The Institute provides referrals to hotel rooms for COVID-19 prevention and recovery

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Sophia Guida

The Institute provides referrals to hotel rooms for COVID-19 prevention and recovery

May 29, 2020

When a patient tests positive or has symptoms of COVID-19, the New York City Department of Health recommends staying isolated from other people for at least 14 days. But for many New Yorkers—including the homeless and those living in small apartments with multiple people—these recommendations are simply not possible.

To make isolation easier, the New York City Department of Health and New York Health + Hospitals have established a channel that allows patients to recover from COVID-19 in hotel rooms with a referral from a healthcare provider.

The Institute has been delighted to collaborate with the New York City Department of Health and New York Health + Hospitals to ensure patients have access to these rooms. Patients can stay in a private room with a bathroom, receive three meals a day, and have access to WiFi and laundry service. There is a nurse available onsite if the patient needs additional care, and Institute patients can keep in touch with their provider through telehealth. Most people use the rooms for 7-14 days, but in some cases can stay longer if needed.

“It is great to have the hotel resource available to offer our patients,” said Elisa Wallman Jacques, the Institute’s Director of Community Programs. “It has made a real difference for the patients we have referred.”

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, have symptoms of COVID-19 or have had a significant exposure and need a place to isolate, the Institute is here for you.  For our patients in New York City, contact your Institute health center. Similar resources are available in the Mid-Hudson region: Mid-Hudson residents can call your health center or call the Ulster County COVID-19 hotline, where you can connect with a public health nurse who can help.