OFFICE OF THE MAYOR THE CITY OF YORK PEREA- HENZE,MD, MPH DEPUTYMAYOR FOR HEALTH HUMANSERVICES March 6 , 2020 Dear Drs. Redfield, Jernigan, Hahn and Stenzel, Following up onmy letters on February 2nd and 20th, I' m writing to once again reiterate the urgency and importance of the Centers for Disease Controland Prevention (CDC) providing New York City s Public Health Laboratory ( PHL) with the resourcesneeded to respond to the COVID -19 outbreak. Protecting thehealth and wellbeing of New Yorkers is the top priorityof the deBlasio administration. With community spread of the novel coronavirusoccurring in multiple countries and some U .S . States, fast surveillance and detection of COVID -19 in New York City is essential to limitingspread of the virus. Thetwo CDC test kits provided previously to the PHLdonot meet the needsofNew York City, America s most populated city with 8 . million New Yorkers. New York City must receive additionaltestingkits as soon as they are available from the CDC . With multiple positivecases, NYC needsmaximum testing capacity to enable successfulimplementation of thepublic health strategies thatbest protectNew Yorkers. The slow federal action on this matterhas impeded our ability to beat back this epidemic In addition to the CDC providingadditionalkits, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should expedite the approvalof testing approachesdeveloped by manufacturersof clinical infectious disease diagnostics, clinical laboratories, and other entities. The FDA s approvalof New York State and New York City' s collaboratively developed testingprotocolincreased local testingcapacity. However,more resourcesare needed and FDA swiftapprovalof new testing methodsandkitswould help enable promptaction and response. The importance ofNYC having additional testing kits and expanding our testing capacity cannot be overstated . NYC also asks that CDC and FDA communication aboutall tests and coronavirus issues be timely and transparent . The experts at the New York City Department of Health and MentalHygiene and allNYC agencies are working tirelessly to respond to this epidemic and rely on the CDC and FDA support of their efforts. As always, thank you for your partnership and commitment. Sincerely, Raul MD, MPH CC: MayorBillde Blasio Emma Wolfe , Chief of Staff Dr. Oxiris Barbot, Commissioner of Health Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, Deputy Commissioner Disease Control CITY HALL YORK, NY 10007