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A new COVID-19 testing center is being set up at the Mount Vernon Neighborhood Health Center, on 4th Street which will open up on Friday, April 17.
Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard said that the site will operate as a mobile facility for those who do not have access to a car, allowing people to use the facility by walking through instead of pulling up in a car.
As of late on Wednesday, April 15, Mount Vernon had 1,313 confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to the Westchester County Department of Health. There have been a total of 20,191 cases countywide, which have resulted in at least 640 deaths.
Earlier this month, Patterson-Howard, Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, and Sen. Jamaal Bailey called on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to install a COVID-19 testing facility in the city, citing the success of the state’s first mobile testing site in New Rochelle.
“Less than four miles away, the City of Mount Vernon is struggling to contain the outbreak. (The city has) the third-highest case count in all of Westchester county. Due to a lag in reporting, there are assumed to be even more cases than (reported),” they wrote. “The City of Mount Vernon is suffering greatly without sufficient support to monitor the spread of COVID-19 and test at the rate of our community needs.
“Mount Vernon is already operating at below average for a city of its size when it comes to offering quality and emergency health services. These testing sites are inaccessible for the many Mount Vernon residents who do not own cars, and depend on public transportation to get around, increasing the risk that they may expose others while seeking testing.”
The walk-through testing center will be open by appointment only, and no walk-in appointments will be accepted. It will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Monday through Friday.
Those looking to set up an appointment can call 1-888-364-3065.
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