Many people don’t mind the nasal swab test, but there are some who are afraid of it. The reason that they are fearful isn’t necessarily from the swab’s uncomfortable feeling, but from the stigma of testing for COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that stigma is associated with a lack of knowledge about how COVID-19 spreads, a need to blame someone, fears about disease and death, and gossip that spreads rumors and myths. CDC also defines stigma as discrimination against an identifiable group of people, a place, or a nation. In the case of COVID-19, the identifiable group of people includes those who get tested, and especially those who test positive, for COVID-19.

Essentially, many people are still afraid of testing positive for COVID-19 due to judgment they may receive from family, friends, and even strangers.

EXPERIENCES OF STIGMA

People experience stigma for a variety of reasons, including:

  • Many fear the shame of testing positive for COVID-19, just like those who fear being shamed for contracting HIV.
  • Many people are shamed by others simply because a large portion of the population still do not believe the virus is real.
  • Some people fear telling others they tested positive for COVID-19 because they may be accused of not taking the virus seriously or of not protecting themselves.

DON’T LISTEN TO THE HATERS

No matter what others may say or feel, getting tested for COVID-19 is your civic duty. A positive result can help you know if you need to quarantine loved ones or take time off work and get some rest. Testing also helps get us closer to ending the pandemic due to better contact tracing.

WHERE TO FIND ADMINISTERED COVID-19 TESTS

Here are some local places where you can get a COVID-19 test:

  • CVS
  • Walgreens
  • City Drug (Montgomery, AL)
  • iKare Pharmacy (Montgomery, AL)
  • Your local health department
  • Your physician’s office

FREE AT-HOME TESTS

Order your free at-home tests at special.usps.com/testkits. You do not need to provide credit card information or your social security number to place the order.

Follow the guide below and scan the QR code for detailed instructions.