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New Drive-Thru Coronavirus Testing Site At William Paterson Will Require Prescription

A coronavirus testing site will open at William Paterson University this week with a major difference from the state's first government-run site in Paramus.

"Our objective is to slow the spread," Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh said. "This testing site will help."

"Our objective is to slow the spread," Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh said. "This testing site will help."

Photo Credit: Mayor Andre Sayegh

"You're gonna need a prescription," Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh said Sunday afternoon.

"At Bergen Community College, they are screening on site -- that's what you attribute the long lines to," the mayor said. "They will not do that here."

Several lanes will be open, with Passaic County sheriff's officers directing the traffic, Sayegh said.

"Paramus Road has become congested," he said. "This will keep the traffic flowing. It will move much quicker."

Te Bergen Community College coronavirus testing site was at capacity within four hours of opening on Friday, then within 15 minutes on Saturday and after 90 minutes on Sunday .

SEE: BCC Testing Site Again At Capacity

Passaic County has contracted with BioReference Laboratories of Elmwood Park for 1,000 test kits.

The county also has asks, gloves, gowns, and eye shields — but still needs more medical volunteers to collect the swabs, county spokesman Keith Furlong said.

County officials hope to open the site on Wednesday and test 250 people a day.

Besides the doctor's note, those eligible for testing much have a valid New Jersey driver's license and show symptoms of COVID-19, including a fever of 99.6 degrees or above, shortness of breath and a cough.

Other counties have begun to mitigate the spread of coronavirus through testing that determines who requires immediate treatment and who doesn't, Sayegh said.

"Our objective is to slow the spread," he said. "This testing site will help."

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