Coronavirus News: Rockland County to begin testing schools within yellow zone

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Sunday, November 29, 2020

Rockland County to begin testing schools within yellow zone

One week of coordinated testing will begin for school districts within Rockland County's yellow zone.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- One week of coordinated testing will begin for school districts within Rockland County's yellow zone.

The Rockland County Department of Health has partnered with Good Samaritan Hospital to provide the testing, which will being on Monday. November 30.

Schools within the yellow zone are required to test 20% of students, faculty and staff over the two-week period immediately following the announcement of a yellow zone designation in order to remain open for in-person learning.

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If the results of the testing show the COVID positivity rate below the threshold for a yellow zone, testing will no longer be required to continue in-person learning.

However, if the results show the rate is still higher than the yellow zone threshold, the school will be required to continue to test 20% of the in-person population over a two-week period.

Good Samaritan Hospital is providing the staff for the testing.

"In the interest of public health, we are working with Good Samaritan Hospital to decrease the burden of testing on our school districts," Commissioner of Health Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert said. "We want students to be able to attend in-person classes if possible. However, because we cannot ensure the continuation of these testing services, we advise all of our local districts to prepare to meet the Governor's testing requirements on their own."

Testing will be available Monday through Friday during the week of November 30.

Any person from a school within the yellow zone, who needs to be tested, can go to any site.

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Testing will take place from 11:00 am - 2:00pm at the following locations:

- Monday, November 30 - Palisades Center Mall Garage Entrance West (ramp entrance next to Best Buy). This is a drive-up site or walk-up for those arriving by bus.

- Tuesday, December 1 - Suffern High School located at 49 Viola Road in Suffern

- Wednesday, December 2 - Spring Valley High School located at 361 E. Route 59 in Spring Valley

- Thursday, December 3 - Rockland BOCES, Bldg. 10 located at 65 Parrott Road in West Nyack

- Friday, December 4 - Palisades Center Mall Garage Entrance West (ramp entrance next to Best Buy). This is a drive-up site or walk-up for those arriving by bus.