UWS Clinics Get Nearly $1M For Coronavirus Testing: Senators

UPPER WEST SIDE, MANHATTAN — Two clinics in the Upper West Side are included in $22 million-worth of grants to help increase their coronavirus testing capacity, New York's senate representatives announced this week.

The William F. Ryan Community Health Center on West 97th Street and the Institute for Family Health, which has a location on Amsterdam Avenue, are among the 37 health centers that were given emergency funding to purchase and administer coronavirus tests at a community level, Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand said.

The William F. Ryan center will get $854,749 and the Institute for Family Health will get $1.8 million for its system of clinics, which are also found in the Bronx and Brooklyn.

"Testing is imperative to our COVID-19 response and to the safe and successful reopening of New York's businesses, schools, sporting events, and so much more," Schumer said in a statement. "This federal funding increases testing capacity in our state, will help beat back COVID-19, and contain a possible resurgence of the virus."

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Both New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo have consistently stressed the need for federal aid in expanding the city and state's testing capacities.

Social distancing measures have resulted in fewer coronavirus infections, but large-scale test and trace programs will be needed to recover from the outbreak, city and state officials said. Both de Blasio and Cuomo criticized federal lawmakers for a lack of direct aid for cities and states from April's CARES Act.

"To contain the spread of this disease and safely reopen schools and businesses, we must make COVID-19 testing widely available for all Americans," Gillibrand said in a statement. "Our state has faced more cases of COVID-19 than any other state and this critical funding will make testing and treatment more accessible in New York City. As we fight to flatten the curve, I will continue to advocate for the resources needed during this pandemic."

New York City Health + Hospitals will lead the citywide initiative to conduct 20,000 tests a day by May 25 at 33 testing sites by late May and 50,000 tests per day at more than 300 sites in June, de Blasio announced recently.

Find the full list of clinics receiving federal funding here.

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