South Shore is now without city-run COVID testing site; city won’t say when replacement is coming
Updated Feb 24, 2021;
Facebook Share
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The South Shore of Staten Island is now without a city-run coronavirus (COVID-19) testing facility, in addition to lacking a city-run vaccination hub, with only promises from the mayor that one will come.
The Mt. Loretto Sportsplex closed last weekend on Feb. 20 after being utilized for months by Staten Island residents in need of COVID-19 PCR and rapid tests. It was originally only supposed to be open for two weeks.
The closure wasn’t due to lack of demand, but because Catholic Charities of Staten Island requires the facility for indoor youth sports and programming for people with disabilities.
NYC-run locations that offer rapid COVID-19 tests on S.I. running on ‘limited availability’
Updated Jan 16, 2021;
Posted Jan 16, 2021
City-run locations that usually offer rapid COVID-19 tests are running on limited availability Saturday. - (Tom Wrobleski/Staten Island Advance)
Facebook Share
Rapid testing is currently limited at the Greenbelt Recreation Center in Sea View, St. George Ferry Terminal in St George and at the Mt. Loretto Sportsplex in Pleasant Plains.
“Rapid testing availability may be limited at this time,” the NYC Health + Hospital website reads.
A NYC Health + Hospitals worker told people who were on line at the Greenbelt Recreation Center Saturday morning that the city was experiencing a shortage in COVID-rapid tests, but a City Hall spokeswoman did not respond to a Staten Island Advance/SILive.com request to confirm that claim.
Staten Islanders experiencing long wait times for coronavirus testing
Updated Dec 30, 2020;
Posted Dec 30, 2020
One Staten Islander waited over four hours to get tested at the CityMD in New Springville on Tuesday, Dec. 29. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)Staten Island Advance
Facebook Share
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. As coronavirus (COVID-19) cases continue to spike in New York, with millions scrambling to get tested following the winter holidays, Staten Islanders are once again experiencing inordinate wait times at some testing locations.
On Tuesday morning, a long line of residents was wrapped around the CityMD in New Springville before the location had even opened for the day, leaving late arrivals waiting hours in first a physical, and then virtual, line.