NYC Test & Trace Corps Doubles Number Of Testing Sites, While Opening New COVID Sites

In response to the unprecedented surge of omicron cases and citywide testing demand, the NYC Test & Trace Corps announced today that.

Since the surge began in early December, it has doubled the number of City-run test sites available, opening over 100 new fixed and mobile COVID-19 testing sites and currently operating over 200 testing sites throughout New York City.

“The NYC Test & Trace Corps’ ability to so quickly expand the number of COVID-19 testing sites by triple digits underscores its ability to respond to the changing waves of this pandemic and threats its variants pose to New Yorkers,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “Our City’s public health system and our partners remain committed to ensuring every New Yorker has timely and convenient resources to better protect themselves and those around them from infection. This has been our basic mission for over 20 months and will remain so for the duration of this pandemic.”

“Working with communities across NYC, we have doubled the number of City-run testing sites and distributed millions of at-home test kits to help New Yorkers get tested to fight back against the omicron surge,” said Senior Vice President of Ambulatory Care and Population Health at New York City Health + Hospitals and NYC Test & Trace Corps Executive Director Dr. Ted Long. “NYC Test & Trace and NYC Health + Hospitals stand committed to providing all New Yorkers with fast, accessible, and free testing resources. Our teams have worked around the clock to open over one hundred new testing sites across New York City to help New Yorkers quickly and conveniently get tested.”

On December 6, 2021, City-run testing facilities performed 17,000 tests, or approximately 19% of the 7-day citywide average for PCR and antigen testing.

Three weeks later, City-run testing facilities were conducting close to three times as many tests, with more than 50,000 tests being administered daily, or 35% of the 7-day citywide average for PCR and antigen testing.

Three weeks later, City-run testing facilities were conducting close to three times as many tests, with more than 50,000 tests being administered daily, or 35% of the 7-day citywide average for PCR and antigen testing.

There are currently over 100 City-run mobile testing sites operating in all five boroughs, over 50 of which have opened in the last three weeks. There are currently nearly 100 City-run fixed test site locations, over 40 of which have opened in the last three weeks.

Fixed test sites include over 70 testing facilities operated by NYC Test & Trace, 18 testing facilities operated by New York City Health + Hospitals and Gotham Health testing facilities and eight COVID-19 Express testing sites operated by the NYC Health Dept.

Over 20 additional testing sites will be opening over the course of the next week.

“Since the pandemic began, day in, day out, our teams have worked tirelessly to provide additional testing resources wherever they’re needed, innovate ways to deliver testing as effectively as possible and engage community partners to determine site locations convenient to all New York’s diverse communities,” said Shifra Goldenberg, NYC Test & Trace Corps Senior Manager of Site and Service Implementation and Director of Implementation for the Office of Ambulatory Care and Population Health at NYC Health + Hospitals. “I am proud of our team members, including our healthcare workers and service operators providing testing on the frontlines of the pandemic, who have made this critical testing expansion possible and encouraged to see so many New Yorkers showing up to get tested and stop the spread.”

Since December 28, NYC Test & Trace has distributed nearly 2 million tests to schools across New York City to support the City’s “Stay Safe and Stay Open” plan. Since schools reopened on January 3, 2022, NYC Test & Trace has doubled the amount of in-school surveillance testing conducted on a daily basis.

Test & Trace is also currently operating five fixed testing sites exclusively for Department of Education staff to make testing for educators and other school employees as easy as possible as they return to the classroom.

In addition, between December 15 and 29, 2021, NYC Test & Trace distributed over 1 million at-home test kits, or approximately 75,000 at-home test kits per day.

In addition, between December 15 and 29, 2021, NYC Test & Trace distributed over 1 million at-home test kits, or approximately 75,000 at-home test kits per day.

This includes City-run sites where at-home test kits were provided to people experiencing long lines, distributions at borough-based community locations, distributions to the offices of elected leaders throughout New York City and distributions through our CBO-guided At-Home Test Kit & Mask Distribution Program.

At-home testing for COVID-19 is available to all immunocompromised New Yorkers and those ages 65 and older. Appointments for at-home testing are available seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. New Yorkers may schedule an appointment by calling 929-298-9400.

Please visit NYC.gov/covidtest for a complete, up-to-date list of City-run testing sites to find a location that is most convenient and accessible for you.

Test & Trace Corps

The Test & Trace Corps is the City’s comprehensive effort to test, trace, and provide support for every case of COVID-19 and every person exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19.

Through a partnership with NYC Health + Hospitals and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Test & Trace Corps allows the City to immediately isolate and care for those who test positive for the virus and then rapidly track, assess, and quarantine anyone who may have been exposed.

To help all New Yorkers safely separate at home and monitor their health status, the Take Care pillar of the Test & Trace Corps also offers free hotel rooms with wraparound services for New Yorkers who are unable to safely separate in their own homes.

For those safely separating at home, contact tracers perform daily calls and conduct in-person visits as necessary.

These calls allow tracers to gauge the progress of cases, ensure proper compliance with separation protocol, and connect people to more supportive services as necessary.

Today, 98% of all COVID-19 cases and 94% of contacts reported following isolation and quarantine requirements.

NYC Health + Hospitals

NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs.

A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals.

Its diverse workforce of more than 42,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible.

For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NYCHealthSystem or Twitter at @NYCHealthSystem.

Photo credit: NYC Test & Trace Corps van.