6 Brooklyn Schools Open For Coronavirus Testing Amid Holiday Rush

BROOKLYN, NY — Coronavirus testing sites set up at six Brooklyn schools last week will stay open this week as officials work to alleviate long lines surrounding the Thanksgiving holiday.

The extra Brooklyn test sites — first opened by the city's public hospital system last week — include Robeson High School for Computer and Business Technology in Crown Heights, South Shore Educational Campus in Canarsie, Sunset Park High School, New Utrecht High School and The Brooklyn High School for Law and Technology and Boys High School, both in Bed-Stuy.

They originally were scheduled to be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, but were recently extended until Friday of this week, according to City Council Health Committee Chair Mark Levine.

The schools are part of a network of temporary school-based testing sites that have opened as officials brace for an anticipated surge in COVID-19 cases related to Thanksgiving.

The expanded NYC Health + Hospitals testing also includes 20 mobile test teams that will launch before the end of December and testing sites at JFK Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Port Authority Bus Terminal and Penn Station.

A new tool was launched by the hospital system to help New Yorkers track wait-times at the network of testing sites.

Travelers to New York who were out of state for more than 24 hours are required to quarantine for 14 days, unless they were only in a state that borders New York, according to state Department of Health guidelines.

They can "test out" of the quarantine period if they get tested within three days of coming to New York, quarantine for three days, then get another coronavirus test on the fourth day. Both tests must be negative.

Patch reporter Maya Kaufman contributed to this report.