Residents lined up in their vehicles at Huntington Hospital Thursday morning for Covid-19 tests.
The hospital began offering the tests at 7 a.m.
Drivers were directed first into a parking lot by the hospital for paperwork and then across the street at 30 View Acre Drive for the test.
The hospital announced the testing availability Wednesday as infection rates around the country soared with the arrival of the omicon variant of the Covid-19 virus and as indoor holiday gatherings increased. Turnaround time for results is 72 hours.
While I appreciate the hospital doing it’s part to help residents receive tests this was an absolute disaster. I sat in parking lot line, with no movement from 8am-1130am. And that was after first getting there and being told the lot was full and to come back in 30 mins. To what, someone else pulling in once cars moved. Line coordination was extremely poor as cars were moving ahead when they were technically behind 2 other lines. There was absolutely no communication or direction on the process. Better coordination needed on all accounts.
The hospital bills your insurance company up to $2,500 for the PCR test. You pay the emergency room visit copay (whatever your insurance copay is) even though you are in your car. Why don’t we Suffolk residents have absolutely free COVID tests like NYC??