New Jersey’s expansion of coronavirus testing and a decrease in the burden the virus has had on local hospital capacity are being cited as the reasons behind Warren County’s decision to suspend operations of its drive-through testing site at the end of the month.
The county announced the decision on Thursday. The testing site is located on the campus of Warren County Technical School in Franklin Township. It will offer tests both this Friday and next Friday, May 29, before shutting down. To date, 538 residents have been tested there, according to the county.
The site opened on April 8 in partnership with St. Luke’s University Health Network. The county funded the entire project without state or federal assistance. It has cost approximately $500,000 between hard costs and staffing, a county spokesperson said.
The state’s latest report shows 1,111 total cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by coronavirus, and 123 total deaths linked to the illness in Warren County. On Thursday, it reported 12 new cases and one new death in the county.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement to expand testing availability statewide factored into the decision to shut down the county testing site, according to Warren County Freeholder James R. Kern, the freeholder liaison for health and public safety.
Kern also said the testing site – at least for now – has accomplished what it was supposed to accomplish.
“Warren County opened our testing site to reduce the impact on our local health care system,” he said. "As the burden on our hospital capacity has decreased, the county’s role is no longer necessary.”
In perhaps another indication that the county is in a better place than it was a month ago in terms of the pandemic, St. Luke’s Hospital in Phillipsburg also has announced that it will resume elective surgeries and some other procedures on next Tuesday, May 26. These were previously suspended to help slow the spread of coronavirus.
“Our hospitals are safe, and we are ready for you,” Dr. William R. Burfeind, St. Luke’s University Health Network’s chairman of surgery, said in a statement.
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Nick Falsone can be reached at nfalsone@lehighvalleylive.com.
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