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NYC Subways To Launch Pop-Up COVID Testing Sites
By
Elizabeth Kim
and
Jon Campbell
Published Dec 22, 2021
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Brittainy Newman/AP/Shutterstock
By
Elizabeth Kim
and
Jon Campbell
Published Dec 22, 2021
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New York will begin offering COVID-19 testing at two MTA stations in response to the spike in demand for tests as omicron spreads rapidly across the city and state, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday.
And as part of the federal government’s pledge to provide more assistance to the boroughs, city health officials also revealed three new mobile units run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Beginning on Monday, December 27th, subway riders will be offered walk-in PCR tests at the Times Square subway station from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Grand Central Terminal, which services subway and Metro-North riders, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Testing will not be available at the two locations on New Year’s Day.
Hochul said the state intends to roll out another five testing sites next week in subway stations, but did not specify those locations. Extended wait times at COVID testing sites persisted across New York City while supplies of at-home kits remain scarce.
Read More: It's Not Just Lines: NYC Labs Report Longer Waits For COVID Test Results Amid Omicron Crush
“Many places are having long lines,” Hochul said during a press briefing in Buffalo. “We’re trying to eradicate that by making [tests] right where people are, right where they commute and go to their offices in New York City.”
The Times Square station and Grand Central Terminal previously served as vaccination sites in late spring.
Meanwhile, the new federal sites are located in Queens and are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the weekday only, according to health officials. They include:
- Travers Park, 76-9 34th St.
- Queens Valley Playground, corner of 137 Street & 77 Ave.
- Helen Marshall Playground, 100 St & 24th Ave.
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, who appeared at Mayor Bill de Blasio’s news conference in person Wednesday to receive the Key to the City, said he had asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide 100 new mobile testing locations. Schumer said he was informed that the agency was sending six mobile units to the city.
“That is not close to enough, given the magnitude of the crisis and what we need,” Schumer said. “We need testing. Testing is one of the best ways to beat this virus.”
On Wednesday, the number of new virus cases in New York state climbed to 28,924, breaking another daily record and marking the sixth day in a row where daily case counts surpassed 20,000.
Hochul said the state has ordered more than 30 million at-home testing kits, with at least 10 million due to arrive by New Year’s Eve.
She said the state is working on an online portal where New Yorkers can request one kit delivered to their home.
“We’re almost through this battle, my friends,” Hochul said at a news conference. “We are not shutting down businesses. We are not shutting down schools.”
The state’s expansion efforts come as the city also increases its testing capacity to meet what city health officials hope will be a short-lived surge that lasts only a couple of weeks. But a new analysis from the University of Washington says the omicron wave could last until late January.
On Wednesday, de Blasio announced seven additional testing locations, bringing the total number to 119 sites by the end of the week.
Beginning Thursday, he said there would be five additional mobile sites to hand out free at-home test kits.
New York City is performing nearly 170,000 tests per day, according to Dr. Ted Long, the head of the city’s Test and Trace Corps.
New Yorkers seeking to find a testing location should visit: NYC.gov/covidtest
Tagged
testing
mayor bill de blasio
Governor Kathy Hochul
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Jon Campbell
Jon Campbell covers the New York State Capitol for WNYC and Gothamist. Prior to that, he covered the Capitol for more than a decade for the USA TODAY Network. He has twice earned the Walter T. Brown Memorial Award, an honor given annually by the Legislative Correspondents Association alumni for outstanding state government coverage. Jon grew up in the Buffalo area and graduated from the University at Albany. Got a tip? Email Jon at [email protected] or Signal at JonCampbellNY.90.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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