Kriseman Partners With Cuomo, New York On COVID-19 Response

The state of New York is sending the city of St. Petersburg some COVID-19 relief, it was announced Wednesday during a conference call.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said when his state was at its height of coronavirus cases, he asked the nation's medical experts for help.

Then 30,000 doctors and nurses volunteered. Cuomo said that was America at its best.

"It was one of the really powerful experiences of my life,” said Cuomo.

Cuomo vowed to give back, so now he’s sending personal protective equipment, coronavirus test kits, and a team of people to set up a new testing site at Pinellas Community Church.

"It is in a neighborhood where we have a disproportionately impacted zip codes, a couple zip codes, where we are seeing our highest levels of positive testing and they are the neighborhoods of our largest minority population," said St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman.

He said the site will help address and target next steps for the city’s more vulnerable areas.

Kriseman said part of the effort will also provide COVID-19 positive children at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital with iPads for virtual appointments and therapies.

Kriseman thanked Cuomo for the donations and his leadership throughout the pandemic.

"We're not getting good, clear, concise, factually-based communications from Washington, a lot of state capitals it's not coming from, but we've gotten it from you,” Kriseman said to Cuomo. “Really the entire country I think has benefited."

The new testing site at Pinellas Community Church will provide up to 500 tests per day from Wednesday, July 29 through Saturday, Aug. 1.

Residents can schedule tests by appointment by calling (833) NYS-4-FLA.

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