Latest News
2020 Health Advisory
2021 Health Advisory #2
January 11, 2021
New York State has expanded COVID-19 vaccination eligibility to the following select 1b groups, beginning January 11, 2021:
o People aged 75 years or older
o First responders and support staff of first responder agencies
o Corrections staff
o Pre-K to grade 12 teachers and staff
o Group childcare providers and staff
o Public transit workers
o Public-facing grocery store workers
o In-person college instructors
o Residents and at-risk staff of group residential homeless shelters
• Hospitals and other health care providers must continue to prioritize health care workers and others in Phase 1a for vaccination.
• Providers should communicate with their patients about vaccination. Answer their questions, address concerns, and inform them of when and where to get vaccinated.
• Encourage patients to continue to wear a face covering and practice physical distancing.
• Visit the NYC Health Department’s website regularly for the most current information on:
o Groups eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine nyc.gov/covidvaccinedistribution o Vaccine site locations for eligible New Yorkers nyc.gov/vaccinefinder
GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES UPDATED COVID-19 MICRO-CLUSTER FOCUS ZONES
November 11, 2020
Based on Progress Controlling COVID Spread, Yellow Zone in Steuben County to be Removed
Port Chester Yellow Zone will Transition to Orange Warning Zone; New Yellow Precautionary Zones in Staten Island and Tioga County
Positive Testing Rate in All Focus Zone Areas is 4.96%; New York State Positivity Outside All Focus Zone Areas is 2.58%
Statewide Positivity Rate is 2.93%
21 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday
NYC Health Advisory #14
May 14, 2020
Updated NYC Health Department COVID-19 Recommendations
Discontinuation of Isolation and Monitoring for People Who Are Asymptomatic; Isolation and Transmission-Based Precautions for People with COVID-19 Including Non-Hospitalized Patients, Residents and Patients in Special Settings, and People Who Are Immunocompromised
• Extended duration of self-monitoring and isolation for asymptomatic people and health care workers who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 with a molecular-based diagnostic test (e.g., rRT- PCR) is 10 days
• Updated minimum duration of isolation for non-hospitalized people with possible or confirmed COVID-19 extended from 7 to 10 days
• Discontinuing isolation and transmission-based precautions for people with possible or confirmed COVID-19 in special settings or who are immunocompromised
• Managing non-hospitalized persons who have a subsequent positive molecular COVID-19 test following an appropriate period of isolation
NYC Health Advisory #16
May 18, 2020
Updated Reporting Requirements for Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Associated with COVID-19 (Formerly Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome)
• Maintain vigilance for Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) and refer patients to specialty care promptly, including to critical care if warranted.
• Immediately report cases of possible MIS-C to the New York City Health Department’s Provider Access
Line: 866-692-3641.
NYC Health Advisory #17
May 29, 2020
2020 Health Advisory #17
Advise Patients When to Seek Essential Care and Plan to Expand In-Person Patient Services
Urge patients with severe symptoms due to any health condition to seek medical care promptly.
Prioritize essential medical care, patients at higher risk for poor health outcomes, and patients who cannot access telemedicine when re-opening or expanding current in-person clinical services.
Encourage patients who are not at increased risk of complications from COVID-19 to donate blood.
NYC Health Advisory #20
June 25, 2020
2020 Health Advisory #20
Updated Guidance for Health Care Personnel on Personal Protective Equipment for COVID-19 and Work Restrictions Following Exposure
In addition to a face mask or higher level of respiratory protection, eye protection (goggles or face shield) is now advised during all clinical encounters.
Supply chain shortages of N95 respirators persist. Providers and facilities are encouraged to continue conservation measures.
Fourteen-day exclusion from work is recommended for asymptomatic health care personnel who were exposed to individuals with confirmed COVID-19 in healthcare settings.
NYC Health Advisory #39
December 14, 2020
SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests perform best when there is a high probability the individual
who will be tested is infected with the virus.
• Consider the pretest probability before using SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests and when
interpreting results, especially in the context of increasing community transmission. Conduct confirmatory testing when someone who:
o Has symptoms, tests negative.
o Has no symptoms, and no known exposure in the past 14 days, tests positive.
• Confirmatory testing should only be done using a nucleic acid amplification (NAA)-
based test performed at a clinical laboratory on a specimen collected within 48 hours of the initial specimen (or as soon thereafter as possible). Individuals should isolate while awaiting confirmatory test results.
- Provided that their limitations are taken into consideration, SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests
can be a valuable screening tool to identify or monitor spread of the virus in
congregate settings (e.g., long term care facilities, schools).
- Follow-up testing cannot be used to test out of isolation after an established diagnosis of COVID-19.
• New York State (NYS) has modified the timeframe for provider and laboratory. reporting of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza test results to require reporting within 24 hours of receiving test results, instead of three hours.
