New Coronavirus Testing Site Open On East Hampton Town Property

EAST HAMPTON, NY — A new coronavirus testing site has opened in East Hampton.

According to a release from East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc, the diagnostic tests began on Friday and are available by appointment in the athletic field parking lots near Pantigo Place; tests will be offered to South Fork residents on Wednesdays and Fridays.

In conjunction with East Hampton Village Deputy Mayor Barbara Borsack and the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation, which will initially fund the project, Van Scoyoc engaged Hudson River Health Care to do the diagnostic testing.

The tests will be available, by appointment, to those with COVID-19 symptoms or those who have been in contact with someone positive for COVID-19, and to the workers identified as eligible for tests by New York State. That includes health care workers, first responders, and “essential employees” who directly interact with the public, such as food service workers, delivery persons, and human services providers. The full list is available here.

Insurance will be accepted. Those who are uninsured and cannot afford the cost of the diagnostic test may be tested for free. Bilingual staff will be on hand, and tests will be provided to those eligible regardless of immigration status. Appointments may be made by calling 845-553-8030.

“The local availability of COVID-19 diagnostic testing will help us to stop the spread of the
virus within our community and move us closer to a safe reopening of our economy,” said Van Scoyoc. “Contact tracing, which Suffolk County is ramping up, will identify community members exposed to positive COVID-19 cases so that they may also quarantine and help stop the virus’s spread.”

Van Scoyoc added that he appreciated Borsack’s assistance, and Hudson River Health Care’s "willingness to get this site up and running for our community," as well as the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation, for stepping forward with some of the initial funding.

Suffolk County, he added, is now hiring contact tracers. For additional information, click here

Hudson River Health Care also offers tests at a site adjacent to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital in Southampton Village on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The additional testing site and days will make diagnostic tests more readily available to East Hampton residents and will help the area to achieve one of the metrics required to begin to reopen sectors of the economy, according to New York State — an ability to test a minimum number of residents for COVID-19 each day, Van Scoyoc said.

He added that the testing program could be expanded to include antibody tests to determine if individuals may have already had the virus, as those tests become more reliable and widely available.

"I've been very pleased to work closely with Supervisor Van Scoyoc to help facilitate this testing
site with the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation and Stony Brook Southampton Hospital for
our community,” said Borsack, who is also a member of the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation and Southampton Hospital Association boards.

The East Hampton Healthcare Foundation will also accept donations to support continued testing.

"The staff and trustees of the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation are pleased to support this
public/private initiative in making COVID-19 testing available in our community,” said Sheila
Rogers, director of the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation.

“We are pleased to bring pop-up testing to East Hampton,” added Anne Kauffman Nolon, MPH,
chief executive officer of Hudson River Healthcare. “As we continue to actively adapt our
response to COVID-19, pop-up testing remains important for the added protection of patients
and staff. We will continue expanding our response to the pandemic until we prevail, for the sake
of our patients and our communities.”

Donations may be sent to the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation at 200 Pantigo Place, Suite
M, East Hampton, NY 11937, or be made online here.