School of Pharmacy hosts Broome County rapid testing site

Placing the Broome County COVID-19 mobile rapid testing site at Binghamton University’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Johnson City, N.Y., for the week is a winning proposition for everyone, according to University President Harvey Stenger.

“It’s visible and will draw attention to increase the number of people who wish to get tested,” Stenger said as he toured the site Wednesday. “When we were asked by the county to host, we jumped at the chance — and it shows off our buildings!”

Stenger met with Broome County Executive Jason Garnar under the tent currently housed at the pharmacy building on the Health Sciences Campus, where approximately 120 people are being tested each weekday for COVID-19. The site tests only those who have been symptomatic within the past seven days, taking about 70 pre-registrations each day. The remaining people tested are walk-ins.

“We wanted a site that people could walk to and not need a vehicle,” said Garnar. “One of the things the state said was to make sure we have good partners for these test sites, so when we were looking for our next site in Johnson City, and because Binghamton University has been a wonderful partner during the COVID-19 pandemic, it made great sense to partner with the University.”

The testing site, which moves to a new location in the county each week, uses a rapid PCR test that’s unique in the community, said Michael Ponticiello, the county’s director of emergency management. “The state gave us 20 machines as ours to use and will continue to provide the disposable supplies,” he added.

Parts of Broome County, including Johnson City, have been in a yellow zone for several weeks now, defined by New York state as a precautionary zone for COVID-19 that requires some additional public health measures than other parts of the county and state. For example, mass gatherings cannot exceed 25 people indoors or outdoors and only four people per table are allowed when dining indoors or outdoors.

The county’s numbers are trending down due to good public health work overall, said Ponticiello. “We’ve had great messaging, telling people to stay home and if they don’t need to go out, don’t,” he said. “We’ve also had this expanded rapid testing in the community and encouraged good public health habits.”

The University is also finding few positives since returning to in-person classes Oct. 22. “Everything the University and Broome County are doing is working,” said Stenger.

The mobile testing site will relocate to SUNY Broome Community College the week of Nov. 9.