Next Steps Include Antibody Testing to Further Public Health and Safety Efforts

JERSEY CITY – Mayor Steven M. Fulop announces increased efforts to offer COVID-19 testing by broadening efforts with expanded and targeting testing opportunities to ALL Jersey City residents.  For the first time, mobile testing will be brought directly to some of our most vulnerable residents in senior living housing and public housing sites for more convenient access and to minimize mass transit use amid the pandemic.

To further the city’s efforts, the Administration will soon become one of the first to offer antibody testing.  This testing is the latest step to move Jersey City in the direction of cautiously enabling residents and businesses start the recovery process, as the antibody tests are key identifiers that health experts say will enable healthcare workers, first responders, city employees, and residents return to work, to their families, or to take care of loved ones in need.

“Absent a vaccine or treatment, testing is currently one of the few proven effective ways to slow and track the spread of this virus, which is why we’ve taken the initiative to be aggressive in our approach to protect our residents,” said Mayor Fulop.  “We’re at a point where 7 weeks into this we have a better understanding and our residents can use their test results responsibly to slow the pace and reduce risks not only for their immediate friends and family, but also for the community overall.”

As the first to offer free city-run Coronavirus testing, this past month Jersey City has tested over 8,000 people including those who are sick, frontline workers, first responders, supermarket employees, and all city nursing home residents and staff.

“As one of the most densely populated areas in the region, our efforts to make free testing available has proven effective,” said Stacey Flanagan, Director of Health and Human Services.  “Now we want to extend testing to as many people as possible, and adding antibody testing will really bolster the expansive health and safety efforts we’ve put in place since day one.”

Appointment-based testing will open to all Jersey City residents beginning next week.  Anyone requesting a test can call the COVID-19 Testing Call Center at 201-547-5535 seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Testing will continue Monday through Friday at the drive-through site located in the southwest portion of the city at 575 NJ-440.

In an effort to expand access to some of our most vulnerable residents, the walk-up testing site will operate on the rotating schedule below:

Mondays & Wednesdays – Outside Public Safety Headquarters located at 465 Marin Boulevard

Tuesdays – Mobile testing at various Jersey City Housing Authority locations

Thursdays – Mobile testing at various senior living facilities

Fridays – Mary McLeod Bethune Community Center located at 140 MLK Drive

“Expanding testing is crucial as we work towards moving our city forward to allow people and the economy to start recovering,” concluded Mayor Fulop.