Hoboken health officials are taking steps to ensure that senior citizens in the city are safe from the coronavirus by testing for the virus right at their front door.

This is the third week of door-to-door testing at senior citizen buildings in Hoboken. The city is working with urgent care Prompt MD to conduct the testing.

“It’s still a virus that’s in evolution. So, if you have more people tested, we can find asymptomatic carriers” says Prompt MD owner Dr. Javed Islam.

The organizers say that the house call model was to ensure that the older Hoboken residents could limit their exposure to the outside and to the virus.

VIRUS TRACKER: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut coronavirus cases and deaths 
MORE: LIVE BLOG - Coronavirus updates from the tri-state area and beyond
MORE: New Jersey Coronavirus Dashboard 
FULL COVERAGE: Coronavirus Pandemic

The Hoboken Department of Health and Human Services and Office of Emergency Management is also delivering meals to seniors. Volunteers meet multiple times a week to pack up and drop off breakfast and lunch. About 59,000 meals have been delivered since the initiative began last month.

“It was very important to bring food to them because it kept them self-isolated,” says Health and Human Services director Leo Pellegrini. “They weren’t going to supermarkets and you prevent the exposure of others. That’s why I thought it was important and it shows in our numbers.

OEM director Sgt. William Montenez says that some of the seniors want to do their own grocery shopping, but that they are encouraged to take advantage of the food program.

“We encourage them to use their food pantry and the meals being delivered and provided for them,” he says.

Test results should come back within two days. Anyone who tests positive for the virus will be isolated and taken care of. The testing if free for the seniors.

The city plans to continue testing at the seniors building over the next few weeks. The meal delivery program is expected to run at least another week.