Kavanagh, Colleagues Ask CDC to Expand COVID-19 Testing in Brooklyn

March 19, 2020

On March 19, Senator Kavanagh, along with 23 colleagues, wrote to the CDC to request support in improving COVID-19 testing capacity in New York's largest borough, Brooklyn. The text of the elected officials' letter is below; the original may be viewed via the link above.

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March 19, 2020

Robert R. Redfield, MD
Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30333

Dear Director Redfield:

Recently, members of the Brooklyn Congressional and State Delegations were briefed by SUNY Downstate President Dr. Wayne Riley on SUNY Downstate’s response to the COVID-19 crisis and related impacts on our borough. The focus of this briefing was Downstate’s current capacity to test for COVID-19. Recognizing that Brooklyn is the largest borough in New York City with 2.6 million residents – and many of them with high rates of asthma, diabetes and other conditions which put them in higher risk categories – we are writing to request your assistance in developing in-borough testing capacity.

Our understanding is that SUNY Downstate is prepared to move forward with on-site testing – with personnel and certifications already in-hand – but that they will require a COBAS 6800 testing machine. This equipment is critical to the borough’s and Downstate’s needs and it would allow more than 1,500 tests a day to begin being processed in Brooklyn. Further, we understand that Downstate is also prepared to develop a drive thru testing site, which we believe is also critically important and timely.

Dr. Redfield, as the representatives for Downstate and surrounding neighborhoods across Brooklyn, we remain available to you and your team to assist in any way possible with bringing on-site testing to our borough and we look forward to learning more about potential next steps.

Sincerely,

Senator Zellnor Myrie
Assemblymember Diana Richardson
Congressmember Yvette Clarke
Congressmember Nydia Velazquez
Congressmember Jerold Nadler
Congressmember Hakeem Jeffries
State Senator Diane Savino
State Senator Simcha Felder
State Senator Julia Salazar
State Senator Andrew Gounardes
State Senator Brian Kavanagh
State Senator Velmanette Montgomery
State Senator Kevin Parker
State Senator Roxanne Persaud
Assemblymember N. Nick Perry
Assemblymember Charles Barron
Assemblymember Felix Ortiz
Assemblymember Joseph Lentol
Assemblymember Latrice Walker
Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon
Assemblymember Helene Weinstein
Assemblymember Walter Mosley
Assemblymember Peter J. Abbate, Jr.
Assemblymember Mathylde Frontus