Longterm COVID Treatment Center Opens On Bed-Stuy Border

BROOKLYN, NY — One of three speciality coronavirus clinics in New York City has opened its doors on the Bed-Stuy border.

Officials celebrated the opening Friday of the "COVID-19 Center of Excellence," the last of three care centers aimed at helping neighborhoods hit hardest during the pandemic deal with the ongoing impact of the virus.

The Brooklyn center is found on Broadway near Ellery Street and will open to patients on Monday.

"The numbers were clear — some parts of the city were hit harder than others. It was block by block, [and] this is one of the blocks," Mayor Eric Adams said. "This center right here in this location is a powerful symbol that things are changing."

The COVID-19 Centers of Excellence, which also opened in the Bronx and Jackson Heights in Queens, will largely focus on helping those experiencing "long COVID," or long-term effects of coming down with the virus.

Though Adams noted that those who have not had coronavirus are also welcome to visit the center. It will include space for cancer screenings, dental and vision care, diabetes management, podiatry, adult medicine, pediatrics and more, according to the city.

The city's Test and Trace Corps will be among those who help find patients who should visit the COVID-19 center, according to corps Director Dr. Ted Long.

The task force has sent out 100,000 texts and phone calls to those who have come down with the virus to check if they are experiencing long-COVID symptoms that might need care, he said.

"If there’s anybody out there suffering, it will never be in silence," Long said. "We’re going to talk to you directly and give you an opportunity to come to this site."