What you should know
- New York officials plan to distribute another 20 million COVID home tests in the coming months, Governor Kathy Hochul announced Thursday.
- These new kits are in addition to the 54 million that have already been shipped statewide since the beginning of the year.
- Testing distribution will focus on the state’s most vulnerable populations, with tests targeting schools, nursing homes and adult care facilities.
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NEW YORK — New York officials plan to distribute another 20 million COVID home tests in the coming months, adding to the 54 million already shipped statewide since the beginning of the year, Governor Kathy announced Thursday. Hochul.
Testing distribution will focus on the state’s most vulnerable populations, with tests targeting schools, nursing homes and adult care facilities. Hochul also said the state would continue to partner with elected officials to bring more testing to the general public.
A large batch of these new tests, at least a million, are intended for schools outside of New York City. The governor explained that the city already has a sufficient reserve to have schools until the end of the year.
And another 1.74 million tests, the state said, would go to the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). Those earmarked for NYCHA are said to be enough for each household to receive four tests.
“While our numbers remain low, now is the time to increase testing distribution and increase our stockpiles so we can bolster our future preparedness to protect our communities and move safely through this pandemic,” he said. Hochul in a statement Thursday.
The state’s effort to acquire a healthy stockpile of at-home tests in the face of omicron’s winter surge has brought more than 90 million kits into the hands of New York. More than half of those tests have already been delivered.
Hochul’s office said more than 54 million tests have been distributed to New Yorkers, 30 million to schools, 12.5 million to nursing homes and adult care facilities, and 10 million to local officials for public distribution.
The state plans to keep another $20 million on hand “to help prepare for any potential increases later this year.”
“As we have seen throughout the pandemic, test kits are a critical tool in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19 and prevent exposure to others,” the governor said.
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