5 BRONX WEEKLY May 31, 2020 www.BXTimes.com
Pelham Parkway bus driver discusses working during COVID-19
BY JASON COHEN
Large-scale testing is
required to safely reopen
New York City. While the
nation faces a shortage of
swabs, a key component
in test kits, New York
City is producing its very
own.
On May 18, Mayor de
Blasio announced that
the fi rst “Made in NYC”
test kits are now in use
at NYC Health + Hospital
community testing
sites citywide. By the end
of this week, more than
60,000 test kits will be delivered,
building on the
city’s commitment to rapidly
expand its testing
and tracing operations.
“We are moving full
steam ahead to build a
massive testing apparatus
from the ground up,”
Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
“Widespread testing is
the key to reopening our
city, and we are using every
resource at our disposal
to ensure we get
there safely.”
In a matter of weeks,
the New York City Economic
Development Corporation
(EDC) consulted
with experts across the
country, forged relationships
with local manufactures,
worked with medical
professionals and city
agencies to review swab
designs, fi gured out sanitization
and vetting processes
for medical use and
then quickly found local
manufacturers to begin
production.
“Testing is critical to
the health of New Yorkers
and the future of our
economy,” said James
Patchett, president and
CEO of the EDC. “We
took matters into our own
hands by building our
own tests kits. Innovations
like these will lead
our city and our country
through this crisis.”
M a n h a t t a n -
based Print Parts, an additive
manufacturing company,
is producing up to
100,000 3D printed swabs
a week while the Albert
Einstein College of Medicine
in the Bronx is producing
transport medium
based on a CDC recipe.
The swabs and transport
medium are the critical
components in the production
of test kits.
These components are
then assembled into completed
kits by Collab, a
Brooklyn-based fabrication
lab.
Antibody Testing
First responders and
healthcare personnel are
eligible to receive antibody
testing through a
partnership with CDC.
Testing has already
started for OCME staff
and others who are eligible
can sign up at FirstSeroSurveyNYC.
com.
New Yorkers can fi nd
their closest COVID-19
testing site at nyc.gov/
CovidTest.
The CDC can now confi
rm a link to COVID-19.
Parents should watch for
the following symptoms
and seek care immediately
if their child has:
• persistent fever
• irritability or sluggishness
• abdominal pain, diarrhea,
vomiting
• rash
• conjunctivitis (red or
pink eyes)
• enlarged lymph node
“gland” on neck
• red cracked lips or red
tongue
• swollen hands and feet
Pedro Torres of the Bronx who drives a bus in the city. Photo Courtesy of Pedro Torres
NYCEDC ramps up local production line to manufacture COVID-19 test kits
BY JASON COHEN
Large-scale testing is required
to safely reopen New
York City. While the nation
faces a shortage of swabs, a
key component in test kits,
New York City is producing
its very own.
On May 18, Mayor de Blasio
announced that the fi rst
“Made in NYC” test kits are
now in use at NYC Health +
Hospital community testing
sites citywide. By the end of
this week, more than 60,000
test kits will be delivered,
building on the city’s commitment
to rapidly expand
its testing and tracing operations.
“We are moving full
steam ahead to build a massive
testing apparatus from
the ground up,” Mayor Bill
de Blasio said. “Widespread
testing is the key to reopening
our city, and we are using
every resource at our disposal
to ensure we get there
safely.”
In a matter of weeks, the
New York City Economic
Development Corporation
(EDC) consulted with experts
across the country, forged relationships
with local manufactures,
worked with medical
professionals and city
agencies to review swab designs,
fi gured out sanitization
and vetting processes for
medical use and then quickly
found local manufacturers to
begin production.
“Testing is critical to the
health of New Yorkers and
the future of our economy,”
said James Patchett, president
and CEO of the EDC.
“We took matters into our
own hands by building our
own tests kits. Innovations
like these will lead our city
and our country through this
crisis.”
Manhattan-based Print
Parts, an additive manufacturing
company, is producing
up to 100,000 3D printed
swabs a week while the Albert
Einstein College of Medicine
in the Bronx is producing
transport medium based
on a CDC recipe. The swabs
and transport medium are
the critical components in
the production of test kits.
These components are
then assembled into completed
kits by Collab, a Brooklyn
based fabrication lab.
Antibody Testing
First responders and
healthcare personnel are eligible
to receive antibody testing
through a partnership
with CDC. Testing has already
started for OCME staff
and others who are eligible
can sign up at FirstSeroSurveyNYC.
com.
New Yorkers can fi nd their
closest COVID-19 testing site
at nyc.gov/CovidTest.
The CDC can now confi rm
a link to COVID-19. Parents
should watch for the following
symptoms and seek care
immediately if their child
has:
• persistent fever
• irritability or sluggishness
• abdominal pain, diarrhea,
vomiting
• rash
• conjunctivitis (red or pink
eyes)
• enlarged lymph node
“gland” on neck
• red cracked lips or red
tongue
• swollen hands and feet Testing kits being developed by the city. Courtesy of NYCEDC
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/nyc.gov
/CovidTest