Jefferson Health, Ambulnz and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) have announced a partnership to launch a COVID-19 testing program. Starting Friday, Dec. 4, the program will operate from the PHL Terminal E Departures building, and will provide passengers with the confidence they need to travel safely and conscientiously between destinations.
The COVID-19 testing program is designed for asymptomatic passengers flying out of PHL, with multiple testing options, including an antigen test, a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test, and a Rapid PCR test planned in the future. The options range in price from $70 to $130, which distinguishes the PHL program as among the most affordable in the country.
Test results for antigen tests will be texted to the passengers
Test results will be texted to passengers the same day for antigen tests, and within 48 to 72 hours for the standard PCR test. Parking in the Terminal E Parking Garage will be complimentary for up to 2 hours for testing patrons. The availability of COVID-19 testing will enable PHL to expand connections with destinations requiring testing prior to arrival. Passengers traveling to many Caribbean destinations must produce a negative PCR test result, administered in the previous 72 hours, as a condition for boarding a plane. The Caribbean represents one of PHL’s largest destination markets in the winter season.
“Jefferson Health and Ambulnz are ideal partners for this program, because they possess an incredible combination of world-class expertise with a focus on equity in healthcare access,” said PHL CEO Chellie Cameron. “This testing service will enable Philadelphia to safely reconnect passengers to new destinations, supporting the recovery of the entire region.”
Medical providers will administer testing in the Terminal E facility, which has been equipped with medically appropriate air filtration and circulation, as well as a private office setting for each passenger. Jefferson Health will administer the testing via Rapid Reliable Testing, the COVID response division of Ambulnz, which is a joint venture with Jefferson.
“Jefferson has been here for our community throughout this crisis, and this is a next step in helping people conduct essential travel,” said Stephen K. Klasko, MD, MBA, president of Thomas Jefferson University and CEO of Jefferson Health. “Innovative partnerships work. This partnership with the Philadelphia Airport, our partner Ambulnz, and our ties to Europe give us the opportunity to develop new solutions for economic recovery.”
The program has been built to scale up as demand increases. Additional testing program locations have been identified at PHL and will be announced when available.
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