SERINO TO MAKE STATE COVID-19 TEST KITS AVAILABLE TO NURSING HOME VISITORS

HYDE PARK, NY – With Governor Kathy Hochul set to require visitors to New York’s nursing homes to test negative for COVID-19 within 24 hours of their visit, Senator Sue Serino today announced that she will use her state allotment of COVID-19 test kits to ensure local residents are able to continue visiting their loved ones.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been a powerful reminder of how dangerous isolation can be for all of us, but especially for our seniors living in nursing homes and residential healthcare facilities,” said Senator Serino. “We must do all that we can to ensure safe visitation can continue, and that starts by ensuring these facilities have priority access to the tests they need to keep COVID out, while allowing loved ones in.”

Senator Sue Serino is the Ranking Member of the State Senate’s Committee on Aging, and has been an outspoken voice for nursing home residents and their loved ones throughout the pandemic. As all members of the State Senate, Senator Serino has been notified she will receive 1,000 test kits from the state, which she plans to prioritize providing to nursing homes in Senate District 41 who express a need to continue safe visitation.

With the tests expected to be delivered in the coming days, Senator Serino will announce a plan for distribution following their arrival.

“Too often these residents and their loved ones have been treated as an afterthought by the state,” Senator Serino continued. “We have a duty to ensure that these facilities are made a top priority and have access to the resources they need—like tests—to ensure the health and safety of their vulnerable residents.”

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