COVID-19: Information for Providers

Prioritizing Patients for COVID-19 Testing

New Yorkers are advised to stay home except to conduct essential activities and get necessary medical care, which includes testing for COVID-19 when appropriate. Providers should offer testing for COVID-19 to the following groups:

• Patients with new-onset signs or symptoms consistent with COVID-19


• People who, in the past 14 days, had close contact with a person (especially household contacts or intimate partners) who was diagnosed with COVID-19 based on a SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA or antigen-based test


• People who work in a congregate residential setting, such as a nursing home, shelter or adult care facility

Providers should use clinical judgment to determine who should be offered diagnostic testing based on factors including signs and symptoms and known or possible exposure to a person with COVID-19.

Continue using standard, contact and droplet precautions — and eye protection — when evaluating patients with suspected or known COVID-19. COVID-19 can be diagnosed using FDA-authorized SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA or antigen-based tests. Serologic testing cannot be used to diagnose COVID-19.

Upcoming Webinar for Providers

Date/Time: Friday, May 29, at 2 p.m.
Registration: Register through WebEx