Governor Cuomo Announces Locations of Three New Free Rapid Testing Sites Opening Wednesday in Oneonta

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the locations of three new temporary rapid testing sites that will open in the City of Oneonta, Otsego County, on Wednesday at 11 a.m. After Wednesday, the sites will be open Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. These sites are being opened as part of the Governor's deployment of a SWAT team to SUNY Oneonta to contain a COVID-19 cluster that has developed there amongst the student population. The state action comes as SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras announced a two-week suspension of in-person instruction at the SUNY Oneonta campus to help address the cluster. The testing sites will be operated in partnership with Bassett Healthcare open to all members of the community and will deliver testing results within 15 minutes, allowing contact tracing efforts to quickly track and control any new exposures. All tests are free of charge.

"We are continuing our efforts in Oneonta. SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras made the right decision and the courageous decision to close the campus for two weeks, and now the state is setting up sites for our testing SWAT team to ensure this cluster of cases does not spread throughout the City of Oneonta and beyond," Governor Cuomo said. "I believe colleges are the canary in the coal mine. I believe what you're seeing across the nation is going to continue. When colleges open, students come back, congregate settings, socialization, the infection rate goes up. Either the college administration is rigorous and disciplined in their administration of the precautions, or the viral transmission rate goes up and then the college has to close and go to remote learning."

"Deploying immediate and needed resources is critical to containing a virus that can quickly spread to any corner of our campuses and community," said SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras. "I want to thank Governor Cuomo, State Department of Health and our local partners for their unwavering commitment in fighting COVID wherever it emerges. By partnering together and through discipline and compliance among everyone, we will successfully protect our communities from this virus."

The three new sites are located:

Oneonta Armory

4 Academy St

Oneonta, NY 13820

Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center

24 Market St

Oneonta, NY 13820

St. James Church

305 Main St

Oneonta, NY 13820

Testing is by appointment only. New Yorkers can call 833-NYSTRNG to make an appointment.

Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig said, I thank Governor Cuomo and SUNY for taking swift action to properly test and contact trace in Oneonta following the emergence of this new cluster among the students of SUNY Oneonta. The availability of rapid testing will not only serve to allay concerns of individual members of our community, it will also provide us with data informing us if there has been transmission beyond the student population."

Governor Cuomo also reminded Western New York residents that ongoing rapid testing is being conducted at eight sites in the region. Residents can call 833-NYSTRNG to make an appointment. On August 27, the governor deployed a testing SWAT team to Western New York to address the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in the region. He also announced the eight sites, which can be found here:

Delavan-Grider Community Center

877 E. Delavan Ave.

Buffalo, NY 14215

True Bethel Baptist Church

907 E. Ferry St.

Buffalo, NY 14211

Northwest Buffalo Community Center

155 Lawn Ave.

Buffalo, NY 14207

Dunkirk Fire Murphy Training Grounds

665 Brigham Road

Dunkirk, NY 14048

SUNY ECC North

6205 Main St.

Williamsville, NY 14221

Union Fire Company

1845 Union Road

West Seneca, NY 14224

John A. Duke Senior Center

1201 Hyde Park Blvd.

Niagara Falls, NY 14301

YWCA of the Niagara Frontier

32 Cottage St.

Lockport, NY 14094