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FEMA expected to open testing site in Southwest Philly

The site, promised last week by President Joe Biden’s administration, would be able to do at least 500 tests per day.

A Sayre Health Center COVID Testing staff, administers a free COVID-19 rapid test inside a trailer on January 5. FEMA will open another mass testing site in Southwest Philadelphia Thursday.
A Sayre Health Center COVID Testing staff, administers a free COVID-19 rapid test inside a trailer on January 5. FEMA will open another mass testing site in Southwest Philadelphia Thursday.Read moreJOSE F. MORENO / Staff Photographer
    by Laura McCrystal
    Updated 
    Published 

A new FEMA-run testing site is expected to open Thursday at Cibotti Recreation Center in Southwest Philadelphia, Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole said at a news conference.

The site, promised last week by President Joe Biden’s administration, would be able to do at least 500 tests per day, Bettigole said.

”My belief is that we will have a soft launch tomorrow,” she said Wednesday, but added that she felt “really cautious” about announcing it because plans could change.

Starting Friday, she said there are plans for the site to be open daily from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m.

While Bettigole said that site would be “a big addition to testing” in the city, availability will remain limited.

» READ MORE: Live updates about the coronavirus in the Philadelphia region for Jan. 5

The city is also working on a large order of at-home rapid tests, she said, with “promising progress.” Right now, she noted, it’s nearly impossible to purchase a rapid at-home test in the city.

”It still won’t be enough,” she said, once the city is able to distribute more.

City officials also requested rapid tests from the federal government, Bettigole said, but that request was rejected. Instead, the federal government said it would work on distributing tests to community sites.