Governor Tom Wolf announced today that beginning Wednesday, June 17, nine more COVID-19 drive-thru testing sites will open in Walmart parking lots across the state, bringing the total to 19 sites at Walmart locations. Quest Diagnostics and Walmart are working with the department to provide no-cost testing for residents living in areas where there are fewer testing sites. Another testing site has also been added in Venango County, which previously had only one site, bringing the total of new testing sites to 10.
“We continue to add testing sites in locations that are convenient for Pennsylvanians and increase the state’s testing capabilities,” Gov. Wolf said. “We do not want any Pennsylvanian in need of a test to have difficulty finding a location close to home for a free test.”
“We appreciate the hard work done by health systems, pharmacies, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), medical clinics and other entities that are providing testing for COVID-19 across Pennsylvania,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “When we established our testing strategy, we wanted testing to be accessible, available and adaptable and we are working to meet that challenge. Anyone who believes they have symptoms of COVID-19 can get tested today in Pennsylvania.”
Beginning June 17 these sites will be open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. to test up to 50 registered patients daily. Registration is required one day in advance. There is no COVID-19 testing inside Walmart stores or Quest Diagnostics Patient Service Centers.
The testing sites that will open on Wednesday include:
- Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 1887 Elmira St, Sayre, PA
- Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 1665 N Atherton St, State College, PA
- Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 108 Washington Towne Blvd N, Edinboro, PA
- Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 2501 W State St, New Castle, PA
- Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 1566 W Main Street Ext, Grove City, PA
- Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 9300 State Route 61, Coal Township, PA
- Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 980 N Susquehanna Trail, Selinsgrove, PA
- Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 120 AJK Blvd, Lewisburg, PA
- Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 1169 South Main St, Mansfield, PA
“After testing, you are required to return home and self-isolate,” Dr. Levine said. “If symptoms develop or worsen while you are waiting for your test results, talk to your doctor. If you experience a medical emergency, please seek immediate care.”
Registrants will be notified of a testing location within a 50-mile radius of them with available appointment times. Patients schedule an appointment time, print a voucher and bring the voucher to the location with them to their appointment. Patients will receive an email with their test results within 24-48 hours, and physicians will call any patient who has a positive test result.
In addition to these testing sites, UPMC Northwest opened a COVID-19 testing site in Venango County, where there is currently only one other testing site. The new site is located at 1671 Allegheny Blvd, Reno, PA, and is open each week, Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. by appointment only. To schedule an appointment at this location, call 1-833-559-7680.
Through the work of a number of entities, testing is accessible for Pennsylvanians. As Rite Aid, CVS, Patient First, Walmart and others offer testing for symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, it has further allowed for Pennsylvanians to get tested close to home. Adding these locations to those already offered by hospitals, health systems, FQHCs, health clinics and other locations significantly expands the testing network in the state.
More information about these testing sites and others, including a map of the sites available in Pennsylvania, are listed on the department’s website.
The department’s testing plan has remained adaptable. This includes the efforts to ensure everyone in a long-term care facility can be tested, work to ensure counties that currently do not have testing locations can receive them, and other efforts based on the latest data and science surrounding COVID-19.
Symptoms of COVID-19 can include:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Diarrhea
- Chills
- Repeating shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell.
Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Reported illnesses have ranged from people with little to no symptoms to people being severely ill and dying.
As of 12:00 a.m., June 14, there were 78,798 positive cases of COVID-19 statewide in 67 counties and 6,215 confirmed deaths. Most of the patients hospitalized are 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 and older. More data is available here.
For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.
The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
- Clean surfaces frequently.
- Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
- If you must go out for a life-sustaining reason, please wear a mask.
Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics
- Daily COVID-19 Report
- Press releases regarding coronavirus
- Latest information on the coronavirus
- Photos of the state’s lab in Exton (for download and use)
- Coronavirus and preparedness graphics (located at the bottom of the page)
- Community preparedness and procedures materials
- Map with the number of COVID-19 cases
All Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertPA, a text notification system for health, weather, and other important alerts like COVID-19 updates from commonwealth agencies. Residents can sign up online at www.ready.pa.gov/BeInformed/Signup-For-Alerts.