Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the launch of the New York Forward Rapid Test program to help companies reopen safely. This unique public-private partnership – first announced in the governor’s 2021 state state – will make the low-cost rapid test available to the public to support increased economic activity as the state continues to reopen sectors of the economy. Eleven starting sites will open today in New York City, with the capacity to perform more than 5,000 tests a day, while other sites are scheduled to open in New York City and other parts of the state in the coming weeks.
“Throughout the COVID pandemic, we rely on science about emotion and political rhetoric to guide our decisions, using all the tools available to navigate New York’s economic and public health challenges,” Governor Cuomo said. “I said from the start that testing will be a key part of our post-pandemic recovery because it will help us accelerate the reopening of our economy – without undoing the extraordinary progress we have made to fight the virus. With test sites located everywhere the City, the New York Forward Rapid Test Program will help us ensure that we are encouraging economic activity while minimizing risks to people’s health. “
Empire State Development Acting Commissioner and Designated President and CEO Eric Gertler said: “COVID-19 has not only been enormously disruptive to people’s daily lives, but also to the state’s economy and the livelihood of New Yorkers. The New York Rapid Advance Test Program, announced by Governor Cuomo as part of its 2021 State State agenda is just one of the many innovative public-private partnerships that ESD is using to help reopen the economy after the global pandemic and move New York forward. ”
REBNY President James Whelan said: “Governor Cuomo’s leadership in statewide vaccination and rapid testing efforts has put New York on the road to a strong recovery. This is partly because the governor understands how critical public-private partnerships will be for business reopening and reconstruction. of the economy across the state successfully. REBNY and its members are proud to play a collaborative role in the New York Next Rapid Test Program and we are working with the Cuomo Administration to expand the program and further increase access to rapid tests in coming weeks. ”
The New York Forward Rapid Test Program aims to dramatically expand access to rapid tests to allow business and entertainment centers to reopen more securely. The network provides an additional layer of protection and confidence as New Yorkers resume economic activity and anticipates future state guidance that will increase capacity limits conditioned on testing. The governor previously announced that events attended above the fraternization limit may be resumed according to state guidance on March 15, and all customers must be tested before the event. Local health departments must be notified of events in advance. There will be a 50 percent capacity limit and no more than 150 people can attend the event.
Test providers participating in the network must make the rapid test available for a maximum of US $ 30, provide participants with their results within 30 minutes, provide a mechanism for people to schedule in advance and report the results to the state. To reduce the cost of testing for New Yorkers and expand the number of sites, the state is providing access to Abbott BinaxNow tests at cost price for some vendors and working with the New York City Council of Business Improvement Districts and other partners across the state to identify vacant spaces in shopping centers that can be donated to the testing network. Donated sites must be in a commercially zoned corridor, contain at least 750 square feet of open space and be available immediately for a minimum of six months. Locations must have street-level access, restrooms and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Entities that meet the above criteria and are interested in participating should send email [email protected] out of consideration.
Individuals who are not showing symptoms of COVID and who have not had a recent known exposure to COVID-19 can participate in this initiative by visiting participating locations and filling out a questionnaire. Individuals must continue to comply with all New York Forward guidelines on reopening, including, but not limited to, the use of facial coverage, social distance and other protocols.
The tests on the initial sites will be operated by:
- BioReference laboratories at selected CVS pharmacy locations and other locations
- Clarity MedHealth, which operates mobile testing sites. Additional mobile test sites will be added in the coming weeks, which can be relocated across the state as needed to support economic activity.
- Quest Diagnostics will open additional locations in New York City and elsewhere in the state in the coming weeks, along with confirmatory COVID-19 molecular diagnostic testing options
To find partners who participate in this initiative and to arrange a meeting, visit the program’s website.
The following test locations will be open on Friday:
- Clarity MedHealth mobile lab at the New York City Police Memorial, Liberty Street and South End Ave, New York, NY 10282
- Clarity MedHealth mobile lab at Irish Hunger Memorial, Vesey Street and North End Avenue, New York NY 10280
- Clarity MedHealth mobile lab on Pier A, 22 Battery Place, 10004
- Bioreference, 1700 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
- Bioreference, 6 West 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019
- Bioreference, 599 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022
- Bi-reference at CVS Pharmacy, 27 N 6th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11249
- Bioreference at CVS Pharmacy, 30-97 Steinway Street, Astoria, NY 11103
- Bioreference at CVS Pharmacy, 1916 Williamsburg Road, Bronx, NY 10461
- Bioreference at Pharmacy CVS, 2182 Broadway, New York, NY 10024
- Bioreference at CVS Pharmacy, 475 6th Avenue, New York, NY 10011
A negative test result does not exclude the possibility of infection or means that an individual is not at risk of contracting or transmitting COVID-19. However, screening and testing the initiative is another tool – in addition to the use of facial coverage, social distance and other protocols – that can put New York state companies on the right path to reopen more safely in higher capacities. To learn more about the New York Forward rapid test program and see the Department of Health guidelines, visit the program’s website.
New York is at the forefront of developing test capacity during the COVID-19 crisis, conducting more than 200,000 tests per day on average. Visit the Department of Health website to find a test site near you.