A drive-thru testing site at Bader Field and a walk-up location in the Showboat Hotel Atlantic City surface parking lot could be operational beginning the week of April 27.

“This (pandemic) is going to, unfortunately, be going on long term,” Small said during a recent video briefing on the city’s social media site. “Not as quick as anyone would like, but just know that we’re going to put Atlantic City in the best position possible.”

Testing will be by appointment only for city residents who display symptoms and have a doctor’s prescription, the mayor said. Each testing site will be open two days a week.

Small said Atlantic City first responders and essential employees will be tested.

Negotiations with a health care provider to operate the testing sites are nearly complete, and Small said he would like to make an announcement as early as Monday with more details. Specifics, such as how many test kits the city has, the cost of the testing sites and how many tests per day would be administered, would be forthcoming, he said.

The Surf Stadium parking lot at Bader Field will serve as the drive-thru site. The walk-up site will be located in the lot between Delaware and Maryland avenues and Atlantic and Pacific avenues, directly across from Showboat.

To date, 46 Atlantic City residents have tested positive for COVID-19 and four people have died, according to officials.

In March, Small lobbied for a county-run testing site at Bader Field. County officials selected a centrally located site at the Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing.

“As promised, to the good people of Atlantic City, we have delivered,” the mayor said.

The testing sites differ from the federally operated field hospital at the Atlantic City Convention Center. The field hospital is being built for a capacity of 250 beds but can be converted to house as many as 3,000. The field hospital is expected to open next week. Gov. Phil Murphy is scheduled to tour the Convention Center field hospital Tuesday morning.