From One Vehicle to Two: The Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s Mobile Testing Unit Brings COVID-19 Relief to Underserved Communities.

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) recently commended the achievements of its COVID-19 Mobile Testing Unit, which concluded operations in June. During a critical period of the pandemic, the unit played a vital role in providing COVID-19 testing and guidance on isolation to communities facing barriers to accessing care in Philadelphia.

The Mobile Testing Unit launched with one vehicle in December 2020 and expanded to two vehicles by May 2021. Its success was largely due to the partnerships it established with various community and faith-based organizations throughout the city. These partnerships allowed the unit to reach different neighborhoods and locations based on a 2023 needs assessment and ongoing COVID-19 surveillance data.

Despite the official end of the public health emergency in May 2023, the Mobile Testing Unit continued to offer free COVID-19 testing to all Philadelphia residents. Throughout its operations, it served over 24,000 patients, visited 59 different neighborhoods, conducted thousands of rapid antigen and PCR tests, distributed home test kits, and participated in health fairs and community events. The unit was also recognized for its excellence at the 2022 American Public Health Association Conference in Boston.

Key staff members who contributed significantly to the success of the Mobile Testing Unit include Vernell Brown, Cielo Butler, Rabiah Asif, Mekeida Thomas, Indira Barksdale, Jasmine Gholston, Hadja Jalloh, Olivia Roseborough, Aateeyah Sharrief, Cynthia Solis