Some Nuvance Health Urgent Care Locations Modifying COVID Testing

Positive COVID cases in the state of New York are increasing at quite an alarming rate, with Governor Cuomo announcing on Monday that new cases of COVID have increased by over 1,000 percent in recent weeks, with over 80 percent of all new cases coming from the highly contagious Delta variant.

I'm sure many of us remember a time earlier during the pandemic when it was nearly impossible to find a testing appointment in the Hudson Valley. I can recall last November when I was feeling some symptoms and wanted to get tested ASAP as not to infect anyone, and literally driving from doctors office to various walk in centers in the area and being told there were no available appointments.

Things seemed to change shortly after that, with large testing centers opening up, drive through locations, and of course virtual visits that then allowed people to go into an office for a COVID swab.

This increase in testing locations was due to a number of circumstances, case numbers on the rise or people being required to get tested in order to go to work, or travel.

Sadly, a recent announcement from a locally based chain of urgent cares has alerted the Hudson Valley that COVID testing will no longer be available at their locations, unless, you are being seen with symptoms.

Northern Dutchess Hospital (part of Nuvance Health), in a facebook announcement on August 14th, shared that effective immediately, their urgent care offices located in LaGrange, Wappingers Falls and the Kingston Medical Mall are no longer able to accommodate patients requesting COVID testing. The only testing those locations will be able to provide is for those being seen with symptoms and in need of treatment. This, due to an increased demand for COVID testing and a sharp increase in outpatient volumes.

Things are once again changing on a daily basis when it comes to COVID guidance and procedures, including masking policies and the push for vaccines for those who are eligible and able.