Most of it's in the title. We're in a strongly unique position to prevent a second wave, with how easily we can get tests around the city! Make some time within your week to get tested! You can even make it a lunch date with your roommates or something.

Hospitals are far quicker to test in all aspects than your local clinic. It's definitely worth the trip for the extra reliability, at-venue wait time, and result turnaround time.

If you go to a clinic, chances are you'll get caught waiting as well for well/unwell visits to go by. You'll also be holding up well/unwell visits, which I have experienced - UTIs are a total bitch to wait more than half an hour with. However, no real harm done if that's your main choice.

If you do rapid testing, my personal and unqualified recommendation is that you wear a mask afterwards anyway, given the accuracy rate is about 75%. (EDIT: One commenter says they're more like 90% - chances are they swapped to the newer version that's come out of testing in the last few months.) I'd speculate it's better for knowing if you're immediately contagious. My CityMD said that I'd know within 15-20 minutes if I was tested positive, longer if negative.

Let's snip this shit in the bud! Wear masks! Get tested! Stay socially distanced! Don't forget how god-awful the deaths were back in May. Let's do our best to look out for each other and, at least, ourselves <3

P.S. GET YOUR FLU SHOT TOO!

EDITED TO ADD: Someone asked these really great questions but the comment's gone! So:

Can you get a hospital test without symptoms?

Yep!

Do you just walk in or do you need to be referred?

You can just walk in!

If you don’t have insurance, what do you need to do differently?

Unsure, honestly. But the New York State sites for COVID [1][2] state that you shouldn't be charged if you go to a testing center run by the state. The NYC Health Hospitals system also states that COVID testing comes at no costs [X] so if you go to any testing center within this network you should be good. I recommend calling and asking to be safe.

On the other hand, a third-party test isn't technically guaranteed to be free, and technically gets charged through your insurance. (I've seen Quest Diagnostics pop up on my insurance.) Be safe, click here to check the NYC official locations.

EDIT2: That NYC hospital network also offers Rapid Testing, but it's by appointment.