Coronavirus News: NYC opens new testing sites in hard-hit areas

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Monday, April 20, 2020

NY daily death toll drops below 500, NYC opens new testing sites

Dave Evans reports on the latest signs of hope in New York's fight against the coronavirus pandemic

NEW YORK (WABC) -- New diagnostic testing sites open on Monday some of the hardest-hit areas in New York City, including Harlem and Queens.

One of the new city-run sites is located outside Gotham Health Sydenham on 118th Street in Harlem.

It's a walk-in clinic to get the traditional nose and throat tests that determine if you currently have COVID-19.

The other city-run testing sites are opening in Vanderbilt, Staten Island and in the Morrisania section of the Bronx, which are some of the hardest-hit areas.

New Testing Sites

NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, East New York. 2094 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn

NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Morrisania. 1225 Gerard Avenue, The Bronx

NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Vanderbilt. 165 Vanderbilt Ave, Staten Island

NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Sydenham. 264 West 118th Street, Harlem

NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, Jamaica. 82-68 164th Street, Queens

You can find more information about the testing sites at the NYC Health + Hospitals website.

Some testing sites are also opening at One Medical, a chain of private doctor's offices, in each borough prioritizing front line workers and NYC residents who are 65 and older with preexisting conditions.

These sites will conduct 3,500 tests per week

The state is also performing a new antibody testing to determine if you've already had COVID-19 and have since recovered.

Scientists believe that may offer some immunity to the virus. The state is doing a random sample of 3000 people to start.

That testing is key to opening up the state, but they're still very far behind.

"If we went through all of this and lost all of these people and forced essential workers and hospital workers to do unbelievable tasks to get through this crisis, and we recreate the crisis? then shame on us."

The testing survey will sample 3,000 people for a population of 19.5 million people - for context Germany performed a 3,000-person sample with a population of 83 million.