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Covid-19: Every NYer Can Now Get A Test, So Just Do It, Cuomo Says

All New Yorkers are being encouraged to get tested for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Department of Health expand testing criteria as testing capacity has increased throughout the state.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is encouraging all residents to get tested for COVID-19.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is encouraging all residents to get tested for COVID-19.

Photo Credit: ny.gov
New York is testing more people per capita for COIVD-19 than any other nation.

New York is testing more people per capita for COIVD-19 than any other nation.

Photo Credit: ny.gov
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo continues to implore New Yorkers to get tested for COVID-19.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo continues to implore New Yorkers to get tested for COVID-19.

Photo Credit: ny.gov
The percent of COVID-19 tests in New York being returned positive.

The percent of COVID-19 tests in New York being returned positive.

Photo Credit: ny.gov
Thirty-five states have seen an increase in COVID-19 infection rates.

Thirty-five states have seen an increase in COVID-19 infection rates.

Photo Credit: ny.gov
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is encouraging everyone to wear a mask to stop the spread of COVID-19.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is encouraging everyone to wear a mask to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Photo Credit: ny.gov

During a COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday, July 1 in Manhattan, Cuomo announced that the state is expanding its testing criteria statewide to include all New Yorkers as the state surpassed a total of four million tests that have been conducted during the pandemic.

“The key to what we are doing is testing,” Cuomo said. “People talked about that since ay one about the level we’re doing it, but we just finished four million tests in New York.

“Think about that. We only have about 19 million people in New York, and it's been that extraordinary number of tests that have been guiding us. That's nearly 25 percent of the state”

Cuomo made note that New York State is doing more tests per capita than any country on the globe (see chart above) and “that’s been the key to our success.”

There are also now more than 750 COVID-19 testing sites throughout New York State, easily the highest number in the nation.

“In the beginning, we prioritized (certain populations), but now we have so increased our testing capacity that we can expand our testing criteria,” Cuomo said. “We have that much capacity that all New Yorkers can now go get a test.

“So what I’m saying to New Yorkers is go get a test. It doesn’t cost you anything. It doesn’t hurt. Just take a test.”

Cuomo added that “if you test, you’re going to find people who are positive (for COVID-19). And if you find people who are positive then you have the tracing in place now where we can find out where they got it and isolate them to reduce the spread.

“All the numbers are good across the state, but we need to be diligent and cautious especially now that we are seeing the storm clouds from other states on the horizon. Otherwise, we will see the rate of infection go up in New York and no one wants to go back to the hell that we experienced,” he said.

In the past 24 hours, 56,710 New Yorkers were tested for COVID-19, with 625 (1.1 percent) coming back positive. The total number of hospitalizations is down to 879, and 11 more COVID-19 deaths were reported.

According to the Department of Health, since the pandemic came to New York from Europe in mid-March, more than four million have been tested, with 394,079 positive COVID-19 cases resulting in a total of 24,866 reported fatalities from the virus.

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