Updated (3.25.2020 at 5:28 AM)

Citing the availability of testing supplies at the County’s COVID-19 drive-thru COVID-19 Testing Center in Upper Dublin, Commissioner Valarie Arkoosh announced Tuesday afternooon, individual testing criteria would be, “somewhat relaxed.”

The expanded criteria for testing is as follows:

• NEW: Persons of any age and with symptoms of sudden illness (such as fever OR cough OR shortness of breath OR loss of smell/taste including gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea OR vomiting OR diarrhea) with or without fever
• UPDATED: First responder (law enforcement, fire, EMS, or dispatcher) AND concern for exposure to a patient with suspected COVID-19 OR symptoms of any sudden illness with or without fever
• UPDATED: Healthcare worker providing direct patient care AND concern for exposure to a patient with suspected COVID-19 OR symptoms of any sudden illness with or without fever
• Anyone with known or suspected direct contact to someone with COVID-19
• Anyone who has been recommended by their doctor to get tested.

The testing site on Temple University’s Ambler campus in Upper Dublin will remain open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., by appointment only as testing supplies allow.

Testing appointments are still available for individuals that meet the above criteria.

For more information and to register for an appointment, click here or call 610.631.3000.

Updated (3.23.2020 at 5:16 AM)

The Montgomery County COVID-19 drive-through testing site at Temple University’s Ambler Campus in Upper Dublin Township opened on May 20. More than 825 individuals have registered, and approximately 680 individuals had completed testing by the end of the day Sunday.

The testing site will remain open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., by appointment only as testing supplies allow. Testing appointments are still available for individuals that meet the required criteria.

For more information and to register for an appointment, visit www.montcopa.org/COVID-19 or call 610.631.3000.

Updated (3.22.2020 at 5:30 AM)

On Saturday morning, Montgomery County opened its first drive-through COVID-19 testing site at Temple University’s Ambler Campus in Upper Dublin Township.

“As of 3 p.m., today, 540 individuals have registered for COVID-19 testing at Montgomery County’s first drive-through testing site,” said Dr. Valerie A. Arkoosh, Chair, Montgomery County Board of Commissioners.

“I want to thank our Department of Public Safety, Upper Dublin Township, Temple University, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the Army National Guard Medical Unit for making this happen so quickly.”

Turn around time on the initial tests is expected to be 4 to 6 days.

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)

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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Top photo credit: The National Guard National Guard via photopin (license)

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