HARRISBURG, Pa. — A new COVID-19 testing site will open today, March 16, in Harrisburg at the old Hallmark inside Strawberry Square Mall. This is part of a collaboration between the county, state officials, Harristown Enterprises, and Park Harrisburg.
The testing site will be open through April 10: Tuesdays-Fridays 9 am-5 pm, and Saturdays 10 am-5 pm. Anyone is eligible to get tested. There is no pre-registrations, testing will be on a first-come first-serve basis, with the capacity to test up to 450 people everyday. You are asked to bring a photo I.D. if you have one. Test results are expected to take two to seven days.
Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam says, while a focus has shifted to vaccines, testing is still the best way to determine your exposure and plays a big role in stopping the spread.
From March 2020 until now, the DOH received a total of 12.8 million COVID-19 test results. The department believes increasing testing in counties, like Dauphin, will help determine the prevalence of the virus. There are currently 45 counties in the Commonwealth where the percent of positive cases is above five percent. Dauphin County for example is at 7.8 percent.
Commissioner George Hartwick says, this testing location will allow many residents and workers to get tested which will be vital to maintaining a handle on the pandemic.