CDPHE suggests getting COVID-19 test for symptoms regardless of vaccination status

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Colorado Department of Health and Environment is reminding people to get tested for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination. With the delta variant around Colorado, the state believes it is crucial for people to check their status and isolate if they have symptoms.

However, as the bad air quality remains across most of the area, it is easy to confuse wildfire exposure symptoms and COVID-19 symptoms.

Dr. Joel Tanaka with Peak Vista Community Health Center says there are some overlapping symptoms to look out for, such as "shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fatigue, sore throat" as they are symptoms that can cross over.

But if it is COVID, some crucial symptoms include fever, chills, body aches, diarrhea, and sometimes the loss of taste or smell.

"You typically wouldn't expect this from particles in the air that are irritating to the lungs," added Dr. Tanaka.

Regardless of the symptoms you might be feeling, whether it is the smoke or covid, it is important to still get tested for COVID-19 regardless of your vaccination status.

"The delta variant has become the dominant variant in Colorado and it has been like that for a couple of weeks so testing is critically important to making sure we combat this," said Jared Verner with the El Paso County Public Health Department.

For the past few weeks, it has been steadily busy at testing sites across Southern Colorado, seeing a slight increase of people coming out more.

"Countywide, we're still conducting about 2,000 tests a day and it has held steady for the past few months, it is a little bit higher than it was a month ago, but we are still encouraging people to get tested and use this resource that is available," added Verner.

The testing site at Citadel Mall is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For a list of COVID-19 testing sites click here.