{"id":384305,"date":"2021-12-22T03:50:19","date_gmt":"2021-12-22T00:50:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/mayor-bill-de-blasios-covid-testing-sites-failing\/"},"modified":"2021-12-22T03:50:19","modified_gmt":"2021-12-22T00:50:19","slug":"mayor-bill-de-blasios-covid-testing-sites-failing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/mayor-bill-de-blasios-covid-testing-sites-failing\/","title":{"rendered":"#Mayor Bill de Blasio&#8217;s COVID testing sites failing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;<strong>#Mayor Bill de Blasio&#8217;s COVID testing sites failing<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Two years in and <em>this<\/em> is the best we can do? <\/p>\n<p>Mayor Bill de Blasio keeps telling New Yorkers frustrated with long waits and delayed results at privately-run COVID testing sites to use the city\u2019s public options \u2014 but his administration\u2019s incomplete and bulky websites make that exceedingly difficult. <\/p>\n<p>Lines for testing have exploded again because of the arrival of the hyper-contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus, which has pushed case levels in New York City to all-time highs. <\/p>\n<p>Many of those frustrating shortcomings are showcased in the interactive map City Hall posted on its main testing resource page \u2014 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www1.nyc.gov\/site\/coronavirus\/get-tested\/covid-19-testing.page\">nyc.gov\/covidtest<\/a>, which: <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Prominently features the very private providers that have endured waves of complaints from consumers and officials about massive delays and overcharges, while offering no feature that would allow users to quickly filter and see just the publicly-run sites;  <\/li>\n<li>Does not include several rapid PCR testing locations run by the city\u2019s Health Department \u2014 including its locations in Manhattan\u2019s Chelsea and Upper West Side, The Bronx\u2019s Morrisania and Brooklyn\u2019s Fort Greene.<\/li>\n<li>Does not include any of the pop-up or mobile locations run by contractors for the publicly-owned Health and Hospitals Corporation. Instead, those are included in a giant list below the map.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Additionally, the city only reports its wait times in a bulky PDF that is not integrated into the list of locations or the map, forcing New Yorkers to open several tabs and match wait times to locations by hand.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-152.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Mayor Bill de Blasio\" class=\"wp-image-20575220\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-152.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-152.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-152.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Mayor Bill de Blasio encourages New Yorkers to use public COVID testing sites but the poorly built websites for them only add to the chaos. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-151.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Covid testing line\" class=\"wp-image-20575232\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-151.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-151.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-151.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Lines for COVID testing are extremely long due to the prevalence of the Omicron variant.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Levine-Roberts\/Sipa USA<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The city doesn\u2019t even have a comprehensive online directory of all of its testing sites, The Post found. <\/p>\n<p>The Hospital system lists all of its operations on one page, meanwhile the Health Department\u2019s roughly dozen rapid PCR clinics are listed on another website \u2014 and the two aren\u2019t even directly linked together. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt would be nice if there was an easier way to see where all the sites are, if there were more sites. It wasn\u2019t clear what I should be doing,\u201d said Louis Guerra, 28, who stood outside of the Health and Hospital system\u2019s Cumberland facility in Fort Greene. \u201cIf I had trouble finding out, I can\u2019t imagine about others.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-155.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"NYC COVID testing site\" class=\"wp-image-20575237\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-155.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-155.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-155.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>New York City doesn\u2019t even have a complete directory of all of its COVID testing locations. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Mayor Bill de Blasio keeps telli<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cHonestly a better designed website would go a long way,\u201d said the software engineer. \u201cI feel like in <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a> these municipalities are behind in terms of <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a>. They don\u2019t know who to go to for the best websites and technology. It\u2019s kinda frustrating.\u201d  <\/p>\n<p>The technology shortcomings left mom-of-six Casey Moskel deeply frustrated as she tried to find testing for her family in Times Square after coming down from the Rochester-area to visit the Big <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">App<\/a>le over the holidays.  <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe spent an hour online at the hotel this morning and we walked to five other locations before this but none had the 15-minute testing,\u201d said Moskel. \u201cIt was really impossible. My husband found this by asking people standing in line here.\u201d <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-154.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Long COVID testing line\" class=\"wp-image-20575252\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-154.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-154.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-154.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>The City\u2019s poorly built websites are leaving New Yorkers looking for public COVID testing options frustrated. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Paul Martinka<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The complaints echo the problems New Yorkers encountered when city officials first rolled out their vaccine appointment registration systems this spring \u2014 prompting one big-hearted New Yorker with computer skills to create TurboVax to workaround the mess. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe don\u2019t have a single source of truth for all testing sites in NYC,\u201d tweeted the programmer, Huge Ma, who was endearingly dubbed \u2018Vax Daddy\u2019 by grateful Gothamites. \u201cTech can\u2019t solve all problems but it shouldn\u2019t itself be a problem on its own.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-150.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Huge Ma\" class=\"wp-image-20575267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-150.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-150.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-150.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Huge Ma created \u201cTurbovax\u201d to overcome the flaws in the city\u2019s online system for registering for COVID tests. He is now running for state assembly in Queens. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Robert Miller<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignright\">\n    <\/aside>\n<p>\u201cWhile a motivated volunteer could bang this out in a day or two, our government should be capable of doing this and more,\u201d added Ma, who is now running for a state Assembly seat in Queens. <\/p>\n<p>De Blasio and his top aides acknowledged shortcomings in the sites, insisting they were more focused on promoting vaccinations than ever fixing the testing snafus.. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn the end, as much as testing is crucial, the first thing we need to do with our resources is focus on vaccination,\u201d said de Blasio Tuesday. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe want people to get tests. We want it to be as convenient as possible. We want it to be as fast as possible. But the number-one thing we\u2019ve got to do is get more people vaccinated.\u201d\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2021\/12\/21\/mayor-bill-de-blasios-covid-testing-sites-failing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#Mayor Bill de Blasio&#8217;s COVID testing sites failing&#8221; Two years in and this is the best we can do? Mayor Bill de Blasio keeps telling New Yorkers frustrated with long waits and delayed results at privately-run COVID testing sites to use the city\u2019s public options \u2014 but his administration\u2019s incomplete and bulky websites make that&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":384306,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/nyc-covid-testing-website-index.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[122286,69348,1545,70344,87998],"class_list":["post-384305","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-12-21-21","tag-city-hall","tag-coronavirus","tag-coronavirus-in-ny","tag-nyc-health-and-hospitals"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384305","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=384305"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384305\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/384306"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=384305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=384305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=384305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}