Burlington County Honors Coronavirus Testing Volunteers

BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ — Burlington County officials thanked the volunteers who have been working tirelessly during the outbreak of new coronavirus Friday night.

“Our county has been working hard to keep our residents safe during COVID-19,” Burlington County Freeholder Director Felicia Hopson said. “This has taken so much time and effort from our Health Department, Emergency Management team and first responders, but we could not do everything needed alone. Volunteers have logged hundreds, if not thousands of hours, to help our residents get through this difficult time. We thank you and we salute you.”

Responding to the coronavirus outbreak has required additional resources for coronavirus testing and communicable disease investigation, including contact tracing. To do this, Burlington County has partnered with many community organizations, officials said.

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“Many volunteers have donated their time and talent to the COVID-19 response. We are grateful for their selfless dedication in these unprecedented times,” Burlington County Health Director Dr. Herb Conaway said. “Their help in all phases of response has allowed the County to expand its testing capacity and contact tracing ability, both of which are very important components of limiting the spread of disease in the community.”

Nursing students from Rowan College at Burlington County and The College of New Jersey, as well as Burlington County Medical Reserve Corps volunteers at the County’s COVID-19 Call Center have helped residents who want to schedule an appointment to get tested, officials said.

The call takers screen residents for symptoms associated with the coronavirus and provide an appointment time for those who are eligible. These students are also helping to notifying residents of their negative coronavirus test results.

Residents then get swabbed as part of the testing at Burlington County’s drive-through testing site, officials said. Medical Reserve Corp volunteers confirm the resident’s appointment upon arrival and verify their paperwork before sending them to the next station for the nasopharyngeal swab.

Senior nursing students from Rowan College at Burlington County assist with the swabbing of symptomatic Burlington County residents, first responders and healthcare workers, under the leadership and supervision of Virtua Public Health Nurses.

The Virtua Nursing Staff conducted a training session for all staff and students that included proper swabbing technique, and proper donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Each person who successfully demonstrated competency for these skills was placed on the rotation scheduled for the twice weekly test dates that allow for 300 persons per day to be tested.

“Each testing station has a team of five people: a Virtua Nurse Lead, students, and our MRC volunteers,” Virtua Nursing Program at BCHD Nursing Director Agatha Reidy said. “The student volunteers have been a huge asset and are gaining invaluable experience as they complete their required clinical hours. We are thrilled to have them as part of the team.”

In the final step, volunteer school nurses from various Burlington County school districts, volunteers from The College of New Jersey’s nursing program and other Medical Reserve Corp volunteers call residents to notify them of their positive test results.

They also provide them and their close contacts with isolation and quarantine guidelines. Health Department Communicable Disease staff supervises the trace investigations.

“The Health Department conducts contact tracing on a routine basis for many communicable diseases, and it is even more critical now,” Health Officer Holly Cucuzzella said. “We need to contact everyone who tested positive so that we can provide guidance and limit further spread of the virus. The volunteers have effectively doubled our contact tracing capability, which is a critical part of the response. We are grateful for their dedication.”

“We are very appreciative to our county and local law enforcement agencies and the Civil Air Patrol for their support at our testing site,” Hopson said. “Captain Abadia of the County Prosecutor’s Office has led the security team effort, which is a necessary component of test site operations. Running a secure and safe test site with the volume of cars coming through is no easy task and could not be accomplished without their partnership and collaboration.”

Symptomatic Burlington County residents, healthcare workers and first responders who live or work in the county can call the COVID-19 Call Center at 609-726-7097 to be screened for appointment eligibility.

Testing for the coronavirus is conducted every Tuesday and Thursday, by appointment in Westampton. For more information about the coronavirus, visit the Burlington County website at http://www.co.burlington.nj.us/1845/2019-Novel-Coronavirus-Information. Information is available in multiple languages.

Anyone who wishes to join the COVID-19 Response can volunteer with the Health Department’s Medical Reserve Corp by registering at https://njlmn.njlincs.net/jsp/mrc-index.jsp. Be sure to select Burlington County and you will be contacted to complete your enrollment process.

See related: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know