While Ulster County residents were greeted this morning, Monday, March 23, by falling flakes from an early spring snowstorm, that will not, county officials say, stop the county’s first drive-through COVID-19 testing site from opening up at TechCity, the former IBM-Kingston complex on Enterprise Drive in Lake Katrine.
But county officials stress that to get a test, people will need a referral from their primary care physician and to have made an appointment beforehand.
According to a county press release issued Sunday, the criteria are as follows:
- You called your primary care physician’s office and had a phone consultation
- Based on your symptoms and other information you provided, your physician determined that you meet criteria for COVID-19 testing, and ordered a test for you
- You have a scheduled appointment at the collection site. Scheduling information will be provided by your physician or if not, can be obtained by calling (845) 443-8888.
Anybody without a primary care physician should contact the Ulster County COVID-19 Hotline at (845) 443-8888 or they can reach out to Nuvance, the parent company of Health Quest, at 1-888-525-4767.
Those approved for a test will be, the county stated, “met by a trained provider who will collect a sample for lab testing. After leaving the test site, residents should drive home and limit interactions with others during this time. Those who are tested should plan to self-quarantine for up to 14 days and will receive self-quarantine guidelines at the collection site. It may take up to six days to receive test results back and individuals who receive tests will be notified by their doctor with the results. Both healthcare providers and law enforcement will be on site along with three clinicians from Ellenville Hospital.”
The county expects to have a second site open in Ellenville next week. As of Sunday evening, county officials said, there were 32 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ulster County.
The site will be operated in conjunction with Nuvance Health; Kingston’s Save-On donated $100,000 in tent supplies for the location.
“Adding this mobile testing site will save lives. It will provide a significant surge in testing capacity, which will enable us to better treat those affected and slow the spread of COVID-19,” Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan stated in a press release. “I want to thank Nuvance Health and Save-On for stepping up during this critical moment for our community. Our entire team will continue to work around the clock to keep every Ulster County resident safe and healthy.”
Tech City is located at 300 Enterprise Drive, Kingston, NY 12401. The testing site is currently slated to be open Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., by appointment only. Traffic message boards have been placed along entry routes (both Enterprise Drive and Boices Lane) to help people get to the right place.
Ryan will be holding a virtual Facebook Live Town Hall this afternoon at 2 p.m. where he will be providing additional information about mobile testing sites and taking residents’ questions. Those interested can watch it here.
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