Pa. expanding COVID-19 testing to help contain spread, free center in Butler Co. opens Friday

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf announced the expansion of coronavirus testing in the state Tuesday afternoon.

Wolf was joined by Michael Huff, Pa.’s director of testing and contact tracing, during the press conference. Over the next 12 weeks, five strike teams will provide regional testing for 61 counties. The six counties not receiving testing from AMI Expeditionary Healthcare have county health departments providing other means of COVID-19 testing.

The state announced free testing sites are opening this week in five counties due to rapid increases in new cases in those specific areas, including Butler County.

The other four locations are not in western Pa., and Wolf said this new strategy is designed to increase access to testing for areas without their own health department.

“We have seen a rapid increase of positive case counts reaching record-high levels, which gives us significant cause for concern,” Huff said. “AMI has been a significant partner to the Department of Health by providing pop-up testing in counties with a high positivity-rate and other factors contributing to outbreaks of COVID-19 across the commonwealth.

Huff said Butler County’s testing site will open on Dec. 4 at Michelle Krill Field in Butler and ends Dec. 8. No appointment is required and you don’t need to have symptoms to get tested, but you are encouraged to bring photo ID.

According to Huff, up to 450 people can be tested there per day and results from these PCR testing sites can be expected to come back in 2-7 days.

Officials also encouraged Pa. residents to “stay vigilant and continue taking precautions to keep themselves safe.”

Anyone with questions on testing sites or coronavirus in general is asked to visit the Pa. Department of Health website here.

RAW: Gov. Wolf announces Pa. expanding COVID-19 testing to help contain spread RAW: Gov. Wolf announces Pa. expanding COVID-19 testing to help contain spread

Cox Media Group