Harrisburg, PA - The Department of Health today announced that additional COVID-19 testing sites will open to the public at the welcome centers in Greene and Mercer counties starting next week. The two sites are available through a partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and AMI Expeditionary Healthcare (AMI).
“The virus is still present in our communities,” Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said. “This reinforces the need for continued testing across the state. We encourage anyone who feels they need or want a test to take advantage of any of the COVID-19 testing clinics, if they think they have been exposed to COVID-19. Much of the news and attention has shifted to vaccines, but testing is still a critical part of our response to ultimately stop the spread of COVID-19.”
Testing will be available at both locations from 9 AM to 6 PM, Tuesday through Saturday, beginning June 29 and ending Aug. 21.
Greene County
The Greene County Welcome Center site will have an outdoor walk-up site located at I-79 N Mount Morris, PA, 15349.
Mercer County
The Mercer County Welcome Center site will have an outdoor drive-up and walk-up site located at I-80 East, West Middlesex, PA, 16159.
Additional AMI COVID-19 testing sites are currently operating Tuesday through Saturday in Centre County through July 31 and Pike County through July 1.
Testing in Centre County is available at Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority Interpretive Center, 253 Transfer Road, Bellefonte, PA 16823 from 10 AM to 7 PM. Testing in Pike County is available at the Pike County Pennsylvania Welcome Center, 1042 Pennsylvania Avenue, Matamoras, PA, 18336 from 9 AM to 6 PM.
In addition, Pennsylvanians can find testing sites in their area on the locator map here.
Up to 450 people 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. No appointment is necessary. Testing is open to individuals who are not county residents. Patients must be ages 3 and older and are not required to show symptoms of COVID-19 in order to be tested. Patients are encouraged to bring a photo-ID. Registration will also be completed on-site. The turnaround time for testing results is one to three days after testing.
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 have tested positive, isolate in order to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Individuals who are tested should self-quarantine while they await their 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.
The department believes that increased testing in counties will help determine the prevalence of the virus and assist the county in moving forward. There are currently 3 counties in the commonwealth where the percent of positive cases is above 5 percent on the Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard. Each county is being monitored as the state continues to examine all available data.
The department has contracted with AMI to perform pop-up COVID-19 testing in counties across the state since September 2020. The contracts were funded by the federal Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Enhancing Detection grant. Counties under the initial contract, as well as the total number of patients tested, can be found here. Counties served under the first contract extension, as well as the total number of patients tested, can be found here.
From March 2020 through June 24, 2021, the department has received 14,511,442 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results. From May 2020 through June 24, 2021, the department has received 3,720,723 antigen test results. The total combined number of tests reported to the department is 18,232,165 since COVID-19 testing began in the commonwealth. The number of Pennsylvanians who have been tested by PCR or antigen tests is 6,356,426 which roughly equates to 49.7 percent of the Pennsylvania population. Some people have been tested more than once.
Counties in need of a long-term COVID-19 testing site should contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health to discuss the possibility of setting up a pop-up site through AMI.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people who are fully vaccinated do not get testing following a known exposure, if asymptomatic, with some exceptions for specific settings. Otherwise, the department recommends getting tested for COVID-19 if you come in contact with an infected individual or if you are experiencing symptoms.
For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.
The Department of Health is working to ensure the vaccine is provided in a way that is ethical, equitable and efficient to all Pennsylvanians:
- All Pennsylvanians age 12 and older are eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine. Use Vaccine Finder to find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you.
- A commonwealth COVID-19 vaccination guide explains the current process for getting one. Pennsylvanians with questions about the vaccination process can call the Department of Health hotline at 1-877-724-3258.
- All of the locations that received vaccine and how much they have received can be found on the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution webpage.
- Vaccine dashboard data can also be found on the website to find more information on the doses administered and showcase demographic information.
- The Unite Against COVID Weekly Update is a round-up of news you can use and answers to your most pressing vaccine questions – delivered directly to your inbox every week.
- Frequently asked questions can be found here.
The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:
- Get vaccinated with one of the three safe and effective vaccines available to provide the best layer of protection.
- 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.
- 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: Mark O'Neill - RA-DHpressoffice@pa.gov
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