New York to implement ‘Test to Stay’ program at schools

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (WCAX) - New York Gov. Kathy Hochul visited the North Country Wednesday, making a stop in Plattsburgh to check out the state-run vaccination pop-up site that opened there.

Hochul spoke at the site at the Clinton Community College about vaccinations and testing.

She said testing in school is important and announced the start of a Test to Stay program that will take effect on Monday.

Some 22,000 tests will be allocated for North Country schools, 3,000 will stay in Clinton County.

The governor says more are coming.

It’s up to each district how they plan to move forward with it.

The idea is parents will get tests sent home with their children if they’re sick and they will test at home and send kids back to school when they test negative.

Malone starts a state testing site on Thursday.

Hochul, D-New York, had this to say about the possibility of a site coming to Clinton County: “Now because we have the at-home kits available for schools and for counties and available in stores they are not as required, it’s the vaccination sites we would rather use our staff to get people on the site to administer the vaccination.”

The pop-up site on Wednesday is in the college’s gymnasium. It runs from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Click here to register for a vaccination. They are also taking walk-in appointments.

Hochul also announced two new North Country testing sites in Malone and Lowville set up to deal with the surge in COVID cases:

Citizens Advocates, 201 West Main Street, Malone, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Maple Ridge Center, 7421 East Road, Lowville, Monday and Wednesdays: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.; Fridays: 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

First, second and booster doses will be available at the clinic and walk-ins are welcome.

New York now ranks second in the country for the number of new infections, only behind Washington. D.C. The New York Times reports a 265% increase over the last two weeks, far surpassing the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Over the last two weeks, hospitalizations are up 43% and deaths are also on the increase at 9%.

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