Jamaica, Queens among most hard-hit zip codes in New York City
New York, N.Y. – Community Healthcare Network (CHN) opened a COVID-19 Testing Site in Jamaica, Queens, Friday at noon.
“The zip code where our Queens Health Center is located is 12% higher for positive COVID-19 cases than the city average,” says Robert M. Hayes, president and CEO of Community Healthcare Network. “We are providing quality care to communities that are often forgotten and always most impacted.”
At the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak in early March, CHN began testing qualifying patients at all 12 of its community health centers located in Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx. At the direction of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, all community based centers in New York City suspended testing on March 20th.
Today, CHN will be working, in conjunction with the New York State Department of Health, in testing patients, by appointment only, at the First Presbyterian Church located at 89-60 164th Street in Jamaica.
“For more than 350 years, we’ve served Jamaica, Queens. We believe in the people of Jamaica and through this partnership we extend welcome and support to those who are overwhelmed and challenged by this pandemic,” says Lead Pastor, Reverend Patrick O’Connor. “We are honored to step up for the Jamaica community, with our partners at CHN, to provide a needed resource for the neighborhood to ensure that those who are in need of testing and don’t drive have access in their own backyard.”
Rev. O’Connor and Mr. Hayes both called on the Governor and Mayor to coordinate better their testing efforts, and to recognize the strength of collaboration between healthcare leaders, such as CHN, and faith communities, such as First Presbyterian, in battling the COVID pandemic.
The testing site, open from 9am-5pm from Monday-Friday in the First Presbyterian Church Parking Lot, will only be available to those with an appointment. To make an appointment, call the New York State Department of Health Hotline at 888.364.3065.
About Community Healthcare Network
Community Healthcare Network is a not-for-profit organization providing access to affordable primary care, dental, nutrition, behavioral health and social services for diverse populations throughout New York City. CHN serves more than 85,000 individuals a year who would otherwise have little or no access to critical healthcare. CHN is composed of 14 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), including two School Based Health Centers (SBHC), and a fleet of mobile health units. To learn more about CHN visit our website at www.chnnyc.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.