EAST ORANGE, NJ — All East Orange residents — symptomatic or asymptomatic — can be tested for COVID-19 at a drive-through location at 161 Elmwood Ave.
The East Orange Department of Health and Human Services, in partnership with Platinum Health Services, Central Jersey Urgent Care and Accu Reference Medical Lab, will be offering COVID-19 testing to all East Orange residents who want to be tested, regardless of insurance, ability to pay or presence of symptoms. Testing is available by appointment only. There is no up-front cost for testing.
Testing will be held between 1 and 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays for residents ages 18 and older, and on Thursdays for essential employees and seniors ages 60 and older. Appointments may be made by visiting www.clockwisemd.com/hospitals/5326/visits/new.
A limited number of antibody tests are available at the drive-through site daily. During their telemedicine appointment, residents should state if the antibody test is wanted.
“We need to test as many residents as possible to understand how widespread COVID-19 is in the city of East Orange, especially among our most vulnerable populations,” Mayor Ted Green said. “Expanding testing is not only key to helping us flatten the curve, but it also influences our thinking about a strategic plan to safely reopen our city.”
Dr. Monique Griffith, director of Health and Human Services, along with the East Orange Board of Health and health Officer Victor Kuteyi, has been at the forefront of raising public health awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic since early February when reports of positive cases on U.S. soil first emerged. Since then, the Green administration has been working to keep residents informed, enforce state-mandated guidelines, provide resources to those in need and increase access to testing.
“Increasing access to testing for all of our residents despite their insurance coverage and presentation of symptoms is an important step in our response to the COVID-19 pandemic and will inform our reopening strategy,” Griffith said. “Many residents who had symptoms and those without symptoms have contacted us requesting this type of support and we are pleased that we are able to meet the local need.”
Follow these four steps to sign up for an appointment: Schedule a telemedicine appointment and complete intake documents at www.clockwisemd.com/hospitals/5326/visits/new. After your telemedicine appointment, select a date for testing. Arrive on the day of the appointment with your confirmation number, ID and a face covering. After taking your test, leave the site and await your results.
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