Nuvance Health Decommissioning Covid Test Sites in NY & CT.

Nuvance Health will be transitioning its COVID-19 drive-through specimen collection sites in Connecticut and New York to onsite locations throughout the system in early July.

As part of its emergency response to the COVID-19 crisis, Nuvance Health opened collection sites at Danbury Hospital and Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut. Nuvance Health also opened collection sites in New York with Dutchess County at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, and with Ulster County at Tech City in Kingston. Since mid-March, there were over 47,600 total specimens collected at these drive-through sites.

“We established the drive-through collection sites to provide residents in our communities and our patients convenient and safe access to COVID-19 testing during the height of the pandemic. Now as our communities observe a decrease in new infections, we will continue to provide access to testing at locations throughout our health system,” said Dr. Chris Lehrach, president of Nuvance Health Medical Practices.

A steady decrease in new COVID-19 infections prompted Nuvance Health to consider how to provide patients with expedient access to COVID-19 testing as it resumes more procedures, surgeries, and routine health care at its hospitals, medical practices, and outpatient facilities.

Starting in early July, COVID-19 testing will be available at Nuvance Health Medical Practices’ primary care locations in Connecticut and New York for new or existing patients experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, or patients previously confirmed positive who require clearance to return to work. Patients who want a COVID-19 test are asked to first schedule a Virtual Visit with a primary care clinician. For more information about Virtual Visits, please go to nuvancehealth.org/virtualvisits.

COVID-19 testing will also be available at Nuvance Health Medical Practices’ urgent care centers at the Hudson Valley Mall in the Town of Ulster, on Route 55 in LaGrange, and on Route 9 in Wappingers Falls, N.Y. Information on urgent care centers is available here.

Nuvance Health procedural and surgical patients who meet criteria should have a COVID-19 test within 72 hours of their procedure or surgery. Their physician or surgeon will let them know if they need a COVID-19 test. COVID-19 testing for procedural and surgical patients will be administered at Nuvance Health hospitals or outpatient locations.

For COVID-19 testing outside of primary care, urgent care, and pre-procedure/pre-surgery, Nuvance Health hospitals or outpatient locations will have some availability for testing by appointment only. Individuals with questions about COVID-19 testing should speak with their healthcare clinician.

Infection prevention safeguards will be implemented at the Nuvance Health locations for COVID-19 testing, including personal protective equipment (PPE) and ongoing education, training and support for staff.

Nuvance Health will use a nasal swab to collect specimen samples for a test. A nasal swab is less invasive and causes less patient discomfort when compared to a nasopharyngeal swab. Patients can self-administer the nasal swab but a healthcare professional will assist those who cannot.

“We want to thank our many community partners, including health departments, police departments, and county, city and town officials for their continued collaboration and support of the drive-through collection sites. Together, we provided a valuable and critical service to the communities we serve,” Lehrach said. “We also want to thank the residents in our communities for trusting us with their care during such a challenging time. We will continue to evaluate opportunities for Nuvance Health to provide additional COVID-19 testing services.”

Nuvance Health will decommission the drive-through collection sites on the following days:

  • Tech City, Kingston, N.Y.: June 30
  • Dutchess Stadium, Fishkill, N.Y.: July 2
  • Danbury Hospital, Danbury, Conn.: July 4
  • Norwalk Hospital, Norwalk, Conn: July 4 (subject to change)

For more information about Nuvance Health COVID-19 testing in Sharon, Conn., and New York, please go here.

For more information about Nuvance Health COVID-19 testing in Connecticut, please go here.

Y
Submitted by Yorktown, NY

Become a Local Voice in Your Community!

HamletHub invites you to contribute stories, events, and more to keep your neighbors informed and connected.

Read Next