Following the lead of other cities and states that are using professional sports teams’ stadiums and arenas to enhance the appeal of getting tested and/or vaccinated, the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills has arranged with Knoll CC to use currently unoccupied indoor facilities at the club for screenings of up to 150 people per day.

Following the lead that has seen other cities and states around the country use local professional teams’ stadiums and arenas as coronavirus testing and vaccination sites, with the thinking that the appeal of getting an “inside look” at the venues will help to promote participation, the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills, N.J. has arranged with Knoll Country Club in Boonton, N.J. to use its property for a COVID-19 testing facility, the Moorestown (N.J.) Daily Record reported.

Knoll CC, founded in 1929, has two 18-hole golf courses: Knoll East, which is open to the public, and Knoll West, which is semi-private. The township had arranged to open the testing facility on February 1^st  in currently unoccupied indoor facilities at Knoll East that officials hoped could screen up to 150 people per day, the Daily Record reported. However, the snowstorm that hit the Northeast on January 31^st and was expected to continue through February 2^nd delayed the opening of the site.

“This is one of the first public testing operations that the state is rolling out in New Jersey, and it’s right here in Parsippany,” said Township Mayor Michael Soriano in announcing the plan. “Testing remains vitally important in our efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19, and we’re glad to take part in this health initiative.”

Testing was scheduled to be available for walk-ins or by appointment or walk-ins from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and noon to 6 p.m. Wednesdays, the Daily Record reported. Residents and people who work in Parsippany are eligible for the PCR test, which is considered to be more thorough and accurate than rapid antigen tests, and results are to be expected within 48 hours.

Availability will be limited at first, the Daily Record reported, but Parsippany Health Officer Carlo DiLizia expected to be capable of conducting more than 150 tests per day at the club.

The site will capture medical insurance from the test subjects, with no costs incurred during the process, the Daily Record reported. Funds from the CARES Act, Medicaid and private insurance will cover the costs, ensuring residents and employees will not be charged, Soriano said.

“The state is trying to enhance testing efforts in order to mitigate the spread,” DiLizia said. “Parsippany covers a large geographical area, and the more test results we get from residents, the more data we collect, the better understanding we have about active cases in the township.”

Test appointments could be scheduled by calling the Parsippany Health Department, the Daily Record reported.