The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
By Mayor Phil Kramer.
I am very gratified by the success of the first day of the “Get Tested Franklin” initiative. I just learned 546 people were tested July 27 at St. Matthias!!! We cut off the registration at 500 (ages 2-94). But as I said we take walk ups. Hopefully, we will have more stats on July 28, such as how many people were from Franklin.
My thanks go out to Assemblyman Joe Danielsen, who has been pushing hard for more and more testing. Pastor DeForest “Buster” Soaries, who introduced us to the organization that performed the test. Rabbi Abe Friedman of Interfaith Urgent Care, who has an incredible machine performing the tests safely and efficiently. Alex Kharazi of the Interfaith Council, who is pushing this along. I’d also like to thank Michael Steinbrück for helping to get the word out.
Most of all I want to thank St. Matthias and all the volunteers for hosting this and being there in the heat. They are heroes.
The next test site is Consolata Mission, 2301 Route 27 on Friday, July 31, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Over 300 people have signed up already. On Saturday and Sunday, August 1st and 2nd, testing will be at First Baptist Church from noon to 6 p.m. Next week there will be 4 additional test sites. There is more information at http://mayorkramer.com/files/testingFlyer.pdf and you can register at https://www.friendlycovid.com/pages/Franklin-Township.
If you have insurance, it will pay with no deductible and no co-pay. If you don’t have insurance, it’s free. No one will be turned away. No prescription required. Those under 18 need to be accompanied by their parent. Total testing time is estimated at 10-15 minutes.
I’ve been asked if someone should be tested if they are asymptomatic and have had no exposure. The answer is yes, yes, yes. Estimates are that 40 percent of people are asymptomatic but still spread the virus. That insidious spread is part of what makes COVID-19 such a menace.
If we want to stop this, if we want to open our schools, if we want to get the economy going — then testing and wearing masks are the two most important things we can do.
So please, “Get Tested Franklin”. Your government, neighbors and clergy are doing their part, now we need you.
