MANHASSET, NY – On Sunday, Governor Cuomo announced antibody testing on thousands of people will be starting next week in the “most aggressive way.”
Sampling 3,000 people across the state will tell state officials what percent of the population actually had the virus and is now immune to it. “This will be the first true snapshot to tell us what we’re really dealing with,” Cuomo said.
According to the governor's office, patrons of 20 grocery stores in different regions across the state will be recruited to participate. Those who agree will provide a fingerstick blood sample that will be tested at the state's Wadsworth lab.
- LIVE UPDATES: Coronavirus in New York City
- LIVES LOST: Remembering Victims of the Coronavirus
- What to Do If You Test Positive for COVID-19
- CDC Coronavirus Page
- WHO Coronavirus Page
Roughly 1,300 people were hospitalized Saturday after testing positive for the virus, a number down from about 2,000 people on Friday.
The governor said of the 507 people who died Saturday, 33 of them were in nursing homes, highlighting what he calls “the number one concern.”
There have been 13,869 deaths in New York State.
Governor Cuomo thanked 95,000 medical professionals who helped out in New York State hospitals. He said he’s returning the favor to Massachusetts who may need 400 ventilators.
Cuomo said all of the models showed New York would need to double its hospital capacity at the height of the outbreak, but “luckily we didn’t need 2,500 beds,” the federal government built out at the Javits Center. The federal government really "stepped up" there, he said.
Responding to President Trump’s tweet about being “right on testing,” Cuomo said “he’s right.” States have to step up on testing along with the federal government. “That’s what’s called a partnership.”