There is currently a desperate need for more COVID-19 testing in Atlantic County, the state of New Jersey, and all over the country.

We have all seen the impossibly long lines these days at COVID-19 testing facilities. People are waiting for hours and in many cases are not being served at all after waiting for many hours.

It’s a human resource disaster and a public health crisis.

A public-private partnership is stepping up to answer the call.

Atlantic County Government is joining forces with AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center to bring much-needed additional testing capacity to the area.

These two working partners successfully collaborated together earlier during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Atlantic County will be collaborating with AtlantiCare to offer drive-thru COVID-19 testing beginning this Monday, January 10, 2022 … at the Atlantic County Public Works Yard, located at Dolphin and Harvey Avenues in Northfield.

The drive-thru site will offer PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing for symptomatic and asymptomatic adults and children.

HOURS OF OPERATION

Monday, January 10, 2022, the appointment hours will be 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Starting Tuesday, January 11, appointments will be from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on a Monday through Friday basis.

There will be no testing Monday, January 17, 2022, in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day federal holiday.

Appointments are required.

You must provide identification at the time of your scheduled testing time.

“We are grateful for the support of AtlantiCare in helping us provide this drive-thru testing facility that will serve to better meet the current demand for testing and alleviate some of the stress on other locations,” stated County Executive Dennis Levinson. “I encourage our residents to take advantage of this free public service to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect themselves, their families and our community.”

Those looking to be tested can schedule an appointment by registering online at www.atlanticare.org/drivethrutest.

After being tested, you can access your reports approximately 48 to 72 hours after your test, or, by visiting https://patient.labcorp.com/landing.

“We anticipate being able to test 300 individuals a day,” said AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center Chief Operating Officer Larisa Goganzer, MSN, RN, chief “We continue to urge members of our community to be vaccinated and get the booster, to follow all COVID-19 precautions, and to seek care in the most appropriate setting. It is important that we embrace these steps to protect each other during this time of exceedingly high community spread.”

This public-private collaboration is very important because the demand for testing has increased.

Testing is also required by many employers for employees who are not vaccinated … and, those who wish to return to work after recovering from the virus.

America is currently experiencing a record number of COVID-19 positive cases, largely fueled by the highly contagious Omicron variant.

For more information, call 1-888-569-1000 or visit www.atlanticare.org/coronavirus.

NOTE: Scheduling capacity and test result time are subject to change.

SOURCES: Atlantic County Government & AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center.

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