No Coronavirus Testing At Citizens Bank Park Wednesday

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Public Health Department said it will not be offering public testing for the new coronavirus, known as COVID-19, at the Citizens Bank Park testing site Wednesday.

Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said due to inclement weather in Wednesday's forecast, the testing site at the park will be closed.

Farley said only 80 people were tested Monday due to the weather.

He said the department hopes to have the site operational from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday.

Unlike other testing sites offered by healthcare systems such as Penn, a doctor's note or prescription is not needed to be eligible.

Based on limited testing capacity, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health is restricting eligibility for testing at this site to the following groups of people:

• People who are over 50 years of age and are displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19 coronavirus.
• Healthcare workers who are displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19 coronavirus, including:
  • Hospital and doctors office staff with direct patient contact
  • Nursing home staff with direct patient contact
  • People who perform Emergency Medical Services duties
  • Home healthcare staff with direct patient contact

Due to staffing and supply limitations, people who do not meet the criteria listed above will be turned away. If testing capacity is increased, the health department will expand these criteria.

Philadelphia officials recommend anyone who has the following symptoms of COVID-19 to call their regular healthcare provider to identify other sites to be tested for coronavirus.

Most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

For those in either group eligible for testing, entry into the site is only open to people in four-wheel, closed-top, non-commercial, non-recreational vehicles. Walk-ins will not be permitted access to the site.

People who meet the criteria and was to be tested should bring the following items to ensure a smooth admission and testing process.

• Government-issued identification card
• Healthcare facility identification card, if applicable
• Insurance card

These items are not required to be tested, but will help ease processing and data collection at the site.

The site will be staffed and run by City of Philadelphia employees and volunteers from the city's Medical Reserve Corps. The U.S. federal government is providing supplies to the city for this site, and is coordinating the delivery of and payment for the tests, and will notify people of their test results.

Residents can sign up for text alerts related to the virus by texting COVIDPHL to 888-777.

The Greater Philadelphia Coronavirus Helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for residents to speak with a health care professional. The helpline can be reached by calling 1-800-722-7112.