On Sept. 2, 2020, BioReference Laboratories, an OPKO Health company, began testing New York City principals, teachers and other staff for COVID-19, across the five boroughs, in preparation for a safer back-to-school environment.

Through a strategic collaboration with BioReference, New York City, the Department of Health and New York City Health and Hospital Corporation (NYC Health + Hospitals) will collect specimens from principals, teachers and staff members across eight locations. BioReference will then perform COVID-19 PCR tests for the principals, teachers and other school staff at its Elmwood Park, New Jersey laboratory facility. The hours of operation for collection of specimens will be 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Sunday, beginning today and concluding Monday, September 7. Registration and appointment selection is required.

BioReference provides comprehensive testing to physicians, clinics, hospitals, employers, government units, correctional institutions and medical groups. BioReference has been working expeditiously to develop and offer test services that will yield high quality and accurate results, including a molecular test for helping with COVID-19 diagnosis and a serology test to help indicate possible COVID-19 exposure. The company is in network with the five largest health plans in the United States, operates a network of 11 laboratory locations, and is backed by a medical staff of more than 120 M.D., Ph.D. and other professional level clinicians and scientists. With a leading position in the areas of genetics, women’s health, maternal fetal medicine, oncology and urology, BioReference and its specialty laboratories, GenPath and GeneDx, are advancing the course of modern medicine.