The Burlington County Department of Health announced the return of walk up COVID-19 testing at the Rowan College at Burlington County campus in Mount Laurel.
Starting Dec. 28, testing will be performed three days a week in the college’s Student Success Center at the campus on Route 38.
Testing this week will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
In January, the regular testing schedule of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. will resume.
“Testing is among the most important tools in our fight against COVID-19 and we continue to do everything we can to make sure its accessible for our residents and those who work here,” Dr. Herb Conaway, the director of the Health Department and the chair of the county’s Coronavirus Task Force, said in a prepared statement. “We want testing to be as easy and convenient as possible, which is why we’re pleased to be able to return to the college. The campus is centrally located in the county and the Student Success Center offers an ideal spot where testing can be performed safely and securely.”
Burlington County was one of the first counties in New Jersey to launch a COVID-19 testing program after the pandemic began and the Board of Chosen Freeholders and Coronavirus Task Force have partnered with the Vault Medical Services of New Jersey, the Rutgers Clinical Genomics Laboratory and the State of New Jersey to expand testing capacity and access, according to the statement.
Since launching testing in March, more than 26,000 people have undergone testing through the county’s program, which has included fixed test sites, mobile clinics and a home testing program, according to the statement.
Burlington County conducted testing at an outdoor site on campus this fall before the winter weather prompted a move to an indoor site at the Burlington County Human Services Building in Westampton.
County officials said they decided to return to the college after indoor space became available in the Student Success Center cafeteria, which has its own air handling system that prevents air from the room from circulating into other parts of the building. The Student Success Center also has high-performing air filters, according to the statement.
As an extra precaution, the front entrance to the Student Success Center will remain blocked off and people coming for COVID-19 testing will be directed to enter through the side of the building closest to the cafeteria.
Students and staff will enter from another side entrance across from the Science Building and there will be no cross mingling between COVID 19 testing and college operations, according to the statement. Besides the cafeteria, people undergoing testing will be restricted from entering any other area of the building.
“Rowan College at Burlington County has always been an institution everyone in the county can be proud of because of the outstanding and affordable education the college delivers to our students and workforce, but during the pandemic the school has once again gone above and beyond to assist us in protecting the public’s health and safety,” Freeholder Director Felicia Hopson said in the statement. “On behalf of our entire board, I’d like to thank the college administration, Board of Trustees and the community at-large for being such an outstanding partner.”
Testing is available to all Burlington County residents and nonresidents who work in Burlington County or attend schools in the county.
Tests are saliva-based so those coming for testing should not smoke or eat or drink anything for at least 30 minutes before arriving for testing.
Eligible residents and workers can also request a home test kit through the online portal, www.homecovidtest.org.