Montgomery County Announces Suspension of COVID-19 Testing Amid Concerns with AdvaGenix’s Testing Process

For Immediate Release: Thursday, August 13, 2020

            Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles announced today that the portion of the Montgomery County-administered COVID-19 testing program processed through Rockville-based AdvaGenix is suspended immediately pending a thorough review of the AdvaGenix testing and lab process. The clinic scheduled for tomorrow at the Wheaton Library and Community Recreation Center will continue, using tests provided through the State.

Dr. Gayles recommends that residents who have been tested in the past two weeks at County Government-sponsored clinics using the AdvaGenix test kits should be retested at one of the 30-plus other locations across the County.

            More than 19,000 AdvaGenix tests have been used over the past two months. This represents roughly 8 percent of the more than 251,000 COVID-19 tests that have been administered to County residents. Residents with confirmed appointments at upcoming testing clinics are being notified of the cancellations.

            County officials are working to determine an alternative source of test analysis so the testing program can resume as quickly as possible and to develop a revised plan for County-sponsored testing.

            The County’s contract with AdvaGenix provided self-administered tests for primarily asymptomatic individuals. County residents will be informed when additional County-sponsored COVID-19 test options are made available. For additional testing sites, visit the State of Maryland’s Testing Locator page.

If you are symptomatic and need help in finding testing, please call the Testing Helpline at 240-777-1755.

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Media Contact: Mary Anderson, mary.anderson@montgomerycountymd.gov

Release ID: 20-435
Media Contact: Mary Anderson 240-777-6507