ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York is now allowing nursing homes in some parts of the state to test staffers for COVID-19 only once a week, down from a twice-a-week mandate that began last month.

Leaders of nursing homes and their industry groups have argued for weeks that it's hard to comply with the state’s ambitious demand to test roughly 185,000 workers twice a week.

The COVID-19 virus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people.

But it has killed over 6,100 nursing homes residents in New York, according to an Associated Press tally.

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