COVID-19 testing (Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)
Nov. 17, 2020 By Allie Griffin
New York City health officials are expanding rapid COVID-19 testing across the city — including Queens — as new cases continue to rise in the Big Apple.
A new rapid testing site that delivers coronavirus results in just 15 minutes opened today in Woodside, Executive Director of the NYC Test and Trace Corp Ted Long announced Tuesday.
The rapid testing site, located at 51-30 Northern Blvd., is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. It’s one of two rapid testing sites opening this week. The other site will open on Staten Island.
Long said the city is adding two large rapid testing sites each week.
“At these rapid testing sites, you come in, have your test done, you’ll have your result back within 15 minutes,” Long said.
The expansion of rapid testing is part of a larger city effort to encourage New Yorkers to get tested for COVID-19.
New York City has managed to do so much better than the rest of the country this fall because of FREE TESTING.
Last week, over 300,000 New Yorkers got tested for COVID-19. This is KEY to beating back the virus. Let’s keep it up.https://t.co/IcoMzifWpa
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) November 17, 2020
There were 1,117 new cases of COVID-19 — well above the ideal threshold of 550 cases — in New York City on Sunday, the latest data available.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that the high number of new cases is due in part to increased testing. Last Friday, roughly 75,000 people got tested for the virus across the city — the highest single-day number since the the start of the pandemic.
De Blasio said the positivity rate is often a more telling indicator, particularly as more people are tested.
“If [the number of new cases] goes up because more and more people are getting tested, but our positivity levels do not go up intensely, that’s a good sign,” he said.
The positivity rate hit 3.2 percent Sunday, but the seven-day rolling average positivity rate was at 2.74 percent — a slight decrease from a day earlier.
De Blasio said the number is not ideal, but that the number improves as more people get tested.
“The more we test, the more we are finding that there are — thank God — not a massive increase in that positivity level,” de Blasio said.
The mayor encouraged New Yorkers to get tested for COVID-19.
“We need people to go out there and get tested,” he said. “It makes a difference.”
In addition to the new Woodside rapid testing site, the following Queens COVID-19 testing facilities offer the rapid tests.
Far Rockaway
39-20 Rockaway Beach Blvd.
Monday – Sunday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Kew Gardens Hills Library
72-33 Vleigh Pl.
Monday – Sunday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Queens Public Library at Lefferts
103-34 Lefferts Blvd.
Monday – Sunday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
A full list of COVID-19 testing sites can be found on the city’s website.
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9 Comments
I don’t see what the big deal is about missing a holiday with the family. A number of years ago I was very sick took ill in early October started treatment that went on until April. Out concern for my health and the health of my family, ( parents were elderly and ill) I missed all of the holidays from Thanksgiving through Easter. It hurt! There was a very good chance those were quite possibly my last holidays. You do the right thing for family and loved ones. A vaccine is here missing a couple of holidays is a very small price to pay for the potential of many more holidays. When I was in the service we missed plenty of holidays and we got over it. People today are allowing a politicization process to undermine common sense and respectful and responsible behavior.
This site is already closed. Went there Friday. Sign on tent. Everyone had to go to the one at Sports Authority and lines were around the block.
NYT reports that Rick Scott (Republican Senator from Florida) said he took multiple rapid tests earlier in the week that came back negative, but a P.C.R. test he took Tuesday came back positive Friday.
“P.C.R.-based tests are slower, but much more accurate than rapid tests, which are prone to missing the virus when it is present at only low levels in the body.”
I’d rather a test be accurate. Happy Thanksgiving at home to all!
Officers need to be stationed at these testing sites. Some people are not practicing social distance guidelines and are trying to cut the line.
I hope the people who administer the test are bilingual. Language barriers prevent many people in queens from getting tested.
Eric Adams for NYC Mayor!!
The lines are so long. Its too cold to wait outside. I wish they gave seniors priority.
Its free so many young people go for selfies, to socialize and to post the experience and results on ig stories. Its trendy.
She looks way too happy to about to be poked in the brain by that swab