Department of Health Announces Additional Free COVID-19 Testing in Lehigh County

Harrisburg, PA - The Department of Health today announced a COVID-19 testing site in Lehigh County opening to the public. The site is available through a partnership with AMI Expeditionary Healthcare (AMI).

'We continue to see Pennsylvanians infected with COVID-19,' Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said. 'This reinforces the consistent need for accessible COVID-19 testing across the state. We encourage anyone who feels they need or want a test, especially if they think they have been exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms, to take advantage of the free COVID-19 testing clinics closest to them. This includes fully vaccinated individuals that are experiencing symptoms.'

Testing is available Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, beginning Tuesday, Aug. 3 through Friday, Aug. 13 at Lehigh Carbon Community College, 4525 Education Drive, Schnecksville, PA, 18078. Use the Orchard Road at the Sand Spring and PA-309 intersection when getting to Berrier Hall. Testing will be in the L parking lot adjacent to Berrier Hall. This is both a walk-up and drive-thru site.

The AMI testing sites are open to anyone who feels they need a test. It is important that even people with no symptoms and who have tested positive isolate in order to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Up to 450 people can be tested per day. Mid-nasal passage swab PCR tests will be performed. Testing is on a first-come, first-serve basis and is completely free. No appointment is necessary. Testing is open to individuals from any county who are ages 3 and older. Individuals are not required to show symptoms of COVID-19 to be tested. Patients are encouraged to bring a photo-ID, but ID is not required to be tested. Registration will also be completed on-site. The turnaround time for testing results is one to three days after testing.

Additional AMI COVID-19 testing sites are currently operating Monday through Thursday in Northampton County through Aug. 12, Tuesday through Saturday in Centre County through Aug. 14, and Tuesday through Saturday in Greene County and Mercer County Welcome Centers through Aug. 21.

• Testing in Northampton County is available at Paxinosa Elementary School, 1221 Northampton St, Easton, PA, 18042 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
• Testing in Centre County is available at Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority Interpretive Center, 253 Transfer Road, Bellefonte, PA 16823 from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
• Testing at Greene County Welcome Center is available at I-79 N Mount Morris, PA, 15349 from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
• Testing at Mercer County Welcome Center site is available at I-80 East, West Middlesex, PA, 16159 from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

In addition, Pennsylvanians can find testing sites in their area on the locator map here.

Individuals who are tested should self-quarantine while they await their test results. Individuals who live with other people should self-quarantine in a private room and use a private bathroom, if possible. Others living in the home with the individual awaiting test results should also stay at home. The department has additional instructions for individuals waiting for a COVID-19 test result. Individuals who test positive will receive a phone call from AMI while individuals who test negative will receive a secured-PDF emailed to them from AMI.

The department has contracted with AMI to perform pop-up COVID-19 testing in counties across the state since September 2020. The contracts were funded by the federal Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Enhancing Detection grant. Counties under the initial contract, as well as the total number of patients tested, can be found here. Counties served under the first contract extension, as well as the total number of patients tested, can be found here.

From March 2020 through Aug. 2, 2021, the department has received 15,120,978 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results. From May 2020 through Aug. 2, 2021, the department has received 3,938,947 antigen test results. The total combined number of tests reported to the department is 19,059,925 since COVID-19 testing began in the commonwealth. The number of Pennsylvanians who have been tested by PCR or antigen tests is 6,586,867 which roughly equates to 51.5 percent of the Pennsylvania population. Some people have been tested more than once.

Counties in need of a COVID-19 testing site should contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health to discuss the possibility of setting up a pop-up site through AMI.

The Centers for Disease Control and PreventionOpens In A New Window recommends that people who are fully vaccinated and have a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 be tested three-to-five days after exposure, and to wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result. Otherwise, the department recommends getting tested if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit 'Responding to COVID-19' on pa.gov.Opens In A New Window

The Department of Health is working to ensure the vaccine is provided in a way that is ethical, equitable and efficient to all Pennsylvanians:

• All Pennsylvanians age 12 and older are eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine. Use Vaccine Finder to find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you.
• A commonwealth COVID-19 vaccination guide explains the current process for getting one. Pennsylvanians with questions about the vaccination process can call the Department of Health hotline at 1-877-724-3258.
• All of the locations that received vaccine and how much they have received can be found on the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution webpage.
• Vaccine dashboard data can also be found on the website to find more information on the doses administered and showcase demographic information.
• The Unite Against COVID Weekly Update is a round-up of news you can use and answers to your most pressing vaccine questions - delivered directly to your inbox every week.
• Frequently asked questions can be found here.

MEDIA CONTACT: Mark O'Neill - [email protected]

# # #

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.