Mayor: ‘Block party’ method will shut down streets, allowing for 500 COVID-19 tests a day

The mayor updated New Yorkers on a spike of COVID-19 cases in parts of Brooklyn and Queens Wednesday.

News 12 Staff

Sep 30, 2020, 4:29 PM

Updated 1,548 days ago

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The mayor updated New Yorkers on a spike of COVID-19 cases in parts of Brooklyn and Queens Wednesday.
Officials say they will be using new methods to help squash the “COVID clusters,” which will include block parties.
According to the mayor, NYC can expect block parties in some of these neighborhoods. It is an initiative where streets and sidewalks will be shut down so tents can set up COVID-19 testing.
Dr. Mitchell Katz, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals, explained the "parties" will allow the city to test up to 500 people a day and provide results within 24 hours. There will be six sites throughout the city after the mayor said there are nine key zip codes seeing an increase in coronavirus infections.
The city is working to control these cluster sites by also having 400 additional NYPD officers out on the streets providing masks, as well as 250 additional city agents focusing on neighborhood compliance.
City officials are stressing testing once again, explaining they will be making sure rapid care testing machines are available at hospitals, as well as providing self-administered tests at high traffic areas like schools and places of worship
The mayor also says there are additional areas of concern which include Rego Park, Kensington, Windsdor Terrace, Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Sheepshead Bay and Williamsburg.