Coronavirus Update New York City: CityMD sees long lines as residents look to get tested for COVID

Coronavirus update for NYC

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Sunday, November 22, 2020
City MD sees long lines amid rise in COVID cases in NYC
Lines wrapped around the block at one CityMD location on the Upper West Side.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Some residents are standing in long lines to get a COVID test in New York City.

Video captured by Eyewitness News showed a line wrapped around the block at the West 69th Urgent Care location on the Upper West Side.

On Nov. 16, CityMD had to close all locations 90 minutes earlier due to long lines for coronavirus testing that have kept doctors and nurses at work far later than scheduled.

"For months, our urgent care sites have been extraordinarily busy, seeing millions of patients for typical urgent care needs plus increasing numbers of people seeking medical evaluation and a COVID-19 test," CityMD said in an email sent to patients. "As you may have noticed, long lines are a daily fact at nearly every CityMD as we see a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases across the region."

CityMD announced Friday that beginning Monday, all locations will be closing 90 minutes earlier due to long lines for coronavirus testing that have kept doctors and nurses at work

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The letter went on to say that CityMD would still attempt to see all those in line by closing time, but that no new patients would be added after the designated hours.

"Our goal is to treat every person who needs care, period, but unfortunately, we can't stay open past our normal hours on a daily basis," the email read. "Our site staff and doctors have been seeing patients well beyond normal closing time for months now, and we've reached the point where they are sacrificing their own safety and health."

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