Get our newsletters

Department of Health continues to offer free COVID-19 testing, new sites available

Posted

HARRISBURG - The Department of Health today announced that free COVID-19 testing sites are open to the public at five locations across the state.

The Wolf Administration, in partnership with AMI Expeditionary Healthcare (AMI), is operating sites with Berks, Centre, and Clinton counties and Edinboro University in Erie for community testing sites.

“Testing remains a critical tool as we transition to this new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Acting Secretary of Health Keara Klinepeter said. “We continue to ensure that Pennsylvanians have access to testing as we move forward in this next phase of pandemic – including securing longer-term testing opportunities for communities. If you are experiencing symptoms or are a known close contact, there are testing resources available.

Testing resources will be rotated to different locations as needed. Below are the current AMI testing locations:

Berks County

Testing is available from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday through Sept. 9 at the parking lot of Direct Link Technologies, 2561 Bernville Road, Reading, PA, 19605. Note, enter the parking lot from Van Reed Road.

Centre County

Testing will be available Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from April 14 through April 23 at the County Recycling and Refuse Authority/Interpretive Center, 253 Transfer Road, Bellefonte, PA, 16823.

Clinton County

Testing is available Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. now through Sept. 9 at the Parsons Union Building (PUB), 650 Railroad St, Lock Haven, PA, 17745.

Erie County

Testing is available Monday and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Sept. 9 at the Edinboro University Community Testing Dearborn Hall 205 Darrow Road Edinboro, PA 16444.

Luzerne County

Testing is available from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday through April 14 at the Hazleton Integration Project located at 224 East 4th Street Hazleton, PA 18201.

In addition, Pennsylvanians can find testing sites in their area on the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Viral Testing Sites locator map here.

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

Mid-nasal passage swab PCR tests will be performed. Testing is on a first-come, first-serve basis and is free. No appointment is necessary. Testing is open to individuals from any county who are ages 3 and older. Individuals do not need to be experiencing 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.

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 from AMI.

In addition to traditional PCR testing opportunities, individuals can find rapid antigen over-the-counter test kits to perform at home at certain community health centers, a retail store or pharmacy among other resources. More information on home testing is updated at www.health.pa.gov.


Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today.


X