Broome to Test by Appointment Only, Site Moves to Mall

In addition to a short supply of the COVID-19 vaccine around the country and locally, Broome County Executive Jason Garnar says a shortage of test supplies for the county rapid testing site is continuing to limit those tests to only people who are showing symptoms and who have an appointment.

Earlier this week Broome Health officials said they would no longer be able to take the limited number of walk-ins at the mobile testing site now operating at Recreation Park on the West Side of Binghamton.  They warned anyone without an appointment would be turned away.

The County will move the mobile unit to the parking lot of the Oakdale Mall near its new Office of Employment and Training on the North end parking area from January 18-29, but will continue to only test those with appointments.  Those appointments are reserved only for people who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 and they fill up quickly.  Officials say they have been testing hundreds of people a day at the converted B.C. Transit bus, a far cry from the 30 tested at the start of the pandemic when the County had even more serious issues in securing testing supplies.

Executive Garnar says he’s not sure what’s driving the current shortage, whether it’s some sort of log-jam on the state side or an increase in demand for tests following the post-holiday surge resulting from people ignoring the advice to stay home and limit celebrations only to immediate household members.