Thousands of COVID-19 Home Test Kits Distributed in Broome

Broome County officials say thousands of home COVID-19 rapid test kits are in the hands of residents in a second round of giveaways at Otsiningo Park on January 8.

After long waits and a huge backup of traffic in and around the park for the first distribution Wednesday, January 5, the County tweaked the process Saturday with a better traffic flow and law enforcement officers directing traffic outside the park to give out over 3,000 kits between 8 a.m. and noon.

Around 20 members of the  Civil Air Patrol South Central Group volunteered in the cold to help hand out kits and move traffic through the park.  Cars snaked through the South gate, around the back loop of the park to the north parking around and back toward the South gate.  Crews could be seen collecting the cones at the site at around quarter after 12.

The county had said on Friday, January 7 that there were 5,000 kits available but reported 3,000+ distributed in a Saturday update.

The Office of Emergency Services is expected to announce times and locations for additional distribution of home kits.

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Meanwhile, those who got the kits are reminded to go to the county website: www.gobroomecounty.com to report any positive test results.

Rapid testing is also available by appointment at the Broome County Health Department as well as New York State-operated sites at the former Davis College on Riverside Drive in Johnson City and the Binghamton University Foundation site at the former Gannett printing building next to the Johnson City Walmart.  Information on getting testing at those sites is also available at the Broome County website.