Today, as the City rapidly expands its testing capacity, Mayor de Blasio today announced new self-swab testing at NYC Health and Hospitals testing sites across the five boroughs. Self-swab testing will minimize contact between patients and healthcare workers, allowing the City to test more New Yorkers without putting healthcare workers and patients at further risk.
“Defeating this virus begins and ends with our ability to test quickly and safely,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We are working to ensure that every New Yorker who needs a test will get one with speed and efficiency, beginning with those who are most vulnerable and at risk for serious illness.”
The current COVID-19 test requires a healthcare worker to collect samples from deep inside the patient’s nasal cavity which requires the use of personal protective equipment and is uncomfortable for the patient. This practice puts unnecessary strain on the healthcare system at a time when the system is already under immense stress. The self-administered test allows the patient to just swab the front of their nostril and mid-nose.
The number of individuals testing positive for the virus at the City’s public health lab increased to 52 percent. The current number of individuals testing positive in private labs is 29 percent. Admissions for suspected #COVID19 cases at hospitals citywide continue to decline. On April 24, there were only 122 admissions citywide. The daily number of people in ICUs across NYC Health and Hospitals with suspected cases of COVID-19 continues to decline. Today, 766 people are in Health and Hospitals ICU’s citywide.
To ensure all confirmed cases are promptly treated, the City will also hire contact tracers immediately to help trace, isolate, and support these individuals. Jobs have been advertised for people with public health backgrounds to investigate and trace COVID-19 cases and contacts. The City is looking to hire 1,000 people by the end of May with an immediate start date. Details on the scope of work, job requirements, salary, benefits, and how to apply available at: https://fphnyc.org/about/careers/.
