Additional testing for the coronavirus in the area financed by the City of Binghamton is being welcomed by Broome County Executive Jason Garnar. 

Mayor Richard David May 7 announced the City has supplied an automated Rheonix Encompass MDx workstation to UHS for same-day testing with United Health Services purchasing an additional work station.

Coronavirus Testing
Photo: John Moore/Getty Images (file)
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Garnar praised the City for stepping forward to utilize over $55,000 in funding, reimbursed through the coronavirus relief CARES Act, to obtain the equipment from the Ithaca-based Rhoenix company.  

As for a portion of the City’s letter to the Governor that said testing in Broome County has "lagged behind neighboring counties", the County Executive said the local hospitals had been doing as many tests as they could with the supplies that were available as they were able to be procured by the state and county.  That capability has been greatly increased through thousands more tests kits being sent to the area and the addition of the state-run drive-through testing site at Binghamton University.

The increased COVID-19 testing boosts the Southern Tier region’s capability to reach the benchmark set by New York State for reopening. Garnar says he’s happy the City was able to use federal funding that smaller municipalities in the county are not eligible to get for adding COVID-19 testing that can benefit the entire region.

Mayor David says Binghamton is the first municipality in the nation to use the Rheonix technology and will buy more testing equipment if needed.

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