Three additional city-run testing facilities are coming to western Queens this weekend, newly sworn-in City Councilwoman Julie Won announced Thursday, Jan. 6.
A NYC Health and Hospitals Test and Trace mobile testing site will be located in Long Island City, Astoria and Sunnyside. Testing will be available at the following locations this weekend:
Museum of Moving Image
36-01 35th Ave.
Queens, NY 11102
Saturday, Jan. 8 and Sunday, Jan. 9
10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Saliva self-test available for ages 4 and above
Culture Lab
5-25 46th Ave.
Long Island City, NY 11101
Thursday to Friday, and Sunday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
PCR available for ages 4 and older
There was a testing site located at Sunnyside Community Services, at 43-31 39th St., on Jan. 3. Future dates for these locations will be provided when confirmed, according to Won’s office.
Won also helped secure a mobile vaccine unit outside the Woodside Houses after long lines disrupted the available unit in December. The councilwoman has stressed that substantial testing is necessary along with widespread vaccination to combat the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.
As the city’s vaccination rate increased, testing sites decreased from 54 to 34 sites in November alone, as reported by The City. Before the surge of the Omicron variant, the city shut down a large testing site in the parking lot of the Sports Authority on Northern Boulevard. This, along with other closures, made it difficult to meet the growing testing needs of the borough.
“In our fight to contain COVID-19, one of the most powerful tools we have is accurate testing to empower each individual to make timely decisions on how to protect themselves and those vulnerable around them,” Won said. “With current test times of at least two days and testing lines averaging 1+ hour wait, thousands of people are being infected with COVID before results are known. Every New Yorker needs rapid access to accurate test results. We must have a comprehensive COVID testing and mitigation plan in place to protect our most vulnerable — seniors, children, and those with pre-existing conditions”
Other areas of Queens, like Councilman Robert Holden’s district 30, has not had one city-run testing site. Holden pointed the blame at former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in a tweet.
“Weeks into this surge, our district still doesn’t have a city-run testing site despite multiple requests,” Holden said. “Because @NYCMayor sees us a district of middle-class families who didn’t vote for him, this administration doesn’t give us vaccination or testing sites, or other sites.”
Other testing sites in District 26 can be found below:
NYCHA Woodside
50-37 Newtown Rd
Queens, NY 11377
Monday, Jan. 3 to Sunday, Jan. 9
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
PCR + Rapid tests available for ages 4 and above
Hart Playground in Woodside
65th Street and Broadway
Queens, NY 11377
Monday, Jan. 3 to Sunday, Jan. 9
7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thomas P. Noonan Jr. Playground in Sunnyside
42nd Street & Greenpoint Ave.
Sunnyside, NY 11377
Jan. 3 to Jan. 9
9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
To find a testing site near you, visit nyc.gov/covidtest.
