Cuomo Encourages Covid-19 Testing

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo submitted to a Covid-19 test Sunday before cameras to demonstrate the ease of the test and encourage people with symptoms to get checked.

The state’s diagnostic testing criteria has expanded to included all individuals who would return to the workplace in phase one of the state’s reopening plan. New Yorkers eligible for diagnostic testing now include:

  • Any individual who has COVID-19 symptoms;
  • Any individual who has had contact with a person known to be positive with COVID-19;
  • Any individual who is subject to a precautionary or mandatory quarantine;
  • Any individual who is employed as a health care worker, nursing home worker or first responder;
  • Any essential worker who directly interacts with the public while working; and
  • Any individual who would return to the workplace in phase one of the state’s reopening plan.

He said the state has doubled testing capacity to reach 40,000 diagnostic tests per day.

A new website will provide information on the nearest COVID-19 testing sites. New Yorkers can visit coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-testing and enter their address to view a list and a map view of the nearest testing sites. The state has also partnered with Google Maps to display testing site results. New Yorkers can search “COVID testing near me” on Google Maps to easily find the nearest testing sites.

CVS is partnering with the state for 60 of its phamacies to provide testing. Each site will be able to conduct 50 or more tests per day.

 New Yorkers in need of emotional support are encouraged to call the New York State Emotional Support Hotline at 1-844-863-9314 to schedule a free appointment with a mental health professional. New Yorkers can access additional mental health resources at headspace.com/ny.

Cuomo also said that the state has distributed over three million free bottles of NYS Clean hand sanitizer to date, including:

  • More than 275,000 bottles to the MTA
  • 188,492 bottles to NYCHA
  • More than 117,000 bottles to food banks
  • 32,512 bottles to farms via CCEs
  • 24,060 bottles to BOCES

16 Percent of Long Islanders Infected by Covid-19, Cuomo Says

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