also two mass distributions being made next weekend: Saturday at the Trenton and Pamela Jackson R-Center on North Clinton, and Sunday at the Edgerton R-Center on Backus Street.
The suggestion to use barbershops and hair salons was the suggestion of City Council Vice President Willie Lightfoot, who's a barber by trade.