The city’s last public walk-in rapid COVID-19 testing clinic will close its doors on July 18.
Operated by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the clinic, located in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, provided free PCR testing with results delivered within 24 hours.
Additionally, it also conducted tests for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the flu. The shutdown signifies a significant reduction in the emergency COVID-19 measures that the city implemented during the pandemic.
Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse stated, “The closure of the Crown Heights COVID Express Clinic is part of a long-term plan to sunset federally funded COVID-19 programs and services given the availability of other service options.”
At the peak of the pandemic, the site was bustling with hundreds of individuals seeking tests. However, recent reports indicated that daily visitors have dwindled to around 15.
Although COVID-19 rates in New York City have significantly decreased in recent years, officials have noted that spikes in cases can occur during winter and even smaller increases can happen in the summer months.
Testing for those seeking services will still be available through New York City Health + Hospitals at its 11 hospitals and 29 Gotham Health Clinics.
This public health system supports uninsured and underinsured patients with financial assistance, but making an appointment has proven to be cumbersome.
THE CITY reached out to an H+H testing number, navigating through numerous automated menus—none of which provided information on COVID-19 testing.
After finally connecting with a real person, two different phone numbers were provided for further assistance, which led back to the original number.
The availability of appointments for tests with a 24-hour turnaround remained unclear.
In contrast, the express clinics, like the Crown Heights location, had facilitated online appointments and walk-in options, making access to testing easier.
Kt, a resident of Crown Heights in their 20s who preferred to remain anonymous, has utilized the clinic’s services frequently.
Since the beginning of the year, Kt has experienced symptoms of long COVID, such as brain fog and insomnia, and has relied on the clinic to stay informed about their health to protect themselves and their immunocompromised roommate.
On a recent day, Kt awoke with a sore throat and body aches and was able to book an appointment quickly, receiving negative results by the next day.
Kt has also been working with the Crown Heights Care Collective, a mutual aid group advocating against the clinic’s closure.
“It’s perpetuating this myth that COVID is over,” Kt expressed.
“It’s such an attack on us, especially as our health infrastructure is crumbling, with Medicaid and Medicare.”
Nia Nottage, a freelance art curator and organizer with ACT UP NY, expressed disappointment about the clinic’s impending closure.
She highlighted the critical nature of quick COVID testing for individuals with HIV or other chronic illnesses: “For people with HIV or other chronic illnesses, being able to know if what you have is COVID quickly is very important.”
Nottage, 31, used the clinic before social engagements to ensure safety, noting that many people she knows would isolate for five days prior to visiting family and friends to mitigate the risk of exposure.
She also pointed out the financial burden associated with rapid tests, which can be inefficient for asymptomatic testing situations.
“Asking me why I wear a mask and why I test is like asking me why I have grab bars in the bathroom or why I have a wheelchair-accessible space,” Nottage remarked.
Following the closure of the Crown Heights clinic, staff will transition to a sexual health clinic, according to DOHMH.
Local organizations, including G Rebels and Air NYC, will continue to provide COVID testing even after the clinic is no longer operational.
Dr. Denis Nash, an epidemiologist from the City University of New York, emphasized the ongoing importance of COVID testing, while acknowledging that the city had previously established free clinics to alleviate barriers to access during the public health emergency.
He noted that the funding for those efforts has since diminished, leading to a shift back to making testing available mainly through the healthcare system.
Dr. Nash also pointed out that the health department faces pressing public health priorities and limited funding.
With the closure of the clinic, community members are left wondering how best to navigate their COVID-19 testing needs and the broader implications for public health access in New York City.
image source from：thecity
