Coronavirus Latest: New Jersey To Open Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing Center In Monmouth County Monday
MONMOUTH COUNTY N.J. (CBS/AP) -- Authorities say a drive-thru coronavirus testing center in New Jersey once again reached capacity Sunday morning shortly after opening, but the site will reopen Monday. A second drive-thru center is also expected to open Monday in another county.
Officials say the second drive-thru coronavirus testing site is set to open at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel in Monmouth County.
"We have had great success in testing over 1,000 individuals in just two days at our Community-Based Testing Site in Bergen County," Gov. Phil Murphy said. "Through our partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, we are able to open a second drive-thru location in Central Jersey, which is an important step in dramatically ramping up our testing capabilities throughout the state. Expanding access to testing is vital in flattening the curve and mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in New Jersey."
Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco said on his Facebook page that the site at Bergen Community College would reopen at 8 a.m. Monday. He said the county has the most cases in the state and has recorded five deaths, so, "It is important that we test as many symptomatic residents as possible."
Tedesco urged patience on the part of people coming to the site, who must be New Jersey residents and who will be screened for symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath and coughing.
On Saturday, Gov. Phil Murphy ordered all New Jersey residents to stay home and all nonessential retail businesses to close by 9 p.m. due to the coronavirus pandemic. Murphy signed an executive order, ordering New Jerseyans to stay indoors to curb the spread of COVID-19.
There are currently 1,327 coronavirus cases in the Garden State.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
