Mobile Coronavirus Education, Testing Unit Coming To Philly Area

Max Bennett
Updated ·3 min read

PHILADELPHIA — Pennsylvania officials have created a one-of-a-kind mobile coronavirus unit that will offer tests and education among PA's minority and underserved communities

Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine announced a partnership with Latino Connection, Highmark Blue Shield and the Independence Blue Cross Foundation to create the first-in-the-nation COVID-19 Mobile Response Unit.

Known as CATE, Community-Accessible Testing & Education, the unit is equipped to conduct COVID-19 testing on-site through a mobile RV vehicle while also educating the public on how to stay healthy and safe.

The unit will be making stops in the Philadelphia region soon.

Below are dates, times, and locations of the stops:

Chester

  • Jennersvilla Branch YMCA

    • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19; coronavirus education only, no testing offered

  • Kennett Branch YMCA

    • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 20, coronavirus education only, no testing offered

Montgomery

  • Lansdale Branch YMCA

    • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday, Sept. 21, coronavirus education only, no testing offered

  • Willow Grove YMCA

    • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 22; coronavirus education only, no testing offered

  • Pottstown YMCA

    • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 26; coronavirus education only, no testing offered

Delaware

  • Lansdowne Branch YMCA

    • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sept. 24; coronavirus testing and education will be offered

  • Ridley Area YMCA

    • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sept. 25; coronavirus testing and education will be offered

Bucks

  • YMCA Youth Education Center (Lenape Valley Church)

    • time to be determined, Thursday, Sept. 17; coronavirus education only, no testing offered

  • Warminster YMCA

    • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, Sept. 18; coronavirus education only, no testing offered

Philadelphia

  • Columbia North YMCA

    • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 27; coronavirus education only, no testing offered

Services are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Social distancing and masking guidelines and will be followed at all times.

While each tour stop provider's policies are different, most providers, if not short on testing supplies, will test anyone who believes they've been exposed to COVID. Other providers may only test those who are experiencing symptoms.

Specimens will be collected and taken to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Laboratories for testing after each event.

The unit is equipped to conduct COVID-19 testing on-site through a mobile RV vehicle while also educating the public on how to stay healthy and safe. The mobile response unit’s tagline is "Sharing knowledge to erase fear," which it intends to do through widespread community healthcare and health education offered with no insurance required.

CATE will be making tour stops in the following counties:

  • Adams

  • Allegheny

  • Chester

  • Berks

  • Bucks

  • Delaware

  • Erie

  • Lancaster

  • Lebanon

  • Lehigh

  • Luzerne

  • Monroe

  • Montgomery

  • Northampton

  • Philadelphia

  • York

The full CATE tour stop schedule is online here.

In total, this testing effort cost $498,000. The department Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity Enhancing Detection fund contributed a $331,000 grant.

Email info@catemobileunit.com with questions about the unit.

This article originally appeared on the Haverford-Havertown Patch