Saturday, July 18, 2020

COVID Rent Relief Program Application Period Begins




Two-Week Application Period Is Open; 4 Months of Rent Relief Available for Eligible Households
The two-week application period for New York State households seeking assistance under the COVID Rent Relief Program. 

Passed by the Senate on May 28, 2020, and sponsored by Senator Brian Kavanagh, S8419 was signed into law by the governor and established the COVID Rent Relief Program. The program provides a one-time rent subsidy paid directly to landlords of applicant households. Applicants will not be required to repay this assistance. 
The program will cover the difference between a household’s rent burden on March 1, 2020 and the increase in rent burden during the months for which the households apply for rent assistance. Households can apply for up to four months of relief.
Applications will be accepted throughout the two-week application period and eligible households with “greatest economic and social need” accounting for income, rent burden, percent of income lost and risk of homelessness will get priority consideration.
For assistance, eligibility details and to access the application, visit the HCR website.

Comptroller Stringer Investigation Finds Insufficient Preparedness and Coordination Hindered NYC H+H Response to COVID-19 Pandemic


Letter to Governor Cuomo highlights need for improved coordination across all parts of the healthcare system and better planning and preparedness
Findings show we must address underlying inequities in access to health care that resulted in a disproportionate death rate among the City’s most vulnerable populations and strained H+H capacity and systems
  New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer sent a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo providing the results of a review into NYC Health + Hospital’s (H+H) response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The review identified several deficiencies in preparedness and execution at all levels, from the federal government down to individual hospitals, including inadequate access to needed supplies and equipment, confusing and medically inappropriate guidance, a lack of systems and procedures for managing patient loads across hospitals, and insufficient protocols for deploying staff.
Comptroller Stringer’s review also showed that H+H’s challenges arose due in part to insufficient support, assistance, and guidance from the City, State, and federal governments. The Comptroller stressed that H+H’s ability to deliver proper health care to communities that need it the most requires the assistance of all levels of government, including sufficient funding, established coordination policies and procedures, and the support of its governmental and private partners.
As a result of the review, Comptroller Stringer outlined recommendations to better prepare for and manage a potential resurgence of COVID-19 patients, as well as future public health emergencies, including establishing formal coordination and guidance mechanisms among all parts of the healthcare system; improved protocols for staff training and deployment of resources; and identifying and remedying supply chain weaknesses.

Governor Cuomo Announces New York City Cleared by Global Health Experts to Enter Phase Four of Reopening Monday, July 20th


Every Region of New York State Will Now Be in Phase Four of Reopening

Governor Cuomo: "New York City will enter Phase Four on Monday. That is a hallmark for us. Every region of the state will now be in Phase Four. There are no more phases. Then Phase Four, so we are all in the final phase of reopening. And that's great. Every region has made it through the four phases without having to close. And the numbers are consistent through all phases of reopening. And this is what we said from day one, reopen smart, and if you reopen smart and you reopen in phases, and you follow the data, it's actually a better way for the economy to reopen because if you rush the reopening then you risk the probability of a viral increase."

Cuomo: "The Phase Four allows schools to reopen pursuant to the State guidance. It allows low-risk outdoor activities and entertainment at 33 percent capacity. It allows outdoor professional sports without fans and that is happening as you know. It allows media production. In New York City as I announced yesterday we're not going to have any indoor activity in malls or cultural institutions and we'll continue to monitor that situation and when the facts change we will let you know."

Cuomo: "What we're really looking at now is the potential of a second wave - not the second wave that we originally discussed. The second wave that we originally feared was from the theory of the 1918 pandemic where there was Phase One and then the virus mutated and came back in Phase Four. That's not what we're looking at here. This second wave would be man-made, not made by Mother Nature. It would not be mutation of the virus. It would be a wave that comes from the West and the South, a southwesterly wave that comes back to New York from the increase in the other states. We are painfully aware now that an outbreak anywhere is an outbreak everywhere."

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the team of global health experts advising New York State's reopening strategy has thoroughly reviewed the data for New York City and has cleared it to enter Phase Four of reopening without any additional indoor activity, such as malls and cultural institutions, beginning Monday, July 20th. Every region of New York State will now be in Phase Four of reopening. New York Forward guidance for Phase Four reopening can be found here.

Governor Cuomo Urges New Yorkers to Prepare for Extreme Heat This Weekend


High Temperatures and Increased Humidity Could Pose Danger to At-Risk Populations, Including the Elderly and Small Children

Utilities Suspend Planned Outage Work to Ensure Electric Capacity Will Meet Customer's Needs

State Beaches and Pools Remain Open with Density Reduction Requirements In Effect

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today urged New Yorkers statewide to take precautions ahead of potentially dangerous heat conditions that are expected to begin early Saturday and last through the weekend. Heat index values ranging from the low-90s to 100 degrees are possible throughout the entire timeframe and across much of the state. New Yorkers should monitor local weather forecasts for the most up-to-date information. For a complete listing of weather watches, warnings, advisories and latest forecasts, visit the National Weather Service website.

"Forecasts are calling for a wave of extreme heat in the coming days and I am urging all New Yorkers to make sure they are taking all necessary precautions," Governor Cuomo said. "This type of weather can be especially dangerous for young children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions. Be sure to check on neighbors and limit outdoor activity to ensure that you and your loved ones remain safe and healthy through the extreme temperatures. And if you do visit beaches and pools, be sure to wear a mask and practice social distancing."

On Saturday, temperatures are expected to be in the high 80s in the Western New York, Mohawk Valley, North Country, with rest of the state experiencing even hotter weather with temperatures in the 90s. On Sunday, temperatures will intensify with the entire state forecast to experience temperatures in the 90s, with the possibility of some areas reaching as high as 100.

This period of hot weather will result in an increased risk of heat stress and heat-related illness. People who are susceptible to heat related illnesses - including young children, the elderly, those who exercise outdoors, those involved in vigorous outdoor work, and those who have respiratory diseases such as asthma - should take necessary steps to stay cool as temperatures rise.

During this high-heat period, the State's utilities are suspending any planned outage work to ensure enough electric capacity is available to meet customer's needs. Customer conservation and voluntary reduction communications will also be a focus. The New York State Department of Public Service (DPS) will be monitoring electric system conditions and overseeing utility response to any situations that may arise.

If necessary, DPS will activate the Peak Load Reduction Program for all New York State agencies.  In addition, the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) will activate their voluntary Emergency Response Demand Program to curtail load as necessary.

State Parks beaches and pools also remain open. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, density reductions of 50 percent of total capacity are in place. Prior to making a trip, potential visitors should check https://parks.ny.gov/ for capacity alerts and closure announcements.

Heat Tips
Excessive heat is the leading cause of preventable, weather-related deaths each year, particularly among the elderly. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heat causes more than 600 preventable deaths in the United States yearly. To help New Yorkers stay safe during excessive heat the Governor offered the following tips:


The following people are most at risk:
  • Elderly persons and small children are mostly affected
  • Persons who are overweight/obese
  • Persons on certain medications or drugs

Be Prepared:
  • Avoid strenuous activity and exercise, especially during the sun's peak hours of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Exercise and activity should be done in the early morning between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m.
  • Drink plenty of water and noncaffeinated beverages.
  • Stay out of the sun and try to cool off in an air conditioned building for a few hours during the hottest part of the day. The sun heats the inner core of your body, resulting in dehydration. If air conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor, out of the sunshine, or go to a public building with air conditioning
  • If you must go outdoors, wear sunscreen with a high sun protector factor rating (at least SPF 15) and a hat to protect your face and head. When outdoors, wear loose-fitting, lightweight and light-colored clothing. Cover as much skin as possible to avoid sunburn and over-warming effects of sunlight on your body.
  • Do not leave children, pets or those who require special care in a parked car or vehicle during periods of intense summer heat. Temperatures inside a closed vehicle can reach over 140 degrees Fahrenheit quickly. Exposure to such high temperatures can kill within a matter of minute.
  • Make an effort to check on your neighbors during a heat wave, especially if they are elderly, have young children or have special needs. Make sure there is enough food and water for pets

Know the Signs of Heat Related Illness
Prolonged exposure to the heat can be harmful and potentially fatal. Call 911 if you or someone you know shows signs or symptoms of heat illness, including:
  • Headache
  • Light headedness
  • Muscle cramps
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
For more information on how to stay safe during periods of excessive heat, click here.

New Yorkers Urged to Conserve Electricity
Taking smart steps to reduce energy use, particularly during periods of peak demand, not only helps to lower the state's peak load, it will save consumers money when electricity is the most expensive. To reduce energy use, particularly during peak periods, the public is encouraged to take some of the following low- or no-cost energy saving measures:


  • Close drapes, windows and doors on your home's sunny side to reduce solar heat buildup.
  • Turn off air conditioners, lights and other appliances when not at home and use a timer to turn on your air conditioner about a half-hour before arriving home. Use advanced power strips to centrally "turn off" all appliances and save energy.
  • If purchasing an air conditioner, look for an ENERGY STAR qualified model. ENERGY STAR air conditioners use up to 25 percent less energy than a standard model.
  • Fans can make rooms feel five to 10 degrees cooler and use 80 percent less energy than air conditioners.
  • Set your air conditioner at 78 degrees or higher to save on your cooling costs.
  • Place your air conditioner in a central window, rather than a corner window, to allow for better air movement.
  • Consider placing the unit on the north, east or the best-shaded side of your home. Your air conditioner will have to work harder and use more energy if it is exposed to direct sunlight.
  • Seal spaces around the air conditioner with caulking to prevent cool air from escaping.
  • Clean the cooling and condenser fans plus the coils to keep your air conditioner operating efficiently and check the filter every month and replace as needed.
  • Use appliances such as washing machines, dryers, dishwashers and ovens early in the morning or late at night. This will also help reduce humidity and heat in the home.
  • Use energy-efficient, ENERGY STAR qualified light bulbs instead of standard incandescent light bulbs, and you can use 75 percent less energy.
  • Microwave food when possible. Microwaves use approximately 50 percent less energy than conventional ovens.
  • Dry clothes on a clothes line. If using a clothes dryer, remember to clean the dryer's lint trap before every load.
  • Be mindful of the different ways you're consuming water throughout your home. Instead of using 30 to 40 gallons of water to take a bath, install a low-flow showerhead, which uses less than 3 gallons a minute.
  • Lowering the temperature setting on your wash machine and rinsing in cold water will reduce energy use.
Additional tips on how to conserve energy is available on NYSERDA's website here.

Water Safety
Boaters should make sure to take proper safety precautions when enjoying the many boating opportunities New York State has to offer. The State Parks Marine Services Bureau offers the following safety tips.

Boaters are reminded to practice safe and responsible boating, including:
  • Wear a personal floatation device whenever they are on the water. State law requires that children under age 12 wear a personal flotation device while on a watercraft;
  • Complete a safe boating course;
  • Properly equip and inspect their vessel;
  • Maintain a prudent speed;
  • Refrain from mixing alcohol with boating; and
  • Check the weather forecast before heading out on the water to learn about potential storms and seek immediate shelter on shore if thunder is audible.

People paddling canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards should know their abilities and take precautions when there are high or steady winds creating large waves, or when they are in strong currents. Paddlers in waters where there are motorboats should keep close to shorelines and out of main channels.

For more information about boating safety, including listings of boating safety courses, and marine recreation in New York State, click here.

Ritchie Torres - Let's turn the page on hate, once and for all




Team,
Last month, this campaign stood proudly on a platform of inclusiveness and equality. We came together to reject the hateful views of my opponent — and now New York is on a path toward a better future.
 
 
I’m proud of the role that we played in the turning of the page here in New York City. Because of you, the hateful ideology of Ruben Diaz, Sr. will soon be a thing of the past on the NYC Council — and it won’t be representing us in Congress. 


Statement from Congressman Eliot Engel - Concession to Democratic Candidate Jamaal Bowman


 The numbers are clear, and I will not be the Democratic nominee for the 16th Congressional District seat in the fall election. Serving the people of the Bronx and Westchester in Congress has been the greatest privilege of my life, and what a remarkable 32 years it has been. We have made so much progress together, and faced so many challenges. Throughout those years, I have always worked as hard as humanly possible to represent my constituents as a progressive Democrat in Washington and as an involved, informed and present public servant in New York. I take particular pride in always showing up, always being present, always listening, and always caring deeply about those whom it's been an honor to serve as their Congressman.

I wish Mr. Bowman well as he begins this new chapter in his life. Here in New York's 16th District, where I have lived since I was a young boy in Eastchester Gardens, we desperately need Washington's resources at this critical time, and we must continue to fight for them.

I want to thank, first and foremost, my wife, Pat, and my three children, Julia, Jonathan, and Philip, whose love and support carried me every single day I've been in Congress. I want to thank my incredible campaign staff for all of their hard work this past year, and all of the amazing volunteers and supporters who stuck with us during the campaign.

For these three plus decades, I have had the very best government staff working for me in my three district offices in New York, my Washington office, and on the Foreign Affairs Committee. Their work - from crafting legislation to helping people with problems big and small - has been exemplary from the very beginning. They made me look good, and I want to personally thank them from the bottom of my heart for all of their hard work and support.

I honestly cannot tell you how touched I have been by all the kind words and love we received from every corner of the district. I want to thank my colleagues in government for their steadfast friendship and partnership over the years. We are so blessed here to have elected officials at every level of government who care deeply about helping the community and are always willing to work together to improve conditions for our shared constituencies. I have no doubt they will continue that outstanding work and make NY16 even better! 

Finally, I want to thank the voters in New York's 16th District, who 16 times decided to renew my two-year contract and send me back to Washington - what an honor to be the longest-serving Congressman in the history of the Bronx. I never for a minute thought of this as my seat. It's the people's seat, and it is a true honor that you put your trust in me to represent you in the greatest legislative body in the world.

Friday, July 17, 2020

Mayor de Blasio and Police Commissioner Shea on Crime and Covid-19


  Mayor Bill de Blasio: Good morning, everybody. Let me note upfront, this city continues to fight the battle against the coronavirus and fights it well. All of you have a lot to be proud of. In a few minutes I'll talk about phase four and the specifics of how we're going to approach it. But the good news is we are on track for Monday, for phase four, with some specific approaches and modifications. But I'll talk about that in a moment, but first I want to talk about the battle against violence, the work we need to do every day to keep our streets safe, and the work we have to do at the community level at the grassroots, the crucial work of bonding police and community together in common cause. This is what neighborhood policing has been all about over the last seven years. And this is the work we will do now because we do not accept an increase in gun violence in New York City. We may be going through one of the most painful and exceptional moments in our history with this pandemic, we may be going through profound social dislocation and the breakdown of the basic functioning of our criminal justice system in terms of our courts, but that is never going to stop us from fighting back and from bringing police and community together and from the crucial work of emphasizing the ownership that people feel in their own communities.

I have seen it time and time again in recent days in Harlem and East Harlem and Bed-Stuy, people coming together to stop the violence and people who want to work with our police in common cause. Clergy, our civic organizations, elected officials, we depend on all of them. We depend on grassroots efforts to stop violence like the Cure Violence movement, the Crisis Management System. And we depend crucially on putting our police officers in the right locations with the right approaches and strategies. And that's what precision policing is all about. That's what CompStat has taught us for years. No one knows that better than our Commissioner, who has really perfected these strategies over many, many years. So, today we're going to outline a citywide violence prevention plan. And when I say citywide, you'll hear from the Commissioner, it will be wherever it's needed, but it will be particularly focused on some very particular sites in the city where we're seeing an uptick in violence and pinpointing the efforts to those sites to stop the violence again. So, we will combine a presence of police, particularly foot patrols – police right there at the front line, connecting with the community – with all those grassroots efforts and community efforts. That is what's going to move us forward. We've been through tough moments before, we've overcome them time and time again. And we have found that that combination, police in the right way in the right place and the right number with community support with community efforts combined is what works.

Now before the Commissioner speaks, today is a day we all reflect on. It is the sixth anniversary of the death of Eric Garner. And we can say today, and I said up in the Bronx when we had a moment to reflect painting the Black Lives mural in the Bronx, signing the legislation passed by the City Council, and I said there, and I want to say it again. We lost Eric Garner and we should not have lost Eric Garner. We never want to, again, in this city, ever again, lose another person in any circumstance like that. We never want to see that again in our city. And we've been working for six years to make sure it never happens again. But I truly believe that Eric Garner, even though he should be with us here today, he did not die in vain. From the moment we lost him, efforts at change and reform have progressed and they can progress today, deeper and deeper, and that work will never stop. So, we feel the pain and we feel the loss and I've spent a lot of time with the Garner family and I know how much pain they still feel, but I know they have joined into the efforts to move us forward and to focus on the changes and reforms that make us a better city and we'll bring police and community together in common cause.

And the last thing I want to say is that later on today, I think it was a fitting thing to do on a day like this, I will be spending time with young people in Harlem, a town hall meeting, to listen to them, not to talk at them, not to tell them what they should think, but to hear from them about what they need. They are the future of this city and how we can hear their needs in this time of challenge and work with them for a peaceful city and a better city ahead. So, with that, I want to turn to our Commissioner. He has been working very hard and we've had many, many conversations about the strategy to move forward and fight back this spate of gun violence. I want to emphasize, I have never seen anyone more systematically think about a challenge and figure out all the tools that need to be used and all the creative approaches. I've never seen anyone do that better than Dermot Shea. My pleasure to introduce our Commissioner.

Police Commissioner Dermot Shea: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And I think challenge is the appropriate word. We know where we've come from, the last four months, but what's important for the New York City residents to know is we are incredibly focused on pushing back on the recent violence that we've seen throughout New York City, but very much localized in certain neighborhoods and even certain blocks. The men and women of this police department, the leadership of this police department is there for the residents, will continue to be there for the residents, and we are absolutely committed to making New York City streets safer. We have no intention of giving back to gang members any blocks that we have earned with our own sweat and blood over the years. With the recent uptick in violence, I have had a number of meetings over the last several weeks, both internally and externally, met a number of times with our district attorneys that I can tell you share that vision that I just outlined, in terms of making New York City streets as safe as possible for its residents. That is why we exist as public servants.

In terms of what we've been seeing across New York City, we've been seeing a sharp uptick in gun violence. When you look at certain neighborhoods, we've seen some neighborhoods in Harlem, we've seen some neighborhoods in South Jamaica have an uptick, certainly. But the biggest problems that we've been seeing has been in the Bronx and Brooklyn. We are moving all available resources to those areas. You'll see increased foot patrols, as well as officers in uniform, in marked police cars. We'll also be overlaying that with increased technology, everything from cameras that are mobile to license plate readers and everything in between, and all of this is being done to really focus on that small number of people that frankly just don't get it.

We're going to need help on this. We're going to need help from district attorneys, lawmakers, all community all coming together, cooperation, but I am very confident that we can turn this tide as we move forward out of this. I can tell you just since Monday we have had 13 arrests in shootings just this week. Now these incidents didn't occur this week, but 13 arrests as recently as last night, where uniformed patrol officers on the Upper West Side, responding to a shots-fired job, make an arrest minutes after a shooting had taken place. We have a lot of work to do, but I am confident that together with Community Affairs, with the community, with all partners and stakeholders working together, and with crystal clear deployment and laser focus, we can turn this tide.

Mayor: Thank you very much, Commissioner. I want to emphasize something the Commissioner’s talked about, I've talked about. The Commissioner met with the Office of Court Administration, the State office that runs our court system and with the five DAs. And I know everyone earnestly wants to get the criminal justice system up and running again. I really do. I just want to emphasize that the City of New York will do anything and everything to help the Office of Court Administration bring back our court system, but not in just dribs and drabs. We want the court system back as fully as possible, as quickly as possible so we can address gun violence, so we can make sure there are consequences for anyone who harms another New Yorker. So, I want to emphasize how the NYPD, the City of New York, we will do anything and everything to help, but we need that to happen quickly and we need that to happen fully so we can really turn this corner.

With that, let me talk about turning a corner in a different way. And that's phase four and this is good news. We are moving forward with phase four on Monday. Now the State of New York is finishing some work today into this afternoon on the specifics, and they'll have a formal announcement later on, but I can give you the broad outlines now of what we've talked about with the State and where we agree that we can move forward safely. And it's all about safety. We want to bring people back to work. We want people to get their livelihoods back. We want to bring our city back, but safety and health first always. So, phase four, let's focus first on outdoors. And, again, outdoors has proven to be the area where we're seeing a lot of things work successfully. So, we're going to restart the low risk outdoor arts and entertainment activities. This means things like botanical gardens and zoos, for example. They can reopen, but at reduced capacity, 33 percent capacity. Production of movies, TV shows, that can proceed. The, obviously, something that matters to a lot of us – sports coming back but, again, without audiences. This is something that's been announced previously, but to emphasize that is part of phase four as well, that sports comes back. We'll get to watch it on television. I think it's going to be a great relief to a lot of us, and then particularly to all the baseball fans out there, and I'm one of them, we are so happy to see baseball coming back next week.

Now, outdoors looks very good. Indoors is where we have concerns. Some indoor activities can exist with the proper restrictions, but there's going to be care when it comes to indoors. Each and every situation is going to be looked at very carefully, very individually. So, some will not resume in phase four, certainly not right away. And that continues to be, first of all, indoor dining. That could have started earlier. We've said that's not happening. That continues to not happen. That is very high risk. And we've seen that around the country. Museums, not yet. Malls, not yet. Still closed for now. We've got to strike a balance and we've got time to look at the evidence, watch what's happening around the country, watch what’s happening here in this city, and make further decisions on some of these pieces and we'll do that very carefully with the State of New York. But, look, if you just think back four months ago and think about how horrible the situation was, what we were fighting through, the pain that New Yorkers are going through. And then you think about the day when the four phases were announced and it was made clear that they could move in this kind of progression every two weeks. The fact that we are here is because of the hard work of all of you. And now that we've gotten this far, I'll say it now, and I'll say it many other times, let's hang on to it, let's stay focused, let's stay disciplined. We've got to keep bringing this city back, but that's going to take all of us playing our part.

Now, phase four, again means more and more people going back to work. And it is a reminder of the power of opening up the parts of our economy that we can do safely. And that brings me to something that's clearly been a real success, which is what we've seen with our restaurants. Incredible, incredible response to the Open Restaurants program. Now, 8,600 restaurants participating and that means a lot more jobs have come back. That means a lot of people are enjoying these restaurants and it's giving us hope and it's giving people energy to see this crucial part of New York City back. And look at that beautiful scene in Little Italy. That just gives you a lot of hope. So, the Open Streets element of this is also crucial. I'm going to talk about those pieces coming together, but let me make, first, an announcement on the Open Restaurants program, which has been such a great success – the sidewalks, the curbs. The Open Restaurants program has worked, it has brought back jobs, it has been safe, and therefore we will extend this initiative. The restaurants will be able to use the sidewalks. They'll be able to use the curbs through September, through October. We're extending this to October 31st.

Now we're also going to do more with the Open Streets and combining the Open Streets and the Open Restaurants for the good of everyone. So, today we're announcing 40 more blocks of Open Streets that will have dining Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. You're going to see that also in Chinatown, Manhattan, which has been an area that was so hard hit by this virus very early on. So, we're thrilled to see this'll be a big boost to Chinatown, but 40 blocks all over the city. And this will be starting immediately beginning this weekend. So, I know the weather won't entirely cooperate, but when the weather's good, I think a lot of New Yorkers will be out enjoying this wonderful opportunity, but again, do it the right way, do it the right way. Follow the rules, keep the distance as needed, wear those face coverings, help us keep moving forward.

A couple of things to conclude – one, a topic I come back to often, Alternate Side Parking. So, we've had Alternate Side Parking off for much of the time of this crisis. We do need to bring it back when it's important to clean up some more. So, we're going to bring it back for next week and I want to emphasize because there's been some confusion and we're really going to work hard to get this right for people – for folks that have Alternate Side Parking – so it will be on next week, if you typically just move your car once a week on your side of the street, then just do as you would normally would do Alternate Side Parking. If you're on one of those streets with multiple times a week and you see the image on your screen, if you're on the street with multiple times a week, we're trying to move off that going forward. In that instance, just move it on the last day indicated on the sign on your side of the street. Remember your side of the street is what matters and the sign on your side of the street. So, as you see on the visual, ignore the first day, go to the last day, and that's the one time we need you to move your car during the week when Alternate Side is in effect. And we're going to do a lot more to explain that to the people of the city and particularly folks on those blocks going forward.

Okay, let's do our indicators. First, number one, daily number of people admitted to hospitals for suspected COVID-19, threshold of 200. Today’s report, 75 patients. Number two, daily number of people in Health + Hospitals ICUs, threshold 375. Today's report, 314 patients. And people tested citywide, number three, tested citywide positive for COVID-19, threshold is 15 percent. Once again, today, two percent – a very good number, really striking consistency. And that is a credit to all of you. 

Assemblyman Victor Pichardo Food Giveaway Friday July 24th 1030 AM