December 11th, 2020
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello today announced that more than 4,000 Monroe County residents have received COVID-19 tests at a series of asymptomatic testing sites set up by the Monroe County Department of Public Health and partner municipalities. Of the 4,065 people tested, approximately 7% received a positive result.
“Stopping the asymptomatic spread of COVID-19 is an essential component of flattening our curve and keeping one another safe and healthy as we await the rollout of vaccines,” said Monroe County Executive Adam Bello. “Through this testing initiative, we have been able identify asymptomatic carriers of the virus before people unwittingly spread illness to their vulnerable friends and loved ones. I thank all of our municipal partners for assisting with this effort and encourage people to take advantage of this testing as additional opportunities become available. By working together to protect each other, by wearing masks and maintaining our physical distance from others, we can all do our part to help keep our community safe.”
The testing sites are located in communities that were designated as orange zones in November. The antigen tests are being provided free-of-charge by Monroe County and New York State.
“These testing sites are an important part of a multi-pronged approach to identifying community members who are infected with COVID-19,” Dr. Michael Mendoza, Commissioner of Public Health, said. “As new scientific evidence continues to emerge, we will continually evaluate and communicate the role of testing and how it fits into the broader effort to control the spread of the virus.”
Testing continues through Dec. 30 at the sites, situated in Brighton, Gates, Irondequoit and Rochester. While most sites are at capacity, several appointments are available at Jefferson High School, 1 Edgerton Park, Rochester. For information or to register, go to www.monroecounty.gov/healthcalls/register
As COVID-19 continues to surge throughout the country, Monroe County and its partners plan to continue community testing in January. Details will be announced shortly.
