This week is National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week. We wanted to recognize and thank our outstanding Cooper Laboratory Team, who have been working tirelessly during the COVID-19 outbreak.

While medical laboratory professionals and pathologists play an important role in every aspect of health care, during this pandemic they are playing an absolutely vital role. In fact, increased testing of individuals is going to be a critical component in our effort to reopen our nation for business. Read more.

Teamwork is critical in every workplace, but especially so in a health care environment. Even when we work in separate departments, in different work groups, and at multiple work sites, everyone at Cooper (employees as well as volunteers) plays an important part in our mission as we serve the public.

During April, a month of many recognitions and observations, we salute the dedicated men and women working in various departments and various roles.  Read more.

Drone footage © Eleven22 Productions; Still photography © Avi Steinhardt

On Monday, April 20, more than 70 first responder units representing EMS, Fire, and Police from Camden and surrounding municipalities made their way by and around Cooper University Hospital to show their support and appreciation for our dedicated staff combating COVID-19. The motorcade of vehicles assembled near the 76ers practice facility on the waterfront, traveled down MLK Boulevard in the front of the Roberts Pavilion entrance of Cooper, and circled the campus several times. Read more.

(CAMDEN, NJ) — Ready Nutrition, a Pittsburgh-based sports nutrition company, has donated a large supply of its Protein Water to Cooper University Health Care as a way to support healthcare workers on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Cooper received 612 cases of the product (more than 7,300 bottles) with an estimated retail value of nearly $10,000.

“We appreciate Ready Nutrition, and Pat Cavanaugh and Aaron Donald, for this generous donation to Cooper and is another great example of businesses supporting our frontline clinical staff,” said Kevin O’Dowd, JD, co-president/CEO of Cooper. Read more.

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Apple is donating tens of thousands of custom face shields to Cooper University Health Care as part of its commitment to support healthcare workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are extremely grateful to Apple, not only for their products, which are helping our COVID-19 patients communicate with their families and our staff, but also for this crucial donation of personal protective equipment that will increase the safety of Cooper’s world-class clinical team,” said Kevin O’Dowd, JD, co-president/CEO of Cooper. Read more.

As a way to thank healthcare workers on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic, Uber is donating 3,500 free meals to employees at Cooper University Health Care.

Cooper employees will receive a promo code they can use to receive a free meal up to $25 on the Uber Eats app or through the Uber Eats website (www.ubereats.com) for an estimated value of more than  $87,000 total. Read more.

Recognizing that first responders and healthcare workers are on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, Cooper University Health Care will open two new COVID-19 testing sites for Camden County law enforcement and first responders from all levels of government based in and around Camden, beginning April 14, 2020.

The first testing site, serving all levels of law enforcement and Cooper employees, will be accessible via the Benson Street entrance to the CCIA Parking Garage (entry via Benson Street on Haddon Ave) on the Cooper Health Sciences Campus in Camden. Read more.

The CDC maintains that social distancing will be our best weapon against the spread of COVID-19. However, it’s important for both adults and children to be able to get outside and be active. During the shelter-at-home orders in our areas, individuals are able to go outside to get exercise, provided they practice social distancing.

The best way to get outdoors safely is to find a space that is large enough to allow social distancing from others, such as a trail, large field, or park. Read more.

Collaboration by Cooper, Virtua, and Camden County Freeholder Board

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The COVID-19 testing site located at Cooper’s Poynt Park in Camden is extending its testing operations and will remain open until further notice.

The site, operated jointly by Cooper University Health Care, Virtua Health, the Camden County Freeholder Board, and Camden County Health Department, originally was slated to operate through mid-April, but based on current projections the operations have been extended. Read more.

UPDATED 4/15/20: This post has been updated to include information about new COVID-19 testing sites for Camden County first responders.

As part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cooper University Health Care and other health care systems across the country have opened specimen collection sites for COVID-19 testing (testing sites) where individuals who have an order from their doctor for COVID-19 testing can go to have a specimen collected to be sent to a lab for testing. Read more.