Health & Fitness
NYC Coronavirus Testing Program Comes To NYCHA, Cuomo Says
New York City's public housing developments will receive their own on-site testing facilities and each resident will be given a mask.
NEW YORK CITY — New York City's public housing will get on-site novel coronavirus testing to battle the growing disparity in infections among poorer New Yorkers, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday.
"They've always been the most vulnerable population," said Cuomo. "People in public housing always pay the highest price."
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The New York City Housing Authority and urgent care provider Ready Responders will launch a pilot program at seven public housing facilities — the Highbridge, Edenwald, Andrew Jackson, Brevoort, Queensbridge, Red Fern and Hammel Houses — this week, Cuomo said.
NYCHA residents will also receive 500,000 masks and 10,000 gallons of hand sanitizer through the new program, Cuomo said.
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Attorney General Letitia James, Speaker Carl Heastie, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., U.S. Representatives Greg Meeks and Hakeem Jeffries will lead the task force.
"Lower income communities, which are disproportionately on the front lines of this crisis, have been hardest hit," said Meeks in a statement. "We need to take care of our most vulnerable."
Black New Yorkers face the highest rate of COVID-19 infection of any group in New York City with 92.3 out of 100,000 patients losing their lives, twice the fatality rate of white New Yorkers, according to city data from April 16.
Hispanic New Yorkers face the second highest rates with 74.3 out of 100,000 patients losing their lives to the virus, city data show.
New York City' Health Department reported Sunday 8,811 New Yorkers lost their lives to COVID-19 and another 4,429 likely died from the virus. There were 129,788 cases and 34,602 as of the 1:30 p.m. update.
During his daily COVID-19 press conference, Cuomo also floated the idea of providing hazard pay to frontline workers, two-thirds of whom are women and one-third are low income New Yorkers.
"The economy only closed down for the people, frankly, who have the luxury of staying at home," Cuomo said.
"Thanks is nice, but recognition of their sacrifice is appropriate."
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