Over 7,400 Lab Tests Performed and Over 44,100 COVID-19 Vaccines Administered to Residents through Schenectady County Public Health Services
Schenectady County announced that its COVID-19 vaccine POD and testing site at the McClellan Street Health Campus has officially closed. Schenectady County has provided no-cost COVID-19 vaccines and testing at the McClellan Health Campus since January of 2022.
With the number of residents accessing these services through Schenectady County’s Public Health Services (SCPHS) steadily decreasing, a decision was made to condense the schedule from five to three days a week from April 1 to May 12, and then continue offering COVID-19 vaccines only at SCPHS’s vaccine POD held at Schenectady Community Ministries on Friday afternoons. Lab testing will be no longer be available through the county.
“Throughout the pandemic we’ve worked to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines and testing were accessible to all of our residents,” said Schenectady County Legislator Michelle Ostrelich, Chair of the Health, Housing & Human Services Committee. “While we no longer offering lab testing, we want our residents to know there are still many resources available through the county. No-cost COVID-19 vaccines are available at our Friday afternoon POD at SiCM and through our at-home vaccination program, and free at-home tests will continue to be available at many county offices.”
Schenectady County COVID-19 Response
Schenectady County began administering COVID-19 vaccines to members of the community in December of 2020 at the Karen B. Johnson (Central) Library and then moved the site to SUNY Schenectady. In 2021 SCPHS held vaccine PODs at municipal housing developments, Schenectady ARC, the Schenectady City Mission, Rivers Casino, all high schools and 14 elementary schools in the county, the Schenectady Greenmarket, SCAP, Schenectady County Department of Social Services, Schenectady Community Ministries, festivals held throughout the county, several Stewarts Shops, and at the Freedom Park Concert Series in Scotia. They also held PODs on nights and weekends, and partnered with faith-based organizations, and with MPV and CDTA on the COVID Vaccine Trolley, to make them more accessible.
In 2022 the county hosted COVID-19 vaccine PODs regularly at the Schenectady Greenmarket, SUNY Schenectady, the Boys and Girls Club, and Schenectady Community Ministries. PODs were also held at SCAP, Bethesda House, and many of the nursing homes and senior housing located within the county, to offer booster shots. Over 44,100 vaccine doses have been administered through SCPHS since December of 2020, and over 1,100 of those were given through the county’s at-home vaccination program for residents.
Schenectady County initially offered no-cost drive-thru COVID-19 testing at SUNY Schenectady in 2020 and 2021. In 2022 testing was moved to Ellis’ McClellan Street Health Campus and made available five days a week, with a focus on providing school-related testing for students and their families, and school employees, to allow students to return to school as quickly and safely as possible after a potential exposure. Testing was opened at the end of January 2022 to all county residents. Since the McClellan site opened the county has performed 7,486 COVID-19 tests at that location.
Schenectady County has distributed over 300,000 free at-home COVID-19 test kits to residents through direct distribution events, and through partnerships with schools, municipalities, daycare providers, shelters, and volunteer fire departments throughout the county. These test kits have also been regularly available to residents at many county departments, including all nine branches of the Schenectady County Public Library system and the DMV, since February of 2022.
First in New York State in Adult Vaccination
In May of 2021 Schenectady County ranked first in New York State for the percentage of county residents 18+ who had received at least one vaccination dose.[1]
Schenectady County Vaccine PODs
Location: Schenectady Community Ministries, 837 Albany Street in Schenectady
Date: Fridays (closed on county holidays)
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
COVID-19 (5 years old +) and MPOX vaccines are available at this POD.
Walk-in service, no appointment required.
At-Home Vaccination Program
Residents who are unable to make it to our vaccine POD can call (518) 386-2824 x1270 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays to sign up or leave a message with their contact information after-hours.
At-Home Test Kits
Schenectady County will continue to offer free at-home COVID-19 test kits at county offices during regular business hours, including:
- Schenectady County Office Building at 620 State Street – front desk
- Schenectady County DMV at 2025 State Street
- All 9 of the county’s branch libraries – visit www.scpl.org for locations and hours
- All county-run COVID-19 vaccine POD sites
- WIC Office at 650 Franklin Street, Suite 200
- Schenectady County’s Glendale Home at 59 Hetcheltown Road in Glenville
- Schenectady County Department of Social Services at 797 Broadway
- Schenectady County Veterans Affairs Office at 797 Broadway
- Schenectady County Job Training Agency at 797 Broadway
- Schenectady County Senior & Long Term Care Services at 107 Nott Terrace, Suite 305
The expiration dates for some at-home COVID-19 tests have been extended. Learn more at https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests
Follow @SchenectadyCounty on Facebook for the latest updates.
[1] https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-data-new-york