Gov. Tom Wolf announced Tuesday the implementation of a “strike teams” coronavirus testing program. The plan will expand COVID-19 testing in counties without their own local health departments via five mobile testing units.
Regional “strike teams” will operate across Pennsylvania over the next 12 weeks in a bid to improve the state’s coronavirus testing efforts.
The program will be led by AMI Expeditionary Healthcare, which already tested roughly 440 patients per day under a state contract in predominantly rural areas. This expansion will allow as many as five times the number of people to be tested: Up to 450 patients per day at each of the five units.
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Each week, the teams will operate temporary coronavirus testing sites in counties identified as virus hot spots, eventually making it to every Pennsylvania county that does not have its own health department.
“Our goal is to ensure that everyone who needs a test in Pennsylvania can get one,” Gov. Tom Wolf said at a news conference Tuesday.
Temporary sites are scheduled to open Wednesday in Bedford, Mifflin, Tioga and Northampton counties, with another one opening Friday in Butler County. All five counties have seen rapid transmission of the virus.
Greater spikes
Michael Huff, the state’s director of testing and contact tracing, said the new coronavirus testing sites will help health officials track the virus’ prevalence. He predicted “even greater spikes” in new cases in a week to 10 days, when the impact of Thanksgiving gatherings will begin to be felt.
The testing sites will be open to anyone who wants a test. The testing is free and no appointment is necessary. Each site will be able to test 450 people per day.
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