Free Coronavirus Tests Will Continue At Weequahic Park In Newark

NEWARK, NJ — Free coronavirus testing will continue at the drive-thru site in Weequahic Park, officials say.

County officials have been running a series of free COVID-19 testing events for local residents, which kicked off several months ago at a drive-thru site at Weequahic Park in Newark. Since then, additional events have been taking place throughout the county.

The drive-thru site at Weequahic Park will continue to operate on Mondays from 2 to 5 p.m., and Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon, officials said.

The tests are by appointment only and are being offered to Essex County residents free of charge.

According to county officials:

“Essex County residents with or without symptoms are encouraged to get tested. Residents age 13 and older are welcome to get tested. Residents are encouraged to get retested if they have taken the swab or saliva tests 14 days ago or more and have received negative test results. Testing is provided free of charge; health insurance is not required. To make an appointment, residents should visit www.EssexCOVID.org or call 973-877-8456. They will be required to complete a short questionnaire. When finished, they will be provided with an appointment time and a confirmation number. Residents should bring the confirmation number with them. They are asked to arrive 15 minutes before their scheduled appointment. Residents taking the COVID-19 saliva test should not eat, drink, smoke or chew gum 30 minutes prior to arrival.”

The county will hold another testing event at the North Caldwell Fireman’s Field Parking Lot, 131 Gould Avenue in North Caldwell from 4 to 6 p.m. on Aug. 6. Testing will also take place at Bloomfield Town Hall Municipal Lot, 1 Municipal Plaza in Bloomfield on Tuesday, Aug. 4 from 4 to 6 p.m.

"Our COVID-19 testing site in Weequahic Park has successfully provided Essex County residents with local access to testing," Freeholder Vice President Wayne Richardson said. "It is clear that expanding our testing capabilities is the proper course of action."

“Unfortunately, Essex County leads the state in the number of deaths caused by the coronavirus,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said.

“Our fight against this deadly disease is far from over and we must remain vigilant and aggressive to combat it,” DiVincenzo said. “Testing is a critical tool that will tell us exactly how widespread the virus is and who has been infected.”

As of Wednesday, Newark has seen 8,074 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 652 deaths linked to the disease, county officials said.

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