Coronavirus: Rockland Drive-Thru Testing Site Opens

BEAR MOUNTAIN STATE PARK, NY — A drive-thru site testing people for the new coronavirus has now been opened in Rockland County. The site, at the Anthony Wayne Recreation Area, is run by the New York State Health Department, and tests are done by appointment only.

The number of cases of the new coronavirus in New York jumped to 2,382 as of Wednesday morning, up 1,008 from Tuesday, a function of expanded testing as well as spread. That included 30 confirmed in Rockland County.

New York public health officials have been rapidly ramping up the number of tests they can do now that the federal government has allowed them to use public and private labs in the state to get results.

The recreation area is in Harriman State Park.

This is the fourth drive-through testing site to be opened in the state. The others are in New Rochelle and on Long Island. Mobile testing facilities help keep people who are sick or at risk of having contracted coronavirus out of healthcare facilities where they could infect other people, state public health officials said. About 10 states across the country have opened similar operations.

As the virus spreads, one of the major concerns has been the stress which it will place on the healthcare system. Testing more people more quickly, and isolating those who are positive, is a way to reduce the rate of infection.

The Department of Health has issued guidance to ensure that New York State prioritizes the resources to meet the most urgent public health need.

Testing for COVID-19 shall be authorized by a health care provider when:

• An individual has come within proximate contact (same classroom, office, or gatherings) of another person known to be positive; or
• An individual has traveled to a country that the CDC has issued a Level 2 or Level 3 Travel Health Notice, and shows symptoms of illness; or
• An individual is quarantined (mandatory or precautionary) and has shown symptoms of COVID-19 illness; or
• An individual is symptomatic and has not tested positive for any other infection; or
• Other cases where the facts and circumstances warrant as determined by the treating clinician in consultation with state and local department of health officials.

To register to be tested call the NYSDOH - New York State Health Department 2019 Novel Coronavirus 24-hour hotline at 1-888-364-3065.

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