The latest COVID-19 wave fueling case and hospitalization rate increases across America, and in New York City, has many seeking updated guidance on exposure and isolation -- especially for people who are fully vaccinated. Here's some help.
The NYC Test & Trace Corps has rolled out an expanded COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation Guidance Tool, giving New Yorkers more direct connections to order care options including oral antiviral prescriptions and monoclonal antibody treatments.
The tool offers personalized guidance to New Yorkers who were exposed to, tested positive or have symptoms consistent with COVID-19. All you have to do is pick which scenario applies to you and answer the questions that follow. Once you answer those, you'll get a quarantine or isolation guidance specific to your unique situation.
You won't be asked for personal identifying information to use the tool, but if you are eligible for and request a "Take Care" package, full of items to help you isolate safely, some of those details will be needed. The care packages each contain enough personal protective equipment (PPE) for a household of three for up to 10 days, including medical-grade masks, hand sanitizer, a thermometer and two rapid antigen tests.
If you or a loved one need immediate assistance, please call the NYC Test & Trace Corps COVID Hotline at 212-COVID19.
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.
More Coverage
New Yorkers can also arrange to have free meal delivery so they can safely remain at home. To date, Test & Trace has sent over 640,000 care packages and delivered over 2.3 million meals to New Yorkers in quarantine or isolation. Eligible users will also be directed to the Virtual ExpressCare website or 212-COVID19, where they can be connected to a clinician who can refer them to monoclonal antibody treatment or prescribe oral antiviral medications like Paxlovid and arrange to have it delivered.
The latest push comes more than a week after the city raised its COVID alert level to high as it grapples with rising case and hospitalization rates. Nearly 90% of all counties in the state are now considered high- or medium-risk for COVID spread by the CDC.
And more of America is changing the wrong color on the CDC's map as well. The COVID-19 subvariant estimated by public health officials to be substantially more contagious than the first descendant of the potent omicron strain is now the dominant strain in the United States, the agency said in its latest weekly update.
