NYC Test & Trace Corps Partners With Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity To Promote COVID Testing Day

The NYC Test & Trace Corps is partnering with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., to promote COVID-19 testing for communities hardest hit by the virus. The effort will bring mobile rapid testing at no cost and resources and information to Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan with support from local fraternity chapters on Saturday, February 27.

Part of a statewide day of COVID-19 testing sponsored by the fraternity’s state organization, the New York Association of Chapters of Alpha (NYACOA), local chapters in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan will each sponsor a mobile rapid testing unit operated by the NYC Test & Trace Corps in their borough. In addition to encouraging community members to get tested, outreach teams will distribute face masks, hand sanitizer, and educational information on preventing the spread of COVID-19 and staying healthy.

“Beating back COVID takes teamwork and I couldn’t be prouder to team up with the Brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., a model of transcendence through service for over a century,” said Dr. Torian Easterling, First Deputy Commissioner and Chief Equity Officer for the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. “We look forward to bringing rapid testing to New Yorkers in their own communities.”

The day of action on COVID-19 testing will take place at the following locations on Saturday, February 27, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

• Brooklyn (Bedford-Stuyvesant): Marcy Plaza, Corner of Marcy Ave. and Fulton St., 11216
• Queens (St. Albans): Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York, 110-31 Merrick Blvd., 11433
• Manhattan (Harlem): NYCHA Polo Grounds Towers, 2937 Frederick Douglass Blvd., 10039

“Ensuring that our community is COVID-19 tested is a critical step that we need to continually take to work towards normalcy,” said Malik Goodson, President of the New York Association of Chapters of Alpha. “NYACOA is thankful to have the partnership of the City of New York on this day of testing and strongly encourages everyone to be diligent in the face of this pandemic.”

“Our chapter is committed to stopping the spread of the virus,” said Lawrence Scott, President of the Gamma Iota Lambda Chapter and lead organizer of the day of action in NYC. “To have statewide involvement by the fraternity in such an important initiative is a testament to our commitment to provide service and advocacy for our communities.”

“The Zeta Zeta Lambda Chapter is devoted to the fight against COVID-19. Through proper testing and education, our aim is to ensure our community is taking the necessary precautions to provide security for their loved ones,” said Darren M. Morton, Ed. D, President of the Zeta Zeta Lambda Chapter.

The Test & Trace Corps regularly hosts days of action in partnership with community organizations to urge all New Yorkers to get tested for COVID-19 at a NYC Health + Hospitals site in their community at no cost, and practice safety measures including mask wearing, social distancing, and handwashing.

Millions of free masks and informational pamphlets have been distributed at hundreds of events since the launch of the Test & Trace Corps in June 2020.

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 97% of contacts reported following isolation and quarantine requirements.

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