Harrisburg, PA - The Department of Health today announced beginning Sunday, February 21, regional drive-thru, outdoor walk-up, and indoor walk-in COVID-19 testing clinics will be held in Huntingdon, Lackawanna, Northumberland, Venango, and Westmoreland counties. The counties with testing sites will continue to change weekly over the next two weeks so that 61 counties will eventually be covered by dedicated pop-up testing sites over a 12-week period.
“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 18, 2021, the department has received 10,032,502 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results. From May 2020 through February 18, 2021, the department has received 1,591,792 antigen test results. The total combined number of tests reported to the department equals 11,624,294, or the number of times Pennsylvanians have been tested since COVID-19 testing began in the commonwealth. The number of Pennsylvanians who have been tested by PCR or antigen tests is 4,921,135 which roughly equates to 38.4 percent of the Pennsylvania population. This number is lower because some people have been tested more than once.”
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, can be found here. 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.
The department is 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.
Beginning Sunday, February 21, drive-thru testing clinics will be held to contain the spread of COVID-19 cases in the following three counties:
- Northumberland;
- Venango; and
- Westmoreland.
Huntingdon County will also begin Sunday, February 21, but will be a drive-thru and indoor walk-in clinic.
Lackawanna County will also begin Sunday, February 21, but will be a drive-thru and outdoor walk-up clinic.
Testing will be available daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM starting Sunday, February 21 through Thursday, February 25.
The testing site locations and addresses are:
- Huntingdon County: Huntingdon Plaza, Suite 1505, 7505 Huntingdon Plaza, Huntingdon, PA, 16652;
- Lackawanna County: Scranton High School, 63 Mike Munchak Way, Scranton, PA, 18508;
- Northumberland County: Shikellamy State Park, Marina Section, 236 Marina Road, Sunbury, PA, 17801;
- Venango County: Rocky Grove Volunteer Fire Department, 29 Shuffstall Street, Franklin, PA, 16323; and
- Westmoreland County: Rostraver Ice Garden, 111 Gallitin Road & Route 51, Belle Vernon, PA, 15012.
No parking or restrooms will be available for Lackawanna county, so everyone driving must use the drive-thru. The walk-up section of the site is reserved for individuals who arrive through public transportation.
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. The department has additional instructions for individuals waiting for a COVID-19 test result. 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.
For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.
While vaccine supply from the federal government remains limited, the Department of Health is working to ensure the vaccine is provided in a way that is ethical, equitable and efficient.
The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
- Clean surfaces frequently.
- Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
- If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
- Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa”.
Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics
MEDIA CONTACT: Barry Ciccocioppo - RA-DHpressoffice@pa.gov
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