LONG BEACH — To help ensure union members remain safe, CSEA City of Long Beach Unit officers recently brought in their own mobile COVID-19 testing site exclusively for CSEA members and their families.
With New York state having the highest amount of COVID-19 cases in the country, testing for the virus has become an important initiative to reducing both exposure and the number of new cases.
O’Neill
The idea for the testing spot came from CSEA City of Long Beach Unit Treasurer Sean O’Neill. After doing much research on the logistics of establishing a site, O’Neill found a testing vendor that not only tests for the virus, but for antibodies. It took five weeks to pick a vendor and make arrangements with the city to choose a site for the testing.
O’Neill said he felt that making testing arrangements was the least the unit could do for its members.
“We’re doing whatever we can to ease [workers’] minds,” said O’Neill. “Offering them testing so they know their status is part of that.”
A simple process
On average, 50 members get tested per day. Appointments for testing are made via a web link that is sent to members by the COVID-19 testing facility.
The process is simple: Members pull up in their vehicle, fill out a questionnaire and have a blood sample taken. Within 15 minutes, they have their results.
“The testing is paid for through members’ insurance,” said O’Neill. “No one has to make a co-payment.”
Members who test positive for COVID-19 are notified by a telemedicine doctor provided by the testing facility. In addition to the results, the doctor tells them how to proceed with treating their condition. A couple of City of Long Beach Unit members have tested positive for COVID-19 through this site.
Although the city offers its own testing facilities, people often have to wait in long lines, which is why members are incredibly appreciative for the convenience of a union-provided COVID-19 testing site.
The initial rollout for the COVID-19 testing facility was only supposed to be for two weeks. Seeing the success of his idea, O’Neill is working on making testing available to members every two to three weeks until the pandemic subsides.
“The last thing we want is for there to be widespread COVID cases amongst our members that cause this city to shut down,” said O’Neill. “We can’t have that.”
O’Neill said that CSEA City of Long Beach Unit members give him the motivation to keep going.
“This unit is amazing,” said O’Neill. “Every time we go through something catastrophic like Superstorm Sandy or this pandemic, no one ever cowers or withers. This unit never takes a step back; we always take two steps forward. No one has taken off during this pandemic; we are here because we know the city needs us.”
— Wendi Bowie
Top photo: City of Long Beach Unit members have access to COVID-19 testing through this mobile site, provided by Baseline Health. (Photo provided by Sean O’Neill.)
