Press Releases

Health + Hospitals Ensures New Yorkers Continue to Have Access to Covid-19 Services as End of Federal Emergency Nears

New Yorkers can continue to be tested, treated, and vaccinated at NYC Health + Hospitals' 11 hospitals and Gotham Health sites in every borough

Mar 17, 2023

New York, NY

In preparation for the May 11 expiration of the Federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration that ends the funding source for pandemic response, NYC Health + Hospitals today announced plans to ensure New Yorkers continue to have the access to COVID-19 testing, vaccination, and treatment, as well as services to address Long COVID. After being on the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic for more than three years, NYC Health + Hospitals and the NYC Test & Treat Corps will transition remaining emergency-level operations from our hospital-based walk-in testing tents and mobile Test to Treat units to permanent services inside the public health care system’s hospitals and community-based outpatient care centers. COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccination will continue to be available at NYC Health + Hospitals locations by appointment through its online patient portal or by calling 1-844-NYC-4NYC. The health system will also continue to manage the City’s 212-COVID19 hotline, connecting New Yorkers to COVID-19 treatments through NYC Health + Hospitals/Virtual ExpressCare and Long COVID resources through its AfterCare program and COVID-19 Centers of Excellence. 

“As the federal pandemic emergency and funding comes to an end, New York City and NYC Health + Hospitals will continue be there for all New Yorkers seeking testing, treatment, vaccination, and support if they’re dealing with Long COVID,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “I also want to thank NYC Health + Hospitals, the NYC Test & Treat Corps, the Health Department and all of the frontline health care workers who stepped up tremendously over the past three years through every phase of the pandemic.”

“The last three years have categorically changed our lives. Thousands of children, families, partners, friends, colleagues, and loved ones have lost someone to the virus.  Millions of New Yorkers have had the virus and have recovered,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “While we are now in a new phase of the pandemic where we are repositioning, we will continue providing the needed support to individuals and families that have questions, need to get tested, want to get vaccinated or boosted, or want to consult their health care provider about Long COVID concerns. NYC Health + Hospitals will continue to serve New Yorkers across the city to address each of these issues in a sustainable way, with public health infrastructure that is responsive should the pandemic shift. A profound thank you to our teams at NYC Health + Hospitals, DOHMH, and all of our frontline workers across government who have stepped up to serve their fellow New Yorkers throughout the pandemic.”

“Thanks to the extraordinary service of the NYC Test & Treat Corps and the strong connection to the front-line health care providers at NYC Health + Hospitals and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, our city was able to respond to every stage of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mitchell Katz, MD, President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals. “We can now transition the Test & Treat Corps emergency operations knowing that we have built a stronger, more responsive public health care system that can provide the appropriate level of services to our communities and seamlessly preserve access to the COVID-19 testing, vaccination, and treatment New Yorkers may need for as long as we need it.”

“Over the past three years of New York City’s emergency response to COVID-19, we have proudly been at the center of healthcare innovation and a leader in what cities can do to manage and break chains of transmission. As we move beyond the emergency phase, our healthcare system is now stronger than it was prior to COVID-19. Through NYC Health + Hospitals’ creation of services like Virtual ExpressCare and opening of three new COVID-19 Centers of Excellence, we continue to create new tools to help our patients and expand access to care,” said Ted Long, MD, MHS, Senior Vice President, Ambulatory Care and Population Health at NYC Health + Hospitals and Executive Director of the NYC Test & Treat Corps. “Leading the NYC Test & Treat Corps has been the proudest moment of my career, and I can’t thank every team member, clinician, contact tracer, and healthcare worker enough for their sacrifice and dedication to keeping New Yorkers safe through this pandemic. The pandemic tested us in every way and I want to acknowledge the lives lost and forever changed. I also want to assure New York City that will not let our guard down as we safely take the next step forward.”

“NYC Health + Hospitals will ensure testing, treatment, and vaccination services for COVID-19 are available at all of its facilities, and continue to expand the doors to care for all New Yorkers without exception,” said Andrew B. Wallach, MD, FACP, Ambulatory Care Chief Medical Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals. “I encourage New Yorkers to call 1-844-NYC-4NYC to make an appointment at one of our hospitals and learn more about becoming a patient or call 212-COVID19 to speak with a clinician and be connected to the care they need.”

“The NYC Test & Treat corps has been vital throughout this emergency,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “They brought flexible resources to where they were needed most and we all owe them a debt of gratitude for their service. As we transition out of the emergency phase of the pandemic, the Health Department and NYC Health + Hospitals will continue to provide services and supports to New Yorkers and ensure access to lifesaving COVID-19 care. We’re committed to caring for our city.”

Continuity of Services for New and Existing Patients

NYC Health + Hospitals will continue to be a gateway for New Yorkers seeking COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccination, regardless of their insurance or immigration status.

• COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccine services will be available for patients by appointment at NYC Health + Hospitals’ 11 acute facilities.
• COVID-19 testing, vaccination and treatment will be available at Gotham Health clinics in every borough.  
  • Existing patients can schedule an appointment for testing, treatment or vaccination at NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health by calling 1-844-NYC-4NYC.
  • To learn more about how you can become a patient with NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health and schedule an appointment, please call 1-844-NYC-4NYC.
• The City’s COVID Hotline, (212-COVID19), will continue to provide New Yorkers an immediate connection to a clinician with NYC Health + Hospitals/Virtual ExpressCare who can prescribe free antiviral medications and arrange to have it delivered to their home that same day or refer them to infusion antiviral treatments.
  • The rapid results provided by at-home tests allow New Yorkers to know their COVID health status in minutes. New Yorkers who test positive using an at-home test are encouraged to call the hotline at 212-268-4319 to take advantage of free, at-home delivery of COVID-19 treatments, which include life-saving medicines like Paxlovid.
• New Yorkers recovering from COVID-19 or Long COVID can continue to be connected to care by calling 212-COVID19 to reach NYC Health + Hospitals AfterCare program and be connected to its COVID-19 Centers of Excellence.
  • NYC Health + Hospitals’ three COVID-19 Centers of Excellence offer state-of-the-art short and long-term follow-up care for Long COVID patients. The centers support New Yorkers recovering from Long COVID through a range of specialty care, including pulmonary care and supplemental oxygen, cardiological care, diagnostic radiology services, comprehensive mental health services, and examination rooms with negative pressure systems to safely see patients who may have COVID-19.

Schedule of Emergency Services Ending

• On Friday, March 31, COVID-19 testing tents, including PCR testing, will shift operations to NYC Health + Hospitals ambulatory clinics inside the hospital facilities and Gotham Health clinics.
• There are 40 mobile Test to Treat units currently available with variable neighborhood schedules in all five boroughs. On March 31, the mobile Test to Treat fleet will be adjusted to 20 units.
• Mobile Test to Treat operations will conclude ahead of the May 11 Public Health Emergency expiration.
• Through early May, the NYC Test & Treat Corps’ At-home Test Distribution Program will continue to distribute at-home tests to its network of approximately 1,000 community and faith-based partners.
• At-home tests at the Corps’ network of nearly 300 walk-up sites at City libraries, Parks facilities, agencies, and cultural institutions will continue to be distributed while supplies last.
• Through May 11, New Yorkers can find the testing location most convenient to them and their hours of operation by visiting the City’s COVID-19 testing page. New Yorkers with a disability who need assistance or have questions regarding at-home tests should call 311. Those who are deaf or hard of hearing and use American Sign Language can call via video phone at 646-396-5830.

If you or a loved one are suffering from or think you may have Long COVID, please call (212-268-4319), select your preferred language, and press 4 to speak directly to an AfterCare Navigator. Please visit the AfterCare website and read AfterCare’s Long COVID recovery guide for more information about Long COVID and the resources available to you

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Contact: Press Office, 212-788-3339

About the NYC Test & Treat Corps
The NYC Test & Treat Corps is the City’s comprehensive effort to respond to COVID-19 by providing New Yorkers accessible, no-cost testing, rapid connections to COVID-19 treatments, and resources to support those recovering from Long COVID. Through a partnership with NYC Health + Hospitals and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the NYC Test & Treat Corps provides New Yorkers equitable, widespread access to the critical tools for COVID-19 testing and treatment. For more information, visit testandtreat.nyc.

About NYC Health + Hospitals

NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the City’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NYCHealthSystem or Twitter at @NYCHealthSystem.