NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Demand for COVID testing continued Christmas Eve.
Greater than 44,000 new constructive instances had been recognized in New York.
READ MORE: Frustrated Travelers Cope With COVID Flight Cancellations
This comes as Gov. Kathy Hochul modifications the quarantining tips for important staff.
As CBS2’s Aundrea Cline-Thomas experiences, 360,000 exams had been completed in sooner or later alone, in accordance with Hochul, as the vacation rush bought in full swing. Hampered by wait occasions at testing websites that might take hours, and delayed outcomes, Friday extra residents bought some aid, and extra reinforcement is on the best way.
COVID VACCINE
Watch: Gov. Hochul Provides New Steerage For Important Staff
From New Rochelle to Harlem, strains wrapped across the block as residents hoped to get their palms on a coveted free at-home COVID test kit simply in time for Christmas.
“I’m vaccinated twice however I didn’t get my booster but. So this helps. This helps so much,” one particular person mentioned.
“It’s free. We don’t must go to Amazon,” mentioned one other.
And extra are on the best way, to offer to college students after a COVID publicity at college, and subsequent week to detainees behind bars.
FIND TESTING SITES: Click here for New York City’s testing site locator, together with cell websites and at-home appointments
Previously two days, 600,000 kits had been delivered by the state to town alone.
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“I really feel prefer it’s about time. Entry ought to be obtainable for everybody. We waited 20 minutes. It might’ve been a lot worse,” mentioned Halrem resident Jac Huberman.
However with extra individuals utilizing residence exams, Mayor Bill de Blasio has not outlined how town plans to trace the outcomes.
“I do suppose we have to give clear steerage. The at residence take a look at kits work effectively,” de Blasio mentioned. “The optimum is to get that PCR take a look at at one of many facilities.”
AVOID THE LINES: Click here for NYC Health+Hospitals testing wait times
With greater than 44,000 new instances within the state, fueled by the extremely contagious Omicron variant, Hochul is issuing a warning to nursing homes that had been devastated throughout the first wave, urging households who go to, residents and employees to get the shot.
“There isn’t a cause why each single occupant or somebody who works in a nursing residence isn’t vaccinated, isn’t boosted. However the numbers aren’t the place they need to be,” Hochul mentioned.
The governor can be adopting new tips from the CDC for important staff who’re absolutely vaccinated and have a breakthrough an infection. They will return work masked after 5 days so long as they no lengthy have signs or a fever for 72 hours.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
“So these, for important providers that New Yorkers want – healthcare, transportation, grocery shops – that they will get again to work as quickly as it’s protected to take action,” Hochul mentioned.
That’s as a result of political leaders and well being consultants say the Omicron variant doesn’t seem to pose a extreme danger to the vaccinated and boosted, whereas those that are unvaccinated are at extra of a danger of sickness than ever earlier than.
MORE NEWS: Free COVID Testing Kits Distributed Around New York City
5 extra state-run testing websites will open within the metropolis – one in each borough. And greater than two dozen pop up websites are deliberate which can be positioned at occasions, or in central places.
