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TEST AND TRACE CORPS
THE H.E.S. AND THE NYC TEST AND TRACE CORPS
As a Test and Trace Corps Partner, the H.E.S. is proud to provide our community with a weekly list of testing sites and their respective hours in the Brooklyn area.
Test sites are subject to change throughout the week and hours vary by location. You can find the most up-to-date schedule by visiting NYC Health+Hospitals COVID-19 Testing Sites.
What is the NYC Test & Trace Corps?
A public health initiative fighting COVID-19. Through FREE resources and action, the NYC Test & Trace Corps aims to contain the COVID-19 outbreak and protect our city. Officially launched on June 1, 2020, the NYC Test & Trace Corps is a group of doctors, public health professionals, and community advocates working to fight COVID-19 so that we all can get back to school and work, and help New York City reopen safely.
The work of the Corps is led by NYC Health + Hospitals in close collaboration with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and other city agencies.
What is the goal of the Test & Trace Corps?
The Corps aims to keep New Yorkers safe by reducing the spread of the virus and helping those with confirmedCOVID-19 disease separate safely from others and protect their loved ones. There are three key components of the work of the Corps:
Test
FREE, confidential, and safe COVID-19 testing is available to all New Yorkers at hundreds of testing sites across the City. The Corps aims to test 50,000 people per day by August 1.
Trace
Tracing’s goal is to identify people who may have been exposed to the disease through close contact and help them find the best place to safely separate from others. With the help of thousands of trained public
health professionals called Contact Tracers, this effort will provide support to New Yorkers who test positive for COVID-19.
Take Care
Contact Tracers will make sure that everyone who tests positive for COVID-19 and their close contacts have the resources needed to safely separate in a hotel, free of charge, or at home. Hotels will have24/7 monitoring by skilled nurses and clinicians, wireless internet access, all meals provided, access to mental health and wellness services, and free unlimited local phone calls to stay connected to loved ones. For New Yorkers that choose to safely separate at home, the Take Care team will help them with access to food and medication delivery.
Vaccinate
The COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed in phases to groups of people at increased risk of COVID-19 exposure or severe COVID-19 illness. The phased distribution will take time, with vaccines not expected to be widely available to all New Yorkers until mid-2021.
Where are we now?
It has never been easier to get a COVID-19 vaccination in NYC. People 5 and older are eligible for the vaccine. Those who are fully vaccinated can more safely gather with friends and enjoy other benefits of vaccination, so get your shot today.
Many vaccination sites in the city no longer require appointments. See a list of sites where you can get a walk-up vaccination today.
To find a vaccination site near you, including those that take appointments, use the City’s Vaccine Finder (not accessible with Internet Explorer). Note, people who are 5 to 17 years old can only receive the Pfizer vaccine.
Certain individuals are now eligible for a booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine, if they have received two doses of Pfizer at least last six months ago. This shot is intended to help many people boost their immunity from the initial vaccination series, which may have decreased over time.
Go to nyc.gov/covidvaccine to learn more about COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. At this time, you will only be able to get a Pfizer booster shot if you received a second Pfizer dose at least six months ago. There are no exceptions. Additional guidance on boosters for other COVID-19 vaccine brands will be shared as soon as it is set by the federal government.
People who are moderately to severely immunocompromised (meaning they have a weakened immune system) are now eligible for a third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Learn more about third doses for people who are immunocompromised from the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene’s recommendations.
Vaccine Authorized for Children
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is now available for children ages 5 to 11. The vaccine dose for this age group is smaller than the dose given to people 12 and older.
Children can get vaccinated at their doctor’s office, pharmacies and vaccine sites across the city.
Booster Shots
Vaccine booster shots are now available for all fully vaccinated people 18 and older. These shots boost your immunity from an initial vaccination series.
We recommend a booster shot for any adult who received the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least six months ago, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago.
Your booster shot can be any of the three authorized or approved vaccines. If you are not sure whether to get a booster shot or which type of vaccine you should get for your booster, talk to your health care provider.
What about me?
Individuals 5+ are able to book vaccine appointments at many locations throughout the city using the NYC Vaccine Finder or by calling 1-877-VAX-4NYC. Check back here for additional updates or text COVID to 692-692 to receive real-time updates on vaccine distribution.
Anyone living in the five boroughs can register here to be contacted by the City to schedule an in-home vaccine
Read about our plan to vaccinate fully homebound New Yorkers.
Walk-up vaccination sites
Most city-run sites are offering walk-up vaccinations without an appointment, including for individuals 5 years and older. You can find the closest wall-up site to you by visiting NYC Vaccine Finder and clicking the “Walk-ups” toggle button.
NYC Mobile & Pop-Up Vaccine Sites
To better meet New Yorkers where they live, work, go to school, and play, NYC has deployed temporary, roaming vaccination sites across the City. There are two versions of these temporary sites: mobile and pop-up. All are fully equipped with in-take personnel and nurses to safely and conveniently administer the vaccine and observe patients. Appointments are not required, but you can book an appointment at many of these sites in advance online or by calling 877-VAX-4NYC.
TESTING
Who can get tested?
All New Yorkers can get FREE COVID-19 diagnostic testing and antibody testing. All New Yorkers should get the COVID-19 diagnostic test, even if they have symptoms.
Where can New Yorkers get tested?
There are hundreds of testing sites across the city, including at more than 30 NYC Health + Hospitals locations, at CityMD clinics, near NYCHA residences, at parks and recreational centers, and through mobile testing vans. To find a testing site near you, visit nyc.gov/covidtest, or call 311.
Should people get tested more than once?
Repeat testing should be considered if your previous test was negative and you:
- now have symptoms of COVID-19 such as shortness of breath, cough, fever, or loss of taste or smell
- have spent time in large crowds
- had contact with someone you think may have COVID-19
- live or work in a congregate setting such as a nursing home or shelter
- are going to spend time with someone with a high-risk of serious illness (for example if you are going to visit a relative who is more than 65 years old or who has certain medical conditions that put them at risk like cancer)
Will I need to pay for my test?
No, many testing sites offer FREE COVID-19 tests. You do not need insurance to get a free COVID-19 test or an antibody test at any NYC Health + Hospitals location. If you have insurance, it is important to share your insurance
information so that the insurer can be billed. However, you will not need to pay any co-pay or co-insurance.
When and how will I receive my test results?
Your test results will be available within 3-5 days. While you are awaiting test results, it is important that you separate safely at home or in a hotel if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19.
Click to download the above flyer with Targeted Brooklyn COVID-19 Testing Sites
TRACING
What is tracing?
Tracing also called contact tracing, involves finding people who tested positive or were exposed to COVID-19 and asking them to safely separate from other people until they can no longer spread the virus.
What is the role of a Contact Tracer?
Contact Tracers call people who test positive or have been exposed to COVID-19. A Contact Tracer will:
- Ask how you are feeling.
- Ask if you need services and support to help you stay healthy and avoid spreading COVID-19.
- Explain how long you need to stay inside and away from other people.
- Ask questions to figure out how you may have been infected if you have tested positive.
- Ask for names and contact information of people you had close contact with while you could have spread the virus to others if you have tested positive.
A Contact Tracer may also visit you in person to check on your wellbeing. They will show you their identification to prove they are a Contact Tracer.
How does the NYC Test & Trace Corps get people’s information?
If you were diagnosed with COVID-19, the NYC Test & Trace Corps received your information from the NYC Health Department. New York State law and the New York City Health Code require laboratories to send positive test results to the NYC Health Department. The NYC Health Department securely shared your information with the NYC
Test & Trace Corps in compliance with privacy laws that allow this type of information to be used to protect public health and stop the spread of disease.
If you were exposed to COVID-19, the NYC Test & Trace Corps received your information because someone with COVID-19 told a Contact Tracer that you were in close contact with them. A Contact Tracer cannot tell you who told them you were a close contact.
How can New Yorkers know if the person calling is a Contact Tracer with the NYC Test & Trace Corps?
The NYC Test & Trace Corps Contact Tracers are working to call everyone who tested positive for or was exposed to, the virus that causes COVID-19. Please answer the phone if you get a call from:
- NYC Test+Trace
- a phone number beginning with 212-540-XXXX or 212-242-XXXX.
A contact tracer will NEVER:
- ask for your name – they will know it when they call you
- ask for your Social Security number
- ask for any private financial information
- ask for credit card information
- ask to take control of or download software to your phone, tablet, or computer
A Contact Tracer may also visit you at home, especially if they can’t reach you by phone. They will show you their identification to prove they are a Contact Tracer.
What is “close contact” with someone who tested positive for COVID-19?
Close contact is defined as:
- Living with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
- Kissing or having sex with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
- Providing care in the home of someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
- Spending 10 minutes or more within six feet of someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
TAKING CARE
What type of assistance will New Yorkers receive when isolating at home?
All New Yorkers who are safely separating at home and monitoring their health status will get daily check-in calls or text messages from a Contact Tracer who may also conduct in-person visits to check on their wellbeing. The NYC Test & Trace Corps will also provide access to meals and medications.
How can New Yorkers access a free hotel room to safely isolate if they have tested positive for COVID-19?
You may be eligible for a free hotel stay of up to 14 days if you do not have a place to safely separate to protect your loved ones. To learn more, call 1-844-NYC-4NYC or 1-844-692-4692.
What services are available in a hotel?
New Yorker who choose to safely separate in a hotel will have access to free transportation and 24/7 support by skilled nurses and clinicians, free meals, access to mental health and wellness services, wireless internet access, cable television, air conditioning, and free unlimited local phone calls to stay connected to loved ones.
