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Pennsylvania expands COVID-19 testing by partnering with Walmart, private labs

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Gov. Tom Wolf and Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachael Levine Thursday updated the state’s efforts to expand testing across the state.

The goal is to make sure every Pennsylvanian who wants a test can get one.

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In order to expand testing, the state has announced partnerships with Walmart and Quest Diagnostics to provide testing in several communities.

State officials will work with laboratories across Pennsylvania to enhance testing capacity as test results across the country continue to see significant delays.

“In Pennsylvania, we are committed to ensuring that testing is accessible, available and adaptable,” Levine said. “Through working with our partners, including Walmart and Quest Diagnostics, we are helping to ensure that anyone who needs to get tested for COVID-19 in Pennsylvania can get tested.”

Beginning on Wednesday, six Walmart locations in Western Pennsylvania started conducting COVID-19 testing.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pennsylvania has conducted the ninth highest total number of tests for COVID-19 in the country. Since the pandemic began, more than 1.6 million tests have been completed in Pennsylvania, which equates to 13%.

Across Pa., the health department said 22,000 people are tested each day for coronavirus. That number has gone up significantly since April, when it was only 8,000 daily.

“Our test positivity rate is slightly below 5%, which is a level that CDC and WHO say indicates an appropriate level of testing even though our new case counts remain relevantly stable,” Wolf said.

Levine did say Thursday that there is priority testing when required.

“If we have an outbreak in a nursing home, we will prioritize that testing,” Levine said. “We get it done to 24-48 hours -- usually 24. In the future if there is a school that we are concerned about, then we can prioritize that and get the test in 24 hours.”

The most updated testing sites and information is available at the Department of Health.