The Erie County Department of Health offers a coronavirus testing clinic on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The New York State Department of Health has a clinic on Perry Street in Buffalo that is running daily. Area hospitals offer coronavirus testing, as do urgent care centers, and some pharmacies in the region.
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Ultimately, as long as it is a nasal swab test, Erie County Health Commissioner Gale Burstein said it will be an accurate diagnosis.
“In general, that type of test is usually a very good test,” she said.
Erie County is hoping there are more people who sign up to receive the nasal swab test as it will not only determine if you have the disease, but it will also help dictate when the region reopens. New York State requires 30 of every 1,000 residents must be tested monthly in the region in order to reopen. To meet that mark, the county would need to test approximately 300 more people per day.
“We’re trying to make it as quick and as efficient as possible,” Kaleida Health Chief of Staff Michael Hughes said. “So you don’t have to come to the hospital. We’re coming out to the community.”
Other places, such as WellNow Urgent Care, don’t require a prescription or even an appointment in order to get a test.
“We offer a walk-in as well as a ‘save your spot in line’ availability at any of our sites across the state,” Melissa Thomas, WellNow’s Regional Lead Provider, said. “Patients who are symptomatic or concerned that they’ve had an exposure can come in at any time during our operating hours.”
Catholic Health is only conducting testing for patients from their primary care offices or affiliate physician offices. They are also testing patients in the emergency departments and for those who will be receiving elective surgeries. They are not offering any walk-in or drive-thru testing. Similarly, ECMC is only testing those who receive a referral from their doctor.
“It’s really more important about getting a test rather than where you get a test,” Burstein said. “We want people to get the test where it works best for them.”
For those of you who have stayed away from the public during the pandemic out of concerns that you may get infected, Burstein said that your risk of having coronavirus is low. However, you could still get a test, though the commissioner said it’s best for you to discuss your personal situation with your primary care provider.
“The real reason that we want as many people to get tested as possible who could be at risk of COVID-19 is to identify them and put them in isolation to try and break the chain of community transmission,” she said.
New York State is also not utilizing antibody testing as a standard for reopening.