Testing of nursing home and long-term care facility staff will be scaled back in regions of the state that are in the second phase of the economic reopening, Health Commissioner Howard Zucker announced on Wednesday. 


What You Need To Know


  • Twice weekly testing at nursing homes in most areas of the state will be reduced to once a week.

  • Nursing homes had complained the policy was too onerous and expensive.

  • Health officials say strides have been made in reducing nursing home infections.

Zucker in a statement pointed to a successful reduction in COVID positive cases in the facilities. 

"As a result of these ambitious testing operations, I believe we have successfully tracked and reduced the spread of the virus in long term care facilities," Zucker said. "The results of these tests has allowed facilities to take steps to ensure those residents and staff who test positive do not spread the infection. Every step of New York's response to COVID-19 has been guided by facts, data, and following the guidance of public health experts."

Testing in the last month resulted in 425,000 tests, finding 6,500 positive cases.

All regions of the state are now in phase two of the reopening except for New York City, which entered first phase this week. Testing in New York City facilities will remain twice weekly for staff, Zucker said. 

Gov. Andrew Cuomo in May ordered twice weekly testing of staff as more than 5,000 nursing home residents either died of COVID-19 or had deaths that are believed to be attributed to the virus. 

Nursing home groups had argued the twice weekly testing was onerous and costly to conduct. 

Cuomo had previously rescinded an order that allowed hospitals to discharge COVID-positive patients to nursing homes. In April, the state also reversed an order that allowed COVID positive, but asymptomatic staffers to continue working in nursing home and long-term care facilities. 

"No state has been more aggressive than New York when it comes to testing at nursing homes, and our efforts have saved lives," Zucker said. "Infection rates are decreasing across New York State, but now is not the time to let our guard down.  The continued weekly testing mandate will continue to protect our nursing home residents and the front line workers who support them."