After serving the community during the pandemic, Philadelphia’s COVID-19 Mobile Testing Unit stopped operations in June. Here’s why it was such a success. 

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has officially recognized the achievements of its COVID-19 Mobile Testing Unit, which ceased operations in June.

As case rates soared during the pandemic, the Mobile Testing Unit offered essential COVID-19 testing and isolation guidance to communities in Philadelphia that faced barriers to healthcare access. This initiative began with a single vehicle in December 2020 and expanded to two vehicles by May 2021, forging critical partnerships with various community and faith-based organizations across the city.

These partnerships enabled the Mobile Testing Unit to deploy its resources effectively, informed by a 2022 needs assessment and continuous COVID-19 surveillance data to identify target neighborhoods. Despite challenges, the Unit ensured no-cost COVID-19 testing for all Philadelphia residents, continuing its services even after the public health emergency officially ended in May 2023.

During its operation, the Mobile Testing Unit:

• Served 24,347 patients
• Visited 59 neighborhoods
• Administered 15,448 rapid antigen tests
• Conducted 11,635 PCR tests.
• Distributed 5,622 home test kits
• Attended 32 health fairs and community events

Additionally, the unit was showcased at the 2022 American Public Health Association Conference in Boston.

Acknowledgments were given to key staff members and testing instructors for their contributions to the program’s success. Special thanks were extended to Vernell Brown, COVID-19 Testing Program Manager; Cielo Butler, COVID-19 Testing Program Assistant; Rabiah Asif, Mobile Testing Unit Supervisor; and Mekeida Thomas, Mobile Testing Unit Coordinator. The efforts of testing instructors such as Indira Barksdale, Jasmine Gholston, Hadja Jalloh, Olivia Roseborough, Aateeyah Sharrief, Cynthia Solis, and Latanya Toney were also recognized.

The COVID-19 Testing Program also expressed gratitude for ancillary support from the COVID-19 Containment clinical team and the PHL lab.