RICHMOND, Va. -- GRTC will host its first voluntary, on-site COVID-19 testing event for GRTC and First Transit employees on Monday, June 1.
Testing will be conducted by SecureHealth, a regionally owned and operated urgent care provider, with up to 200 tests possible per testing day.
“Since mid-March, we have been working to improve access to COVID-19 testing for our employees. Now, with frequent and convenient on-site testing, we will be even more prepared to contain any incident of the virus by identifying and quarantining positive-tested staff members early and possibly even prior to symptoms being experienced or spread," GRTC Chief Executive Officer Julie Timm said.
Testing appointments are scheduled in advance, and employees may voluntarily be tested and continue working if they are not showing symptoms.
SecureHealth, founded by BetterMed Urgent Care leaders, offers two test collection options – a nasal swab or a back-of-the-throat test for COVID-19.
Using funding from the Federal CARES Act, GRTC is contracted with SecureHealth for up to 40 testing events totaling, with automatic contract renewals if needed.More on-site testing dates will be announced to staff after June 1 for proactive, voluntary monitoring of potential virus exposure among the workforce.
To date since March, there have been seven confirmed COVID-19 cases among GRTC staff.