Overview
The FDA has approved New York State to authorize the state's 28 public and private labs to begin manual, semi-automated and automated testing for novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.
The approval will allow the state to dramatically increase testing capacity to about 6,000 tests per day in the next week. The approval also extends to the Roche high-volume platform for testing.
Testing is free to all eligible New Yorkers as ordered by a health care provider or by calling the NYS COVID-19 hotline at 1-888-364-3065.
Your local health department is your community contact for COVID19 concerns.
"The single most important thing we can do to combat and contain the novel coronavirus is test for it."Governor Andrew Cuomo
Online Assessment
Interested in being tested for COVID-19? Use this screening tool to share your symptoms and pre-register for testing.
If you are concerned about COVID-19 and would like to take an online assessment, please click the button below.
Drive-Through Testing
Drive-through sampling sites are a critical part of the Governor’s nation-leading program to test thousands of people per day for COVID-19. They help keep people who are sick or at risk of having contracted coronavirus out of healthcare facilities where they could infect other people.
Drive-through sites are currently located in:
- New Rochelle, serving all of Westchester County
- Nassau County
- Suffolk County
- Rockland County
- Staten Island
- The Bronx
The drive-through sites are prioritizing sampling for individuals that are part of the highest risk population including health care workers and first responders and those who were in close contact with a positive case. Residents who would like to be tested can make an appointment by calling 888-364-3065. Only those with an appointment can be tested at these sites. Results are provided via phone, fax and the online patient portal at: www.Bioreference.com.
The New Rochelle site, a partnership with Northwell and Bioreference, was the first to open and is currently testing over 1,000 people per day. The new locations are part of the State’s initiative to replicate the New Rochelle model. Currently, thousands of samples are collected each day through the drive-through sites. This is on top of the testing that will be conducted at the 28 public and private labs across the state and out of state labs that New York is already contracting with. All of this is a result of the proactive steps taken by Governor Cuomo and the Department of Health to get as many New Yorkers tested as possible.
Protocol for Testing
Until New York State is at full capacity for testing, the Department of Health has issued guidance to ensure that New York State prioritizes the resources to meet the most urgent public health need.
Testing for COVID-19 shall be authorized by a health care provider when:
- An individual has come within proximate contact (same classroom, office, or gatherings) of another person known to be positive; or
- An individual has traveled to a country that the CDC has issued a Level 2 or Level 3 Travel Health Notice, and shows symptoms of illness; or
- An individual is quarantined (mandatory or precautionary) and has shown symptoms of COVID-19 illness; or
- An individual is symptomatic and has not tested positive for any other infection; or
- Other cases where the facts and circumstances warrant as determined by the treating clinician in consultation with state and local department of health officials.
