Broome Resumes Rapid COVID Testing

Broome County is reopening its COVID-19 rapid testing site starting September 27 in light of the increase in new cases being reported over the past several weeks.

Testing will be available by appointment only at the Broome County Health Department, Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. Appointments can be scheduled at www.gobroomecounty.com.

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Broome County Executive Jason Garnar says the testing for now is limited to just three hours during weekdays where it had been open longer during the earlier days of the pandemic. The executive, however, is commending the health department, office of emergency services and other county staff with getting the site running in the health department parking lot in spite of a shortage of staff

Garnar says the county is scouring its listings of possible residents who may be qualified to help in administering tests, running the results or even with checking people in and data entry.

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The Democrat says there has been a huge increase in demand for testing all over the county with the area hospitals also conducting a greater number of tests. Garnar says at one point Lourdes Hospital was conducting between 400 and 500 tests a day while United Health Services did almost 800 tests in one day.

The testing site is set up in the parking lot of the Health Department at 225 Front Street, Binghamton. Garnar stresses walk-ins will not be accepted at the site. Results of the testing will be available for residents before they leave the site.