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Greene County offering rapid COVID testing in Catskill this week
Sam Raudins is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media Greene County is offering free COVID-19 rapid testing with its Emergency Services Mobile Command Center, beginning in the town of Catskill this week. Testing will be offered only to people with symptoms, people who have been in contact with person who tested positive seven to 10 days after contact and students in kindergarten through 12th grade who return to school after positive contact or symptoms, according to Greene County Public Health. The mobile unit will set up in different communities in the county to provide services. Testing is not available for work, travel, or voluntary reasons, Greene County Public Health said. The rapid tests give results in 15 minutes. Greene County Administrator Shaun Groden said the mobile unit has been commissioned as a test. The converted recreational vehicle is equipped with four testing machines and it is staffed by public health’s core medical volunteers. Grodon said, "It’s going to be a very limited operation.” The tests to be administered include ID NOW, created by Abbott. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, point-of-care tests such as ID NOW have a moderate to high test sensitivity. The mobile unit is currently set up in the Lumberyard parking lot on Water Street in Catskill village, No appointments are necessary and testing is free of charge. Testing in Catskill will be offered through October 8. Groden said after a week in Catskill, the county will reassess mobile testing. As of October 1, the county reported 150 active, positive COVID-19 cases. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.