Coronavirus In Pennsylvania: Health Officials Working To Ramp Up Mass COVID-19 Testing Across Delaware Valley
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Health officials are working to ramp up mass testing of the coronavirus as sites are expected to open next week. One of those testing sites will be by Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia, according to a source.
It's not yet open to the public, but health officials hope to get it up and running soon, but to get a test, you have to show symptoms.
"This test is not going to be for people to just walk in," Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said. "You're going to need an order or a prescription to go to these sites."
Large tents line the outside of Citizens Bank Park, where city officials plan to open a drive-thru testing site for the coronavirus.
"As far as how many patients we can handle, that still remains to be seen, in part because we have to deal with this question of how many test kits are available," Farley said.
Across the bridge in Camden, crews are setting up a similar testing site in Blackwood.
In Montgomery County, a drive-thru testing facility is going up at Temple University's Ambler campus. It's expected to open next week.
"We've been working with our partners to establish a drive-thru testing location in Upper Dublin Township. We will be releasing additional details as soon as they are confirmed," said Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. "Once opened, the county has a list of critical workforce personnel, including first responders that will be tested first."
Philadelphia's testing site at Broad Street and Pattison Avenue will be free to patients. Mayor Jim Kenney expects that and the city's continued two-week non-essential business shutdown will help stop the spread of COVID-19.
"We are taking every credible measure to flatten the curve," Kenney said. "Certainly this is something no one expected."
There is no word when Philadelphia's testing site will open, but there are several other testing sites in the city set up by private health providers.
