Dept. of Health Opening Free COVID-19 Testing Site in Wyomissing

The Department of Health today announced beginning Saturday, February 13, regional drive-thru, outdoor walk-up, and indoor walk-in COVID-19 testing clinics will be held in Berks, Indiana, Lackawanna, Lawrence, and Lebanon counties.

“While recent decreases in daily positive cases are promising, they don’t negate the need for testing,” Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said. “We encourage anyone who feels they need or want a test to take advantage of these free pop-up testing locations. From March 2020 through February 10, 2021, the department has received 9,685,927 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results, which roughly equates to 75.7 percent of the population. From May 2020 through February 10, 2021, the department has received 1,451,884 antigen test results. The total number of tests combined equates to 11,137,811, roughly 87 percent of the total Pennsylvania population.”

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The department extended and expanded its initial contract with AMI to perform pop-up testing in counties across the state. Counties under the initial contract, as well as the total number of patients tested. The initial AMI testing and the extension were funded by the federal ELC Enhancing Detection grant.

The department believes that increased testing in the counties will assist in determining the prevalence of the virus and assist the county in moving forward. Concerning counties, identified as those with percent positives above five percent, which is currently every county in the state, can be found on the Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard. Each county is being monitored as the state continues to examine all available data.

Department officials say they are grateful for the tremendous partnership with AMI and participating county entities to provide pop-up testing in five regions across the commonwealth. The AMI testing sites will be open to anyone who feels they need a test. It is important that even people with no symptoms who test positive isolate to stop the spread of COVID-19.

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Beginning Saturday, February 13, drive-thru testing clinics will be held to contain the spread of COVID-19 cases.

Testing will be available daily from 9am to 6pm starting Saturday, February 13 through Wednesday, February 17 at the Reform Congregation Oheb Sholom Synagogue, 555 Warwick Drive, Wyomissing, PA, 19610.

No parking or restrooms will be available, so everyone driving must use the drive-thru. The walk-up section of the sites is reserved for individuals who arrive through public transportation.

Those being tested in Berks should start on State Hill Road, drive to Wellington Boulevard, then make a left onto Warwick Drive. This will take you to the site which is approximately 2.5 blocks down on the right. Warwick Drive will be made one way throughout the event so this will be the only way to access the site. There will be signage placed to direct vehicles from State Hill Road.

Up to 450 patients can be tested per day. Mid-nasal passage swab PCR tests will be performed. Testing is on a first-come, first-serve basis and is completely free to all patients. Testing is also open to individuals who are not county residents. Patients must be ages three and older and are not required to show symptoms of COVID-19 in order to be tested. No appointment is necessary.

Patients are encouraged to bring a photo-ID or insurance card. Registration will also be completed on-site. The turnaround time for testing results is two to seven days after testing.

Individuals who are tested should self-quarantine while they await test results. Individuals who live with other people should self-quarantine in a private room and use a private bathroom if possible. Others living in the home with the individual awaiting test results should also stay at home. Individuals who test positive will receive a phone call from AMI while individuals who test negative will receive a secured-PDF emailed to them from AMI.

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Berks Weekly
Berks Weekly
Berks Weekly is an independent and locally owned digital newspaper covering the City of Reading and Berks County. Subscribe today: berksweekly.com/subscribe
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