State drive-thru testing site opens at Stony Brook; ProHEALTH opens two sites

A coronavirus drive-thru testing site, the second in as many days set up by New York State, opened around noon Wednesday on the grounds of Stony Brook University.

More than a dozen cars already were lined up at the entrance shortly after it opened, checking in with a worker to make sure they had an appointment.

National Guardsmen with blue face masks and gloves stood guard. Stony Brook University police also were on hand.

At the first state-run testing site set up on Long Island, at Jones Beach State Park, 468 people showed up Tuesday for the first day of testing, state officials said.

The sites will operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., by appointment only, though no doctor referral is needed. The number to call for an appointment is 888-364-3065.

At Stony Brook on Wednesday, four large white tents were erected in a large parking lot to do the testing, similar to the setup and opening of the site at Jones Beach.

A handwritten sign at the entrance booth said “Keep Windows Up!” in English, Spanish and Chinese. Nearby, a large electronic sign also said in English: “Do Not Exit Vehicle."

Drivers made their way through winding yellow barricades as they approached the entrance.

Meanwhile, in Jericho and Little Neck, Queens, Lake Success-based ProHEALTH, which operates 30 urgent care centers, along with a network of primary care offices in the metropolitan area, opened drive-thru COVID-19 testing facilities Wednesday as well.

The tests are available to ProHEALTH’s primary care patients.

“We’ve just had our first few patients,” said Dr. Bonnie Simmons, chair of urgent care at ProHEALTH. “Everything is going smoothly. Patients are so appreciative that they can stay in their cars and then go home quickly and safely.”

Scheduling is done through a ProHEALTH hotline. Patients can call 516-874-0411 and speak with a medical professional for evaluation. If they meet the criteria, they are scheduled through a digital booking system that connects directly with the clinicians on site.

When a patient drives up, they are assigned a parking space and quickly seen by an emergency medical professional for evaluation and testing.

Those who show up without an appointment are turned away.

ProHEALTH is prioritizing patients who are more at risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines risk as older people and those with serious chronic medical conditions, such as lung disease, heart disease and diabetes.

With Michael Gormley and Yancey Roy