Woodside Houses (Google Maps)
April 22, 2020 By Allie Griffin
Six new COVID-19 testing sites are opening to serve residents of public housing in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today.
Three testing sites will open in community health centers in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx on Friday to serve NYCHA residents and three will open next week directly inside NYCHA developments, including the Woodside Houses.
De Blasio said that he will ensure the most heavily impacted communities — such as public housing residents — get priority as more testing resources become available.
“Everyone in New York City has been hit hard by this pandemic — everyone — but the residents of NYCHA have been hit particularly hard,” he said.
The testing facilities will be run by staffers from the city’s public hospital system, de Blasio said.
The news follows an announcement by Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday that the state is partnering with Ready Responders, an at-home health care provider, to launch a similar program this week.
Eight NYCHA developments, including Long Island City’s Queensbridge Houses and the Rockaways’ Red Fern Houses and Hammel Houses, will get onsite COVID-19 testing and health services through the state program.
Both the City and State will deliver face coverings and cloth masks, as well as hand sanitizer to public housing residents as well.
City officials are especially focused on helping seniors in public housing.
The City is expanding its door-to-door meal distribution program to all NYCHA buildings with a high concentration of senior residents and spending $5 million to deliver free tablets and internet service to 10,000 senior residents so they can stay connected to relatives and loved ones.
“One of the most painful human realities has been grandparents who can’t see their grandchildren or their children, seniors who used to get visits of one kind or another that kept their spirits up and got them help they needed — a lot of them feel particularly isolated right now,” de Blasio said. “We want to make it a little easier.”
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6 Comments
Can we also have free testing for our pets. Thank you.
Test them for antibodies. Those who have the antibodies should be put on a list to go to work or attend job training/education.
Most of these residents qualify for medicaid. The elderly for medicare and medicaid. Stop making it seem like the poor in this city do not have access to healthcare. Its those that work and do not qualify for free benefits that worry about health insurance costs like premiums, deductibles, co pays, cost sharing, etc. They also need help and many times avoid the doctor due to costs.
You realize the COVID-19 testing sites aren’t related to Medicaid right? Do you know what this article is about?
I never thought I’d see someone opposed to COVID-19 testing sites…
Ok I see Qnsbridge, why not ravenswood and astoria
When regular rent payers call 911 we are told to stay home without testing. If I were in NYCHA they would test me at the moment, at my door…. damm, bad place to be a middle class worker…