NATIONAL MEDICAL LABORATORY PROFESSIONALS WEEK RUNS FROM APRIL 24-30

Erie County Public Health Lab supports “giving the gift of health”

ERIE COUNTY, NY—For the week of April 24-30, laboratories, health care facilities, academic institutions and public health departments will mark Medical Laboratory Professionals Week. This annual observance raises awareness, understanding and appreciation for laboratory professionals, and has been celebrated since 1975. The theme for Lab Week 2022 is “Giving the Gift of Health.”

The Erie County Public Health Lab (PHL) has operated for more than 60 years, providing laboratory testing for the Erie County Department of Health and other local health departments. This lab is registered by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services as a CLIA-registered laboratory, and maintains status as a Reference laboratory in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and New York State Department of Health-coordinated Laboratory Response Network for bioterrorism.

Since the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Erie County PHL has performed diagnostic COVID-19 tests alongside its other public health, clinical and environmental testing responsibilities. “The scope and scale of what medical laboratory professionals have contributed to the COVID-19 response cannot be overstated,” said Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein. “Our PHL was at the forefront of COVID-19 testing. Along with integrating those tests into its regular operations, the PHL also expanded its services to test for influenza and RSV along with COVID-19. Doing so required clinical skills, technical knowledge, a commitment to safety and an unwavering dedication to high-quality, timely test results. For this, we thank them sincerely.”

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• Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH): www.erie.gov/health
• ECDOH, Public Health Lab: https://www2.erie.gov/health/index.php?q=service-community

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