During the COVID-19 pandemic, Blueprint continues to support and intake participants remotely - by phone, video-conferencing, text, and email. 

Resources relating to COVID-19 are provided below in the following categories:

• GENERAL (e.g., NYC portals for COVID-19 information, status of NYC agencies and public schools, general guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), etc.)

• TESTING (e.g., testing sites for COVID-19 and antibodies, etc.)

• PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) (e.g., where to get face coverings/masks, how to make a face covering/mask, etc.)

• FOOD ASSISTANCE (e.g., benefits, food assistance, food pantries, grocery delivery services, etc.)

• DISABILITY/ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION (e.g., services and recommended precautions for individuals how may be at higher risk, etc.)

• MENTAL WELLNESS (e.g., resources and tools to help manage stress and anxiety due to COVID-19, etc.)

• STUDENT RESOURCES (e.g., academic and financial guidance and assistance for students impacted by COVID-19, etc.)

• SOCIAL NORMS (e.g,, proper hand-washing techniques, proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), proper social distancing, self-quarantine etiquette, cleaning and disinfecting homes, etc.)

Please click on the provided links for further information on how to stop the spread of COVID-19 and get assistance.

GENERAL

• NYC COVID-19 CITYWIDE INFORMATION PORTAL: Provides resources for New York individuals (e.g., COVID-19 testing, sites, support for food, employment, health insurance, housing, etc.) and business and non-profits (e.g., assistance, status of NY State Pause order and RESTART NYC); enables New Yorkers to self-report systems and self-isolation status, and provides other information related to New York's response to COVID-19. For a Phase 1 reopening fact sheet for employers and workers, please view "NYC Means Business: Reopen & Stay Safe at Work."

• NOTIFY NYC: NYC's official source of emergency alerts for recent updates. Text "COVID" to 692692 to get the latest updates about coronavirus from Notify NYC.

• NYC AGENCY SERVICE UPDATES: Provides latest suspensions and reductions to NYC agencies (e.g., Administration for Children's Services (ACS), Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), Department for the Aging (DFTA), Department of Buildings (DOB), Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), Department of Corrections (DOC), Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD), Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), etc.).

• NYC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH: CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19): General information on prevention, testing, symptoms, frequently asked questions (FAQs), protesting safely and other information related to COVID-19 by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOH). NYSDOH's COVID-19 Tracker provides up-to-date statistics for New York State. To assist New Yorkers, a fact sheet on COVID-19 is available here "What New Yorkers Need to Know About COVID-19."

• NEW YORK FORWARD: REOPENING NEW YORK: Provides status and detailed guidance of phased reopenings of New York State regions (Phase One through Phase Four)

• WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19) PANDEMIC: Public advice, country and technical guidance, travel advice, research and development and other rolling updates on COVID-19.

• CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC): CDC provides health considerations and tools for operating during COVID-19 (e.g., "People Who Need to Take Extra Precautions", "Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Home: Every Day Steps and Extra Steps When Someone Is Sick", "People Experiencing Homelessness", "Coping with Stress [During a Pandemic]").

• NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CORONAVIRUS UPDATES: Up-to-date information related to NYC public schools response to COVID-19, including information about "Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)."

• PRICE GOUGING HOTLINE (800-697-1220): Report price gouging to the NY Department of State (DOS) Division of Consumer Protection.

• COVID-19 CASES WORLDWIDE: Worldometers provides unofficial numbers for COVID-19 cases, deaths and recoveries worldwide, by country (e.g,, United States, etc.) and region/state (e.g., New York, etc.).

TESTING

• FIND AN NY TESTING SITE NEAR YOU: New York State continues to increase testing capacity for COVID-19 on a daily basis. The guidance below enables New York State to prioritize resources to meet the public health need. Individuals who have questions regarding eligibility or access for testing should call the New York State COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-364-3065. Please call the testing site or your health care provider before you go for testing.

• NYC COVID-19 TESTING: All New Yorkers, whether symptomatic or not, can and should get tested (for FREE) for COVID-19. Insurance is NOT required. Not all testing sites are affilitated with the NYC Test & Trace Corps and may charge for testing. New Yorkers can search for local mobile testing sites by zip code. New Yorkers can also get an Antibody Test to learn if they had COVID-19 and can assist in the research and development for vaccines and other ways to fight COVID-19.

• NYS COVID-19 HOTLINE (888-364-3065): Call the NYS COVID-19 Hotline to find a local testing site for free COVID-19 testing.

• NYC SCHOOL COVID-19 TESTING SITES: 100 diagnostic testing sites have been established across all five boroughs in partnership with the Department of Education (DOE) and multiple NYC agencies. Every testing site across the city will operate seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Each day, the NYC Department of Buildings and NYC Health and Hospitals will partner to clean and disinfect the sites in accordance with established protocols and standards, including cleaning bathrooms, sweeping and mopping floors, cleaning and wiping down all areas used for medical testing, cleaning all surfaces that may have come in contact with medical providers, and performing turnover cleaning between tests. Testing sites will be in use until mid-August. 

• COVID-19 SELF-SCREENING TOOL: This free online screening tool helps people evaluate their systems and get advice for next steps. This tool was developed by Apple in partnership with the CDC.

• COVID-19: SYMPTOMS AND WHAT TO DO WHEN SICK: People with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, etc.). Most people with COVID-19 have mild to moderate symptoms and can recover at home. This resource provides guidance on when to get tested, when to call 911 or a health care provider, caring for yourself while in self-isolation at home and other topics. Please review these resources for further tips on caring for yourself or others at home: "Learn How to Take Care of Yourself and Others at Home (Source: NYC Department of Health (DOH)." "Caring for Someone Sick at Home or Other Non-Healthcare Settings (Source: CDC)", "Treating COVID-19 at Home: Care Tips for You and Others (Source: Mayo Clinic)", "How to Care for Someone with Coronavirus (Source: American Red Cross)."

• COVID-19 TESTING: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ): An FAQ covering general questions such as how the virus is detected, how testing is performed, what types test exist (virus test for infection and antibody test for past infection), speed and accuracy of test results, interpretation of test results, and more. Provided by NYC Department of Health (DOH).

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

• NYC FACE COVERINGS: NYC will continue distributing face coverings in parks, Department of Education (DOE) Grab & Go meal sites, New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) buildings, some Mitchell-Lama buildings, grocery stores, and during social distancing enforcement. NYC Department of Health has provided "COVID-19 Face Coverings: Frequently Asked Question" to assist New Yorkers understand the need for face coverings and how to properly use them.

• MASKS IN THE WILD: A public health project that provides aid to artists who want to make and distribute free masks. NYC-based artists can apply to be selected for a stipend to create PPE.

• SEW AND NO-SEW DO-IT-YOURSELF (DIY) MASK MAKING: The CDC provides a tutorial on how to make cloth face coverings at home.

FOOD ASSISTANCE

• NYC EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE: NYC free and low-cost food distribution services during the COVID-19 public health crisis (e.g., GetFoodNYC, AccessNYC, NYC Food Delivery Assistance, etc.). Also provides cooking tips from NY chefs through "Cooking at Home."

• TEXT "FOOD" TO 877-877 FOR LOCAL FOOD DISTRIBUTORS: After texting "Food", enter zip code and receive local places where food is distributed. Text "Comida" for information in Spanish. People can also call the national hunger hotline 866-3-HUNGRY (English) or 877-8-HAMBRE (Spanish) for assistance. This "No Kid Hungry Meals Texting Program" is administered by the NY Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

• SNAP COVID-19 INFORMATION: Information on the Supplemental Emergency Allotment (EA) of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for households.

• PANDEMIC-ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER (P-EBT) COVID-19 INFORMATION: Frequently Asked Questions for P-EBT food benefits (e.g., eligibility, access, etc.) for New York State residents. Families that receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and/or Temporary Assistance (TA) are not required to apply for P-EBT. They will automatically receive P-EBT food benefits for each eligible school-age child in their household.

• FIND YOUR REGIONAL FOOD BANK: Listing of New York State food pantries (e.g., NYC, Suffolk, etc.). Please call ahead before visiting a food pantry as some operations have been suspended or reduced due to COVID-19.

• NYC DEPARTMENT FOR THE AGING HOME-DELIVERED MEALS: Provides home-delivered meals for seniors aged 60 years and older who may have disabilities, access or functional needs.

• SAGE HOTLINE FOR LGBT ELDERS (877-360-LGBT (5428): SAGE is a national advocacy and services organization supporting LGBT elders. Although SAGE NYC centers are closed due to COVID-19, SAGE is continuing to support LGBT elders through their hotline to provide assistance such as emergency food delivery.

• PLENTIFUL APP/LOCATOR FOR LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES: Free reservation system app for food pantries in multiple languages. Use Plentiful to find pantries and get the food you need, without waiting in line. Plentiful app was developed by City Harvest in partnership with the United Way for New York City and the New York City Food Assistance Collaborative.

DISABILITY/ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION

• COVID-19 RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: Provides information specifically to inform people with disabilities on the resources available to the population during NYC's response to the COVID-19 outbreak (Provided by the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD)).

• DISABILITY GROUPS AND HIGHER RISK: Some people with disabilities might be at a higher risk of infection or severe illness because of their underlying medical conditions (e.g., chronic lung disease, a serious heart condition, or a weakened immune system, etc.). (Provided by the CDC).

MENTAL WELLNESS

• NYC WELL: NYC Well is New York City’s free, confidential support, crisis intervention, and information and referral service for anyone seeking help for mental health and/or substance misuse concerns, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. For a list of mental health apps (e.g., for anxiety, depression, sleep, peer support, self-care, recovery, etc.) that are free during the COVID-19 pandemic, please click here.

• NYS COVID-19 EMOTIONAL SUPPORT HOTLINE (844-863-9314): The NYS COVID-19 Emotional Support Helpline is staffed by specially trained volunteers who can help individuals feeling overwhelmed. The hotline is administered by New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH). OMH provides additional guidance related to COVID-19 here.

• NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS (NAMI) HELPLINE (212-684-3264): When mental illness is affecting you or someone you love, NAMI can help via their hotline or via email helpline@naminyc.org. Support in English and Spanish.

• NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE (800-273-8255): In addition to its crisis support, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has provided "Emotional Wellbeing During the COVID-19 Outbreak" to help individuals cope during the COVID-19 crisis.

STUDENT RESOURCES

• COLLEGE RESPONSES TO COVID-19: Many colleges and universities have responded to COVID-19 by suspending in-person classes and moving to a remote learning platform. Many organizations have posted their specific response to COVID-19 on their websites and provide additional resources to assist students impacted by COVID-19. For example, for updates to City University of New York (CUNY)'s response to COVID-19, please visit www.cuny.edu/coronavirus and their student resource "CUNY Continuity for Students." Students are encouraged to visit their school's website for updates related to COVID-19.

• CORONAVIRUS AND FORBEARANCE INFO FOR STUDENTS, BORROWERS AND PARENTS: Federal Student Aid resource to assist students, borrowers and parents concerned about repayment of federal student loans. To provide relief, some payments will automatically stop from March 13, 2020 through September 30, 2020.

• EMERGENCY SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS: Many schools are providing emergency scholarship funds or partial credits on tuition for students impacted by COVID-19. Students are encouraged to check with their college's financial aid office for further assistance.

• COVID-19 APPLICATION FOR SUSPENSION OF DEBT COLLECTION ACTIVITY: Suspension of debt collection for student and medical debt is currently in effect in New York. Individuals can apply for the suspension of debt collection activity for non-medical and non-student debt.

• REMOTE LEARNING DEVICE REQUEST: To help NYC public school students stay connected during emergencies, the NYC Department of Education (DOE) is lending internet-enabled iPads to support remote learning for students.

• NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CORONAVIRUS UPDATES: Up-to-date information related to NYC public schools response to COVID-19, including information about "Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)."

SOCIAL NORMS

• PROPER HAND-WASHING TECHNIQUES: Keeping hands clean is important to help prevent COVID-19 from spreading. A proper hand-washing technique includes using soap and water and scrubbing for at least 20 seconds throughout the day, but especially after being in a public place, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, before, during and after preparing food, before, during and after treating wounds or caring for a sick person. if soap and water are not available, hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can be used. Even with clean hands, it is recommended that individuals do not touch their eyes, nose and mouth as that is how germs can enter the body. Please review these resources for further tips on proper hand-washing techniques: "When and How to Wash Your Hands (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC))", "Hand-washing: Do's and Don'ts (Source: Mayo Clinic)", "Clean Hands Protect Against Infection (Source: World Health Organization (WHO))", "Handwashing and Hand Sanitizer Use at Home, at Play and Out and About (CDC)."

• PROPER USE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) (E.G., FACE COVERINGS/MASKS, GLOVES, ETC): PPE is equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious injuries and illness like COVID-19. PPE includes face coverings/masks, gloves, face shields, goggles, gowns, respirators, many of which only need to be used by patients and healthcare personnel. Simply wearing a mask or face covering is not enough to protect against germs such as COVID-19. Understanding the type of face mask (e.g., non-medical-use masks, surgical masks, N95 masks, etc), the proper way of putting it on and taking it off and the proper cleaning of PPE (some masks may be single use) reduces the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Please review these resources for further tips on proper use of PPE: "Using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (Source: CDC)", "Personal Protective Equipment (Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA))", "Personal Protective Equipment for Infection Control (US Food and Drug Administration (FDA))", "How to Put on and Take Off Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (Source: WHO))", "Face Masks and Surgical Masks for COVID-19: Manufacturing, Purchasing, Importing, and Donating Masks During the Public Health Emergency (FDA))"

• PROPER SOCIAL DISTANCING AND SELF-QUARANTINE ETIQUETTE: Limiting face-to-face contact is one of the best ways to slow the spread of COVID-19. This can be accomplished through social distancing, also known as physical distancing, meaning keeping space between yourself and other people outside of your home. The CDC recommends a minimum distance of 6 feet between individuals. To help individuals practice proper social distancing, schools have moved in-person classes to remote learning platforms, employees are working from home and businesses are limiting the number of customers allowed in their physical spaces and providing special hours for individuals who are at higher risk (e.g., elders, immunocompromised, etc.). Individuals who may have been exposed to COVID-19 should self-quarantine at home for a minimum of 14 days, per leading public health organizations. Self-quarantine involves practicing many of the same precautions in public at home (e.g., proper hand-washing techniques, 6 feet distance from household members, etc.). Please review these resources for further tips on proper social distancing and self-quarantine etiquette: "Social Distancing: Keep Your Distance to Slow the Spread [of COVID-19] (Source: CDC)", "How to Social Distance During COVID-19 (Source: American Red Cross)"

• CLEANING AND DISINFECTING THE HOME: Routine cleaning and disinfecting of homes is no longer enough to prevent or contain the spread of COVID-19. Cleaning reduces the number of germs. Disinfecting kills germs. Cleaning routines must be completed more frequently and with proper cleaning products and disinfectants. In addition to proper hand-washing, soft surfaces (e.g., carpeted floors, rugs, drapes, etc), electronics (e.g., phones, tablets, computers, keyboards, remote controls, etc.), laundry, groceries and food preparation, and trash disposal require special consideration. Please review these resources for further tips on proper cleaning and disinfecting of homes: "Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Home (Source: CDC)", "Six Steps for Safe & Effective Disinfectant Use (US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA))", "COVID-19: General Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection for Non-Health Care Settings (NYC DOH))", "Cleaning and Disinfection of Environmental Surfaces in the Context of COVID-19 (Source: WHO)."