Benzinga | Jan 4, 2021 12:06PM EST

OPKO Health Reports Its BioReference Labs Unit Reported REsults Of COVID-19 Molecular PCR Tests For Public Schools Throughout New York City's Boroughs

BioReference Laboratories, Inc., an OPKO Health company (NASDAQ: OPK), today announced the results of COVID-19 molecular PCR tests for public schools throughout New York City's boroughs, with a positivity rate of 0.47 percent.





BioReference announced the COVID-19 PCR test results for NYC's public schools, with a positivity rate of 0.47.

"These results indicate that an active surveillance system can be successfully developed and implemented in a highly complex environment such as the nations' largest public school system," said Jon R. Cohen, M.D., Executive Chairman of BioReference Laboratories. "Testing is one component of the multiple mitigation steps developed by New York City, which include real time results reporting to the city situation room, closure protocols, social distancing, masks and ventilation improvements. These measures taken by the city and the teachers' union resulted in a very low COVID-19 rate of infection within the school system for those individuals tested by BioReference. We are proud to be one of the partners that helped in this effort to have children return to school and continue to learn in a safe environment."

On September 2, BioReference began working with New York City to COVID-19 PCR test principals, teachers and staff in preparation for a safer back-to-school environment. Prior to the start of the 2020-2021 school year, BioReference tested 8,913 individuals, with an average turnaround time of less than 24 hours.

Subsequently, BioReference and New York City expanded the school testing program to include students on October 9. Sixty-four teams visited almost 200 schools per day, having tested 209,790 individuals in more than 1,200 schools with an average turnaround time of less than 38 hours. Among the total individuals tested, 975 (0.47%) were positive for COVID-19.

COVID-19 positivity rates by borough were; Manhattan: 0.37%, Brooklyn: 0.45%, Queens: 0.38%, Staten Island: 0.52% and Bronx: 0.71%. Interestingly, the rate for students and teachers, principals and staff were similar and very low (less than 1%).