Neighboring counties to Orleans all have testing sites for Covid-19
Assemblyman Hawley says he is asking state to bring testing site to Orleans County
Orleans County stands alone among its neighbors by not having a drive-through testing site for Covid-19.
In Genesee County, United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia added a drive-through site in late March.
Last week Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the opening of drive-through sites close to Orleans, including:
• Niagara County: Niagara County Community College, 3111 Saunders Settlement Rd., Sanborn
• Erie County: Buffalo Sabres Lot, 125 Perry Street, Buffalo
• Monroe County: Monroe County Community College, 1000 E Henrietta Road, Rochester, Lot G
(People who would like to be tested at these facilities must make an appointment by calling 888-364-3065 or online at covid19screening.health.ny.gov.)
In Orleans County, 662 people have been testing for Covid-19, as of Friday, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported. Of those tested in Orleans, 566 didn’t have Covid-19, while 96 tested positive, as of Friday. (Two more people tested positive on Saturday, bringing the total to 98.)
The county has a population of 40,352, according to the 2019 Census estimate. With 662 tested, that is one out of 60 in the county.
In Genesee County, where there is a drive-through testing site, 1,030 people have been tested overall. The county has a population of 57,280, according to the 2019 Census estimates. With 1,030 people tested in the county, that is one out of every 55, which isn’t much different than in Orleans.
Paul Pettit, the Public Health director in the two counties, said more testing is needed in both counties to get an accurate picture of how prevalent the virus is in both counties.
