NEW YORK – Opko's BioReference Laboratories announced Friday it will provide testing for a drive-through facility for SARS-CoV-2 sample collection in partnership with the New York State Department of Health.
The drive-through facility is in New Rochelle, New York, which has been the epicenter of the state's COVID-19 outbreak. The facility started testing Friday with residents in the city who have been quarantined already. The testing will be by appointment only, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo.
The lab also announced it is contracting with New York state to accept specimens for SARS-CoV-2 testing and expects to offer an additional 5,000 tests a day at satellite testing sites which will be set up next week.
BioReference's announcement of its Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 test comes after guidance from the US Food and Drug Administration last month allowing high-complexity, CLIA-certified labs to perform tests they've developed for the SARS-CoV-2 virus while pursuing Emergency Use Authorization.