WMH COVID Testing to Return to Fairgrounds

(Honesdale, December 10, 2020)… Starting Monday, December 14, Wayne Memorial Hospital’s primary COVID-19 testing site will be at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. The current site, the Stourbridge Complex, will be closed.  The change is due to high patient volume and a lack of appropriate traffic space at the Stourbridge Complex. The site has experienced the highest number of patient test requests for Wayne Memorial since the pandemic began. During the week of November 29th, the hospital processed 1,219 tests, the most since last March, according to James Hockenbury, director Ancillary Services.

“We anticipate this volume will continue for some time, so we are very pleased to be able to return to the Fairgrounds,” said Hockenbury.  “It allows us to continue to do what is in the best interests of the patients: offer testing with no appointment and appropriate accommodations for our staff.”

Wayne Memorial had previously offered drive-through tests at the Fairgrounds, but the mobile unit on site was not winterized. The hospital has now rented a trailer with heat, water and computer network access.

The PCR tests offered at the site – molecular tests which are considered highly accurate – require a prescription. Patients are supplied a convenient nasal self-swab under the supervision of a WMH Laboratory Services phlebotomist.

The new site is open the same hours as Stourbridge, Monday – Friday 7:30am – 4pm.

For more information visit www.wmh.org