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(Friday) Extra, Extra Click here for this week's video: Independence Day, Happy 4th of July NYC Redistricting Hearings President's Luncheon Success Enhanced NYC Sanitation Services Upcoming Events Member Spotlight Congratulations to Orange Bank and Trust on the 1 year anniversary of your Williamsbridge Road location HAPPY 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATING OUR NATION'S INDEPENDENCE On behalf of The Bronx Chamber of Commerce we wish you a happy and safe Independence Day. From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues. The Chamber team joined Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and Councilmember Marjorie Velasquez for the Bronx's Annual Salute to American Independence Firework display at Orchard Beach this past Wednesday. We were delighted to join many of our members and community in kicking off the start of the holiday weekend. The Bronx Chamber of Commerce offices will be closed on Monday, July 4, 2022 in observance of this federal holiday. NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL REDISTRICTING HEARINGS Pursuant to Chapter 2-A of the New York City Charter, the Districting Commission is charged with the mission of redistricting the fifty-one City Council districts according to the 2020 Census and other criteria mandated by the New York City Charter.   The Districting Commission consists of fifteen members who reflect the geographic and ethnic diversity of New York City. Five of the Commissioners were appointed by the City Council's Majority Caucus, three were appointed by the City Council's Minority Caucus, and Mayor Adams appointed the remaining seven members.  After the Commission is constituted, Commission Members and their staff will begin meeting to review all relevant laws, regulations, and the Census data. After public hearings and meetings, the Commission will develop a final plan to submit to the City Council in advance of the 2023 elections. View Chapter 2-A of the New York City Charter  The Bronx will host a public hearing on Redistricting on Wednesday, July 6 at Hostos Community College, 500 Grand Concourse Bronx, NY Public testimony can be submitted by email to publictestimony@redistricting.nyc.gov or by mail: 253 Broadway, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10007. The Commission can be followed on Twitter at @districtingNYC. The Commission’s website is www.nyc.gov/districting.  PRESIDENT'S CIRCLE LUNCHEON INFORMS ADVOCACY EFFORTS FOR FY23 President's Circle members are afforded one one one access to the President of the Chamber of Commerce, the senior leadership and legislative team, and are actively involved in shaping the Chamber's organizational strategy. Member's are vital to the success of Chamber operations and we are grateful for their ongoing support. To learn more about Chamber membership and benefits, or to become a President's Circle member, Click HERE The annual Bronx Chamber of Commerce President's Circle Luncheon was held this week at Pasquale Rigoletto's in the Belmont section of the Bronx. The luncheon gathers President's Circle members and above to discuss important decisions facing the Bronx and New York City and assists in informing the next fiscal year's programmatic goals and legislative agenda. NEW YORK CITY ENHANCES SANITATION SERVICES WITH $18M COMMITMENT New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Commissioner Jessica Tisch, and Councilmember Rafael Salamanca, Jr. gathered in the South Bronx and affirmed that the city will not allow its neighborhoods and the New Yorkers who live there to accept unsanitary, unsightly conditions as normal. Mayor Adams celebrated investments in cleanliness in the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Adopted Budget of a level not seen in decades, affirming that all New Yorkers have a right to a clean street, and that delivering on this right is critical to New York City’s recovery. The FY23 Adopted Budget, passed by the City Council on June 14th, includes significant new funding for cleanliness initiatives at DSNY. These include: $22 Million in new funding for litter basket service, baskets to be emptied approximately 50,000 more times per week citywide. This means more service than ever, fewer overflowing baskets, and less trash on the sidewalk.  $7.5 Million for Precision Cleaning Initiatives — targeted work that addresses conditions like illegal dumping and persistent littering. Anyone who knows an area in need of precision cleaning is encouraged to call 311; this funding means calls can get results faster than ever before.  $4.5 Million for cleaning of vacant lots — allowing a return to pre-pandemic staffing levels at the DSNY Lot Cleaning Unit. This funding will stop vacant lots across the city — largely located in traditionally underserved neighborhoods — from turning into de facto dumps and will make the city’s recovery more equitable. In addition to these efforts, DSNY is engaging in the following previously announced new initiatives under Mayor Adams’ leadership: The July 5th return of full pre-pandemic street sweeping, as New Yorkers once again move their cars to allow the mechanical broom — the strongest tool in the street cleaning arsenal — to do its job.  A five-borough pilot on containerization of waste, keeping bags of trash off the sidewalks and testing what works to improve aesthetics and reduce opportunities for pests to feed.  New equipment and staff for sweeping protected bike lanes at least once per week.   DSNY is also engaging in a major increase of enforcement, particularly against illegal dumping — a theft of public space by private entities that carries a $4,000 fine for the first offense, and during which the offenders’ vehicles are impounded.  Sanitation and public safety were top priorities of Bronx Chamber members during FY22 and continue to be advocated for by the Committee on Legislative Affairs. SAVE THE DATE - 2022 GALA: CELEBRATING OUR MEMBERS Thursday September 29 - 6:30PM Marina Del Rey, Bronx NY 2022 Bronx Chamber of Commerce Gala Celebrating Our Members Join us for fun, networking and fundraising at this can't-miss Bronx Chamber Signature Event recognizing the importance of Chamber members and the vital services the Bronx Chamber of Commerce provides to the borough and New York City. Take a look at the 2021 Gala - Click HERE Click HERE for Sponsorship packages, securing your table & dinner ticket details. For more information, email dolores@bronxchamber.org Upcoming Events Wednesday, July 13 from 10:00am to 12:30pm Small Business Financing Workshop Entrepreneurs know that financing is key to starting and growing a business, but the array of options can be difficult to navigate. This course teaches you how to apply financiers’ method of evaluation –the 5 Cs of Business Credit –and explores the advantages and disadvantages of debt-based, equity-based, and crowdfunding financing. Click HERE To Register 2022 Chamber Video Debut

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU2wB9P8T94 TALKING POLITICS

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams tonight released the following statement on the signing of mayoral accountability into law by New York Governor Kathy Hochul:

 

“Mayoral accountability is vitally important to New York City families, students, teachers, and the entire school community. I want to thank Governor Hochul for championing on behalf of our students and allowing me and Chancellor Banks to keep the politics out of our schools to provide bold and necessary programs for the betterment of our children. We will continue to wage this fight on behalf of our city’s children. The nearly one million students and their families deserve an education system free from bureaucracy and one that allots them the certainty they deserve — particularly after the trauma they’ve experienced over the past two years. We will continue to partner with the community to provide historic investments in our education department and change the way we approach learning in New York City.”

MAYOR ADAMS LAUNCHES NATION’S FIRST MOBILE TEST TO TREAT PROGRAM, TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO ANTI-VIRAL COVID-19 MEDICATIONS AT MOBILE TESTING LOCATIONS

 

Medications Will Be Prescribed to Eligible Patients Within Minutes of Positive Rapid Test

Program Will Expand to More Than 30 Mobile Testing Units Through July and Soon Offer Medication on Site

  New York City Mayor Eric Adams, NYC Test & Trace Corps, NYC Health + Hospitals, and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) were joined by White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha today to announce the launch of the country’s first-ever mobile-based “Test to Treat” program. Starting today, participating mobile testing units managed by NYC Test & Trace Corps will now include a clinician on their team to provide instant access to prescriptions for no-cost, antiviral medications for eligible New Yorkers who test positive at these sites. The initial Test to Treat units are partnering with local pharmacies to provide immediate distribution of medication from the prescription. As the launch continues, the program will expand to over 30 units over the month of July. This program will also shift to be able to distribute antiviral medications in the units this summer, ensuring New Yorkers have even more immediate access to life-saving treatments. 

 

“New York City may have been at the epicenter of the pandemic at the start, but now we are leading the way in prevention and mitigation,” said Mayor Adams. “By getting lifesaving medications into the hands of New Yorkers minutes after they test positive, we are once again leading the nation to quickly deliver accessible care to those who need it. This mobile Test to Treat program will save lives today and prepares us for future waves of this pandemic, keeping more New Yorkers safe and healthy.”  

 

“We have made a lot of progress in our fight against COVID-19 — deaths are down 90 percent from when President Biden took office, and vaccines and treatments are keeping people out of the hospital and saving lives,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator. But we know COVID isn’t over, and we must ensure lifesaving treatments like Paxlovid are reaching our hardest-hit communities. That’s exactly what New York City is doing with the launch of the nation’s first mobile Test-to-Treat clinic.” 

 

“Today we are offering you another, faster, way to get treated, where you can walk away with an oral medication a matter of minutes after a positive test,” said Dr. Ted Long, executive director, NYC Test & Trace Corps; senior vice president, Ambulatory Care and Population Health, NYC Health + Hospitals. “Working with trusted local pharmacies, and soon equipping our actual units with Paxlovid, this new mobile Test to Treat model lets us equitably bring treatment to all New Yorkers and protect our city so that we can continue to recover together.”

 

“Health services, including for COVID-19, should be omnipresent and capable of meeting people where they are,” said DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “We’ve learned during the pandemic how important it is to bring care to people, in an equitable way, prioritizing vulnerable groups and neighborhoods that have been hardest hit by COVID-19. In addition to home delivery of medications, we should be ready to hand off lifesaving medications to those who may not feel comfortable or confident using tele-visit services and deliver end-to-end services at a single point-of care. The new mobile Test to Treat model continues the city’s track record of innovation in our pandemic response.”

 

“New Yorkers trust the high-quality care they receive at NYC Health + Hospitals, and our new Test to Treat mobile vans are an extension of the four walls of our hospitals and clinics,” said Mitchell Katz, MD, president and CEO, NYC Health + Hospitals. “The Test to Treat program meets patients where they are, providing access to immediate COVID-19 treatment to those eligible. I want to thank Mayor Adams and Dr. Ashish Jha for their continued support and commitment to the care of all New Yorkers.”

 

The Test to Treat mobile program is starting with three mobile testing units, paired with local pharmacies, and will expand to more than 30 units through the month of July. In the initial phase, New Yorkers who test positive for COVID-19 will receive a prescription from a clinician at the mobile site and be able to pick up the medication at the co-located pharmacy or through the city’s free home delivery program. Units will be partnered and deployed at the following locations:

 

• Inwood Pharmacy
  4915 Broadway
  New York, New York 10034 

 

• Burke Avenue Pharmacy
  759 Burke Avenue
  Bronx, New York 10467  

 

• Rex Pharmacy
  119-01 Rockaway Boulevard
  South Ozone Park, New York 114120 

 

As the program expands, New Yorkers who test positive at a participating mobile testing unit will be offered the chance to engage with an onsite clinician and, if eligible, walk away with a free course of Paxlovid anti-viral medication. The program builds upon the NYC Test & Trace Corps’ nation-leading mobile testing and vaccination efforts, which have provided New Yorkers 1.9 million tests and 285,000 vaccinations to date.

 

Test & Trace will continue to work hand in hand with community partners to ensure deployments are reaching New Yorkers in neighborhoods most impacted by COVID-19 and to coordinate closely with DOHMH to make data-informed decisions.

 

New Yorkers can visit nyc.gov/covidtest to find a city-run testing site most convenient and accessible to them. Multiple COVID-19 treatments are available for people ages 12 and older and can be delivered to New Yorkers’ homes for free. For more information on COVID-19 treatments, please call 212-COVID19 and press 9 or visit nyc.gov/health/covidtreatments. Calling 212-COVID19 provides New Yorkers an immediate connection to a clinician who can refer them to monoclonal antibody treatment or prescribe antiviral medications, like Paxlovid, and arrange to have it delivered to their home that same day.

 

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - JUNE 30, 2022

 

15 Statewide Deaths Reported Yesterday

 NOTE: Beginning June 24, 2022, the Vaccine data will be updated weekly on Fridays to align with CDC's updated data refresh schedule. For additional information on COVID-19 Vaccination Data provided by CDC, see https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-total-admin-rate-total.

NOTE: Updates to the CDC's cumulative death data files are being delayed, as the CDC upgrades its system. Any questions about this should be directed to the CDC. During this time, total deaths and new daily deaths reported through HERDS will continue as normal.

Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.

"As we continue to monitor the current numbers, I encourage all New Yorkers to keep using the tools we know that work to protect against COVID-19," Governor Hochul said. "Stay up to date on your vaccine and booster doses. Parents and guardians, now is a great time to consult with your child's pediatrician about getting them vaccinated. Test if you have symptoms, and if you're positive stay home and talk to you doctor about treatment."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Cases Per 100k - 34.47
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 27.76
• Test Results Reported - 74,439
• Total Positive - 6,737
• Percent Positive - 8.88%**
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 5.91%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 1,990 (-57)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 334
• Patients in ICU - 192 (+6)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 77 (+4)
• Total Discharges - 315,794 (+365)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 15
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 56,560

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.

Important Note: Effective Monday, April 4, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is no longer requiring testing facilities that use COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to report negative results. As a result, New York State's percent positive metric will be computed using only lab-reported PCR results. Positive antigen tests will still be reported to New York State and reporting of new daily cases and cases per 100k will continue to include both PCR and antigen tests. Due to this change and other factors, including changes in testing practices, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 72,079

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows **:

Borough	Monday, June 27, 2022	Tuesday, June 28, 2022	Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Bronx	5.29%	5.44%	6.20%
Kings	2.41%	3.00%	3.90%
New York	6.63%	6.80%	7.07%
Queens	7.36%	7.45%	8.04%
Richmond	5.73%	6.19%	7.13%