Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced that Essex County is expanding its COVID-19 testing initiative to include satellite testing sites throughout the County in addition to continuing to operate its drive through testing center in Weequahic Park. The tests are by appointment only and are being offered to Essex County residents free of charge. To make an appointment, please visit www.EssexCovid.org or call 973-324-9950.
“Unfortunately, Essex County leads the state in the number of deaths caused by the coronavirus. Our fight against this deadly disease is far from over and we must remain vigilant and aggressive to combat it. Testing is a critical tool that will tell us exactly how widespread the virus is and who has been infected. Whether you are exhibiting symptoms of the coronavirus or not, we encourage residents to make an appointment and get tested,” DiVincenzo said. “We want to make it as easy as possible for Essex residents to have access to testing. The Weequahic site has been hugely successful and offering other satellite testing sites will make getting tested more convenient,” he added.
As of Friday, June 12, Essex County has the highest number of COVID-19-related deaths in New Jersey with 1,733, and the third highest number of positive cases with 18,268. Bergen and Hudson Counties have more positive cases than Essex.
Testing will be held from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the following locations:
- Tuesday, June 16, Essex County Brookdale Park, Enter off Watchung Avenue, Lower Parking Lot, Bloomfield
- Wednesday, June 17, Fairfield Community Pool, 306 Big Piece Road, Fairfield
- Thursday, June 18, Essex County Economic Development Center, 50 South Clinton Street, East Orange (enter on South Burnet Street)
- Tuesday, June 23, Belleville High School, 100 Passaic Avenue, Belleville
Additional dates will be announced.
The Weequahic Park testing site will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during June. Additional dates will be added.
Essex County residents with or without symptoms are encouraged to get tested. Residents age 13 and older are welcome to get tested. Residents are encouraged to get retested if they have taken the swab or saliva tests 14 days ago or more and have received negative test results. Testing is provided free of charge; health insurance is not required.
To make an appointment, residents should visit www.EssexCOVID.org or call 973-324-9950. They will be required to complete a short questionnaire. When finished, they will be provided with an appointment time and a confirmation number. Residents should bring the confirmation number with them. They are asked to arrive 15 minutes before their scheduled appointment. Residents taking the COVID-19 saliva test should not eat, drink, smoke or chew gum 30 minutes prior to arrival.
