Binghamton Expands Deal for COVID Testing With UHS

The City of Binghamton is expanding its partnership with United Health Services for testing for the coronavirus.

Mayor Richard David says the City will fund the purchase of a new testing machine for use by UHS to allow for capacity of as many as 1,000 tests daily.  Test results are returned in less than 70 minutes using the “Qyidel Lyra Direct” testing platform.

The Mayor’s office says the new platform reduces the diagnostic costs for UHS by $72 per test.

The City is using CARES act funding to buy the $70,000 machine.

Mayor David says while testing in Broome County earlier this week was over 1,600, nearby Tompkins County tested over 8,200 people.  The Republican says increasing testing capacity is key to economic recovery as well as getting infected people isolated and reducing the number of cases in the county.

Binghamton’s partnership for COVID-19 testing with UHS was first announced in May and made testing free and immediately available to the City’s first responders, essential City personnel, local healthcare workers and UHS patients.  That free testing was later expanded to any City employee.