COVID-19: Information for Media/Press
The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a virus of global health significance caused by infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 is thought to spread from person to person in close contact through respiratory droplets. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.
At BioReference, our priority remains in the health and safety of our employees, and the healthcare providers, patients and communities we serve, and we are doing our part to deliver answers during these uncertain times.
Media Resources
Thank you for your interest in speaking with BioReference about the COVID-19 pandemic, and our company’s test capabilities and response.
COVID-19 Response
To help support patients, providers, employers and government agencies in the fight against the COVID-19, BioReference has completed the following:
April
5/18: Collaborated with New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Northwell Health to offer MTA essential employees access to antibody testing.
Read the press release here
5/15: Collaborated with MagnaCare to bring COVID-19 antibody testing to their Labor clients in the New York metropolitan area.
Read the press release here
5/13: Launched Employer Solution, a COVID-19 screening program that assists employers’ decisions about return-to-work policies.
Read the press release here
5/8: Collaborated with NYC Health + Hospitals to expand access to COVID-19 antibody testing.
Read the press release here
5/7: Collaborated with NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio to expand antibody testing access to New Yorkers at community testing sites in the five boroughs.
Read the NYC press release here.
5/7: Selected by Rite Aid to provide COVID-19 laboratory testing to all drive-up locations with the goal of flattening the curve through accessible diagnostic testing.
Read the Rite Aid press release here
4/29: Collaborated with NY state to test transit workers for antibodies to further determine the spread of infections among our frontline workers.
Read the Governor’s Office statement here
4/29: Launched nationwide availability of antibody blood tests to detect an immune response after infection with the COVID-19 virus.
Read the press release here
4/28: Selected by Rite Aid to provide COVID-19 laboratory testing to all drive-up locations with the goal of flattening the curve through accessible diagnostic testing.
Read the press release here
4/20: Expanded Lab Testing Capacity by leveraging Gaithersburg, Maryland GeneDx Lab, as well as Melbourne, Florida facility.
Read the press release here
4/6: Announced continued prioritization of COVID-19 testing for hospital inpatients and critically ill patients around the country, with almost 200,000 patients tested to date.
Read the press release here
march
3/24: Collaborated with the City of Miami to provide COVID-19 testing for Miami residents by appointment, and collaborated with Larkin Community Hospital to offer drive-through specimen collection centers in South Florida, Hialeah and Hollywood, FL.
Read the press release here
3/23: Collaborated with the City of Detroit to provide COVID-19 testing at drive-through locations for residents by appointment.
Read the press release here
3/20: Collaborated with the State of New Jersey to provide COVID-19 testing across the state, including access at the first five NJ drive-through testing facilities in the counties of Burlington, Essex, Hudson, Ocean and Union.
Read the press release here
3/20: Joined the New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy at a press conference in Bergen County to discuss COVID-19 testing and state operated drive-through testing sites.
Watch the press conference here
3/17: Collaborated with the New York City Health and Hospital Corporation (NYC Health + Hospitals) to provide coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing to patients within the more than 70 care locations across the city’s five boroughs.
Read the press release here
3/17: Joined NYC Mayor de Blasio during New York City Hall press conference to discuss expanded testing throughput in support of the NYC public health system, highlighting how the private sector can assist with government agencies to help combat this epidemic.
Watch the press conference here
3/13: Collaborated with the New York State Department of Health and Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to provide testing for the first public drive-through testing facility on the East Coast, located in New Rochelle, NY, the epicenter for the New York State outbreak. Additional satellite testing sites to be set-up in the coming weeks.
Read the Governor’s Office statement here
3/13: Launched nationwide availability of a Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (Real-Time RT-PCR) assay to aid healthcare providers in quickly and efficiently diagnosing patients.
Read the press release here
3/4: Attended a meeting with Vice President Mike Pence, members of the White House’s Coronavirus Task Force, The American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA) and other diagnostic laboratory leaders from across the nation to discuss the critical issues related to coronavirus disease testing capacity as the demand for testing in America grows.
Read the ACLA statement here
We continue to closely monitor and respond to this rapidly evolving situation. Please continue to visit this page for the most up-to-date information. Click here to download the media response sheet.