Update: County’s Drive-Thru Testing Site for COVID-19 Will Open Saturday Morning

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Montgomery County's "drive-through testing" site for the coronavirus as it is being set up on a parking lot at Temple University's campus in Ambler on Wednesday. Image and caption via The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Updated (3.21.2020 at 5:28 AM)

Beginning Saturday morning, Montgomery County’s Community Based Testing Site on Temple University’s Ambler campus will be open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily as testing supplies allow.

Testing is by appointment only and only individuals who meet at least one of the following criteria should be tested:

  • Fever at or above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit AND respiratory symptoms such as cough or shortness of breath; OR
  • Temperature at or above 99.6 degrees Fahrenheit AND 65 years of age or older; OR
  • First responder (law enforcement, fire, EMS, or dispatcher) AND concern for exposure to a patient with suspected COVID-19 OR respiratory symptoms; OR
  • Healthcare worker proving direct patient care AND testing not available through employer AND concern for exposure to a patient with suspected COVID-19 OR respiratory symptoms.

Criteria may be enhanced or relaxed based on future availability of tests.

Due to the limited number of tests available, generally healthy individuals who have mild symptoms and no underlying medical conditions do not need to be tested at this time. Those individuals should stay at home and call their healthcare provider.

Turn around time on the tests is expected to be 4 to 6 days initially while county and state officials work to streamline the process.

Click here to preregister to be tested for COVID-19 at the County’s Community Based Testing Site in Upper Dublin. A link to frequently asked questions about who should be tested and the testing process is here.

Updated (3.20.2020 at 5:28 AM)

County Commissioners announced Thursday afternoon that its drive through testing site on Temple Ambler’s campus in Upper Dublin will be open daily from 10 AM to 6 PM beginning Saturday morning (3/21).

Testing will be by appointment only and no medical treatment will be provided at the site.

Testing, which will be conducted by a medical unit of the Pennsylvania National Guard, will be available for people who meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • Fever at or above 100.4 and respiratory symptoms such as cough or shortness of breath
  • Temperature at or above 99.6 and 65 years-old or older
  • A first responder or member of law enforcement, fire, EMS or dispatcher who has a concern for exposure to a patient with suspected coronavirus or respiratory symptoms
  • Health care worker providing direct patient care and testing is not available through the employer

Due to the limited number of tests available, only individuals who meet one of the above four criteria will be tested.

Online testing registration will open at 5:00 PM Friday evening. A link to register will be available here.

Beginning Saturday morning, individuals without an internet connection or email address can call 610.631.3000 to reserve a testing slot.

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Updated (3.19.2020 at 3:00 PM)

Montgomery County is planning to open a COVID-19 drive-thru testing site at the Temple University Ambler Campus in Upper Dublin, writes John George for the Philadelphia Business Journal.

A large yellow tent has already been set up in the far corner of the Ambler Campus parking lot off Meetinghouse Road.

The exact date of the opening of the testing center is still unknown, said Montgomery County Commissioner Dr. Val Arkoosh. She added that critical workforce personnel, including hospital workers, paramedics, police, and grocery store workers who exhibit coronavirus symptoms will be given testing priority.

“We want to test them so we know if we can get them back to work,” said Arkoosh.

The drive-thru facility will not be used for general testing of the public.

Montgomery County has the most coronavirus instances of any Pennsylvania county with 42 confirmed COVID-19 cases. The county also has over 500 residents in quarantine who have come in contact with an infected person. Due to the volume of cases, county officials are now moving forward under a “community spread” model as it is hard to say how people with new cases became infected.

Read more about the drive-thru testing site at the Philadelphia Business Journal by clicking here

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