More COVID-19 tests for New Yorkers
NY's scheduling portal for new COVID-19 test sites goes live
Lines outside UrgentWay in Hempstead on Monday. Credit: Howard Schnapp
Appointments for the free COVID-19 tests at new sites around the state were being snapped up quickly on Monday as the new online scheduling portal went live.
The portal, a joint effort of the state and BioReference Laboratories, includes sites at the IBEW Local 25 in Hauppauge and Kennedy Memorial Park in Hempstead.
But a glitch allowed people to make appointments for Monday and Tuesday, even though the locations are set to open Wednesday. In a statement to Newsday, BioReference acknowledged the error and said it will provide testing to those who signed up for the nonexistent slots.
Also, about 3 million free COVID-19 tests will be distributed in New York by the end of the week, many of which will go to school districts, Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
Hochul and acting New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett also reiterated concerns about the growing number of hospitalized COVID-19 cases in children. She said vaccination rates among children are still low.
"People continue to think children don't become infected with COVID," Bassett said. "This is not true. Children become infected and some will be hospitalized."
Read more in this story by Newsday's Lisa L. Colangelo.
Plus, in New York City: Two new "no appointment needed" free COVID-19 testing sites opened in Manhattan at the Times Square-42nd Street subway station and Grand Central Terminal, the MTA said, with another opening Thursday at Penn Station. And, the city's sweeping mandate requiring nearly all private-sector businesses to ban unvaccinated employees from the workplace took effect today.
If you have COVID-19 or were exposed, we have the latest guidance here for what you should do next, from how long to isolate to where to get tested.
How can I protect a child too young for a COVID-19 vaccine? It starts with masks, tests and limiting visits with unvaccinated people. The Associated Press has more guidance.
The number of new positives reported today: 2,530 in Nassau, 2,098 in Suffolk, 18,368 in New York City and 26,737 statewide.
See more coronavirus headlines below.
Erin Serpico is an assistant web producer who joined Newsday in November 2018. Originally from New Jersey, she now covers community events and produces local content for newsday.com while also helping run the homepage.
