(Stock Photo: Unsplash)
June 5, 2020 By Allie Griffin
New York City is launching mobile COVID-19 testing with two testing trucks hitting the streets next week including in Kew Gardens.
One truck will be deployed in Kew Gardens on June 11. Another will be sent to Soundview in the Bronx on June 9 and 10, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today.
“You can literally stay in your neighborhood and the testing trucks come to you,” de Blasio said at his daily news briefing this morning.
The trucks will each be able to test 80 people a day. The city will add more testing trucks for a total of 10 by July, the mayor added.
“It’s always free. It’s easy. It’s fast and it’s coming to you.”
He said all New Yorkers — regardless of their symptoms, age or underlying conditions — should now be tested for COVID-19.
“Now the message is I want every New Yorker to get tested,” de Blasio said as the city prepares to begin reopening Monday.
“More and more testing capacity’s out there in your community. Go take advantage of it,” he urged New Yorkers. “It will help us to move forward.”
De Blasio strongly encouraged New Yorkers who have participated in protests over the police killing of George Floyd to get tested as well.
“If you have been at one of these protests, I want to strongly urge you to get tested,” he said. “It is been a real concern that people have gathered in close proximity.”
The city has more than 100 COVID-19 testing sites across the five boroughs in addition to the new testing trucks. The tests are free and have no out-of-pocket cost. Testing sites can be found at nyc.gov/covidtest or by calling 311.
