Camden County To Keep COVID Test Sites Open Despite Storms

CAMDEN COUNTY, NJ — With a winter storm expected to pound South Jersey later this week, Camden County has plans in place to ensure that its six coronavirus testing sites remain open during their scheduled hours as cases of the coronavirus continue to climb locally and across the country.

“The winter will present several challenges that we didn’t face in the spring, summer, or fall, but our team has been hard at work to ensure that access to these services is not interrupted,” Camden County Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said. “We are extremely grateful for our partnerships with Cooper University Health Care, the Camden School District, the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers, and all of the other organizations helping to meet this moment in our community.”

Three to four inches of snow is expected in the region between 6 a.m. Wednesday and noon Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Winds of between 35 and 50 mph are also expected. Read more here: NJ Weather: Winter Storm Watch In 12 NJ Counties; 50-MPH Winds

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Camden County began taking preparations for the storm on Monday, officials said.

“We are currently tracking a winter weather event that will be occurring on Wednesday that will bring a roller coaster of snow and rain over the course of 12 hours,” Commissioner Barbara Holcomb, liaison to the Camden County Department of Public Works. “Prior to the forthcoming snow and sleet mix, which is expected to create slippery roadways throughout the county we are planning for a full-fledged snow event and will prepare accordingly.”

At the public Works complex in Lindenwold, more than 100 pieces of equipment are available to keep county roadways passable, officials said. When the weather becomes treacherous, personnel will be dispatched to 12 winter maintenance districts to salt and plow 1,200 lane miles of roadways across Camden County. The county’s response plan calls for crews to be dispatched only to the zones where they are needed.

“If you don’t have to travel during this period of time, please stay off the roads to give our crews the ability to effectively do their job. Anyone on the roadways during the storm should be prepared to encounter slick road conditions. And remember to always leave at least six car lengths behind our DPW vehicles while they work, and move any cars off the street and into a driveway while we continue our operations,” Holcomb said. “Remember that it is illegal in New Jersey to plow or shovel snow from private property into roadways.”

The county also issued a Code Blue Weather Emergency on Monday that will be in effect from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. each night this week, through Thursday.

“Current forecasts project temperatures under 30 degrees throughout the week, with a mix of winter precipitation expected Wednesday into Thursday,” Commissioner Carmen Rodriguez, liaison to the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services, said. “When temperatures reach this low, it is important to check on elderly relatives and neighbors, and to ensure that they are warm and safe. Even inside, cold conditions can quickly become dangerous for vulnerable populations, especially those who lack heat or electricity.”

When the Camden County Health Officer declares a Code Blue, municipalities with homeless populations, situational homeless or transient populations are expected to activate their Code Blue response plan to accommodate their immediate needs.

The Camden County Health Department and the Office of Emergency Management have worked with each municipality to ensure they have the proper resources to respond to these severe weather situations as part of their individual Code Blue plans.

Each municipality has identified its own location to accommodate those in their community seeking shelter from the severe weather. Anyone seeking shelter in a warming center should contact their local municipality. The new after-hours Code Blue Emergency Hotline phone number is 2-1-1

Additional resources are available by calling the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services at 800-999-9045, or by visiting www.camdencounty.com.

Camden County now has six coronavirus testing sites set up after opening one at the Department of Public Works Complex at 2311 Egg Harbor Road in Lindenwold on Saturday.

The site, which is the first to be run entirely by county employees, saw 167 tests administered on the first day of testing, according to county officials. Testing is available for all county residents, free of charge, with an appointment on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments can be made at camdencounty.com.

“This latest addition further expands the testing resources available to our residents, and with the inclusion of the Rutgers saliva tests, getting tested has never been easier or less intimidating,” Cappelli said. “The only way we can contain the spread of this disease is to quickly identify and isolate those who have already contracted it. The county is now operating at least one testing site every day of the week and is continuing to explore additional options to ensure that residents who fear that they have contracted COVID-19 can be tested as soon as possible.”

The following testing sites are now in operation:

Camden County College — Cherry Hill
1889 Marlton Pike East
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
Hours: Monday – Friday (9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.); Saturday – Sunday (8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.)
Appointments: Call 856-968-7100 or email covid19swabsite@cooperhealth.edu

201 Broadway
Camden, NJ 08103
Hours: Monday – Friday (9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.); Saturday – Sunday (8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.)
Appointments: Call 856-968-7100 or email covid19swabsite@cooperhealth.edu

Veterans Memorial School
800 N 26th Street
Camden, NJ 08105
Hours: Mondays (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
Appointment: N/A

Cooper Poynt School
201 State Street
Camden, NJ 08102
Hours: Wednesdays (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
Appointment: N/A

Dr. Charles Brimm Medical Arts High School
1626 Copewood Street
Camden, NJ 08103
Hours: Thursdays (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
Appointments: N/A

Charles J DePalma Complex
2311 Egg Harbor Road
Lindenwold, NJ 08021
Hours: Tuesdays and Saturdays (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
Appointments: Visit CamdenCounty.com or call 1-800-999-9045

All, excluding the Lindenwold site, are operated in partnership with Cooper University Health Care. All sites will be closed for the holidays on Dec. 24, 25, 31, and Jan. 1. Residents who plan to travel and need to be tested in advance should plan accordingly.