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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in Albany during his daily briefing on Tuesday, March 17 that a “drive-through” novel coronavirus testing facility is being set up in Rockland this week.
“We opened on in New Rochelle, and it’s been working well,” he said. “So we’ll be opening one in Nassau County, one in Suffolk and then one in Staten Island. We will also be opening one up in Rockland County.”
The drive-through site is scheduled to open up in Rockland this week in an as-of-yet unannounced location.
The mobile testing sites will feature multiple lanes for area residents to drive into, get tested in their cars by doctors or nurses, and then drive away within 15 minutes. Those tests are then sent to a lab to determine whether the patient is positive for coronavirus without risking exposure to patients or hospital staff.
Cuomo noted that those looking to get tested cannot just show up at the mobile testing facility, and will have to call 888-364-3065 to set up an appointment. Local residents will be given first priority, especially those who are older or have respiratory issues.
It is expected that the mobile labs will have the capacity to test approximately 200 to 250 cars daily. The results will be returned within 48 hours, Cuomo noted.
“This is a creative way of testing, this ‘drive-through’ testing,” he said. “I hadn’t heard of this last week, but we’re doing it this week thanks to the team we have around us. “It’s faster and easier, and also smarter and safer because you’re not exposing people to a person who may be positive at a hospital.
"Until now, if someone thought they were positive, they’d walk into a hospital and expose staff members and patients, now we can avoid that.
“It’s safer and there’s a lot less exposure overall.”
Michael Dowling, the CEO and President of Northwell Health called the facilities “unique,” adding that “it shows the entrepreneurship in New York that we have to be able to do something that I don’t think is around anywhere at the moment. It’s unique and pretty extraordinary.”
This continues to be a developing story. Keep checking Daily Voice for additional information as it is released.
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