VISION ZERO: DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES 2020 MAJOR PROJECTED BICYCLE LANE PROJECTS IN BROOKLYN

Part of Green Wave plan to create 30 miles of protected bicycle lanes citywide this year

 The de Blasio Administration today announced the 2020 protected bike lane projects in Brooklyn. This year’s new lanes will include the extension of protected lanes along 4th Avenue north to Barclays Center and along Meeker Avenue in Williamsburg, connecting the Williamsburg Bridge to the new Kosciusko Bridge bike path.  This is part of the Mayor’s Green Wave plan, which will create more than 30 miles of protected bike lanes citywide this year.

“I can’t imagine a better place to kick off this year’s Green Wave than my beloved Brooklyn,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We’re redoubling our efforts to protect cyclists, and New Yorkers can expect to see many more protected bike lanes across the city this year.”

“We are continuing to expand the protected bike lane network across Brooklyn to better accommodate cyclists,” said Deputy Mayor Laura Anglin. “We know protected bike lanes are key to making city streets safer for everyone on the road.”

“Brooklyn had a tough year for Vision Zero in 2019, so that is why we are here at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge to announce our plans for protected bike lanes in this new year,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.  “With the Mayor’s leadership, we are bringing a laser focus to this borough, with a record number of protected bike lanes coming to a range of neighborhoods.  Protected bike lanes make streets safer for everyone, and we have heard such great feedback on the work we did creating new protected lanes along 4th Avenue last year.  As a Brooklynite, I am especially pleased to announce that in 2020, we will finish the job.”

As part of the Mayor’s Green Wave plan, the Department of Transportation has committed to building 30 miles of new protected bike lanes citywide in 2020. At least ten of those miles will be in Brooklyn, including the following planned projects:

·         4th Avenue, Park Slope/Gowanus

·         Flatbush Avenue, Prospect Park/Brooklyn Botanic Garden

·         Ft. Hamilton Parkway, Windsor Terrace

·         Franklin Street (Greenway), Greenpoint

·         Meeker Avenue, Williamsburg/Greenpoint

·         Navy Street, Downtown Brooklyn

·         Remsen Avenue, Canarsie

·         Smith Street, Downtown Brooklyn

DOT today released its Vision Zero data about one of its major projects completed in 2018 in Gerritsen Beach, Brooklyn. A single mile of Gerritsen Avenue, Gerritsen Beach’s major thoroughfare, had four speeding related fatalities alone from 2007 to 2016.

Starting in 2017, DOT added a two-way protected bicycle lane and installed other major safety improvements, including pedestrian refuge islands, new bus stops and enhanced crossings which have dramatically improved safety. The corridor has had no fatalities since DOT began its transformational work, with the annual number of crashes declining by 54 percent.

“Last year was the deadliest year for cyclists in decades, and unfortunately the epicenter of the crisis was Brooklyn. We need to make aggressive, rapid investments in street safety to stem the tide of deaths and injuries throughout the five boroughs, and ensure all can move around our city safely. I am heartened to see the DOT implementing street safety infrastructure projects our office has long advocated for, including a protected bike lane along Flatbush Avenue in Prospect Park and on Navy Street in Downtown Brooklyn, as well as along other arterial roadways where most injuries and fatalities occur. We must act swiftly to ensure needed public safety measures are equitably deployed in every corner of our city,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. 

About Vision Zero:

Vision Zero is the de Blasio administration’s initiative to use every tool at its disposal to end traffic deaths and injuries on New York City streets. Since the program’s inaugural year in 2014, when New York City became the first American city to adopt Vision Zero, the City’s traffic fatalities have declined more than 25 percent — bucking national fatality trends, which have increased 15 percent over the same period.

For more information about the de Blasio Administration’s Vision Zero initiative, please see www.nyc.gov/visionzero.

Two Men Charged In Manhattan Federal Court With Bronx Murder

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and Peter C. Fitzhugh, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging DARON GOODMAN and JAMARR SIMMONS with the January 11, 2020, murder of Jason Parris, 36, in the vicinity of East 170th Street and Webster Avenue in the Bronx, New York.  The case has been assigned to United States District Judge George B. Daniels.  SIMMONS was arrested this morning.  GOODMAN was in state custody and was transferred to federal custody.  Both defendants were presented today before Judge Daniels and ordered detained.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As alleged in the indictment, Daron Goodman and Jamar Simmons murdered Jason Parris earlier this month.  Thanks to the outstanding efforts of the NYPD and HSI, Goodman and Simmons now face federal murder charges for this terrible crime.  We continue our daily work with our law enforcement partners to keep the streets safe, and to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who allegedly engage in acts of violence in our community.”

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said:  “This indictment illustrates how committed we are to stopping those engaged in gun violence.  The NYPD, together with federal agents and prosecutors, remain vigilant in our fight against violent crime as part of our joint effort to keep the city and its residents safe.”

HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh said:  “In a most heinous act, both Goodman and Simmons are alleged to have murdered a man in cold blood.  HSI will remain committed to work closely with our law enforcement partners on murder investigations in order to bring justice, and maybe some solace, for the victim’s family and loved ones.”

As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:

On January 11, 2020, DARON GOODMAN and JAMARR SIMMONS, shot and killed Jason Parris in the vicinity of 1441 Webster Avenue in the Bronx.  GOODMAN and SIMMONS killed Parris in part to maintain and increase their position in a racketeering enterprise operating in the Southern District of New York.

GOODMAN, 22, and SIMMONS, 32, are each charged with using a firearm to commit murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of death, or life in prison, and a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison.  The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge.           

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and HSI.  Mr. Berman also praised the New York City Department of Correction, Correction Intelligence Bureau, for its assistance in the investigation.       

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Manhattan Doctor Sentenced To Nearly Five Years In Prison For Accepting Bribes And Kickbacks In Exchange For Prescribing Fentanyl Drug

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ALEXANDRU BURDUCEA, a doctor who practiced in Manhattan, was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 57 months in prison for conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, in connection with a scheme to prescribe Subsys, a potent fentanyl-based spray, in exchange for bribes and kickbacks from Subsys’s manufacturer, Insys Therapeutics.  BURDUCEA pled guilty on February 14, 2019, and was sentenced by United States District Judge Kimba M. Wood.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “Before September 2014, Alexandru Burducea, a doctor who practiced in Manhattan, had never prescribed Subsys, a potent fentanyl-based spray.  By the second quarter of 2015, however – in exchange for bribes and kickbacks from Subsys’s manufacturer, Insys Therapeutics – Burducea became approximately the 14th-highest prescriber of Subsys in the country. Burducea sacrificed the safety of his patients to satisfy his own greed, and will now spend time in federal prison for his reckless prescribing of this highly addictive and deadly drug.”

According to the allegations contained in the Indictment against BURDUCEA and filings in related proceedings:

The Insys Speakers Bureau

Subsys, which is manufactured by Insys, is a powerful painkiller approximately 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine.  The FDA approved Subsys only for the management of breakthrough pain in cancer patients.  Prescriptions of Subsys typically cost thousands of dollars each month, and Medicare and Medicaid, as well as commercial insurers, reimbursed prescriptions written by BURDUCEA.

In or about August 2012, Insys launched a “Speakers Bureau,” a roster of doctors who would conduct programs (“Speaker Programs”) purportedly aimed at educating other practitioners about Subsys.  In reality, Insys used its Speakers Bureau to induce the doctors who served as speakers to prescribe large volumes of Subsys by paying them Speaker Program fees.  Speakers were supposed to conduct an educational slide presentation for other health care practitioners at each Speaker Program.  In reality, many of the Speaker Programs were predominantly social affairs where no educational presentation about Subsys occurred.  Attendance sign-in sheets for the Speaker Programs were frequently forged by adding the names and signatures of health care practitioners who had not actually been present.

BURDUCEA’s Participation in the Scheme

BURDUCEA, a doctor certified in pain management and anesthesiology, was an Assistant Professor of anesthesiology at a large Manhattan hospital.  He also practiced at an anesthesiology and pain management office associated with the hospital.  From in or about September 2014 until in or about June 2015, BURDUCEA received approximately $68,400 in Speaker Program fees from Insys in exchange for prescribing large volumes of Subsys.  In addition, Insys hired BURDUCEA’s then-girlfriend, now wife, to work as BURDUCEA’s sales representative, and the company paid her large commissions based on the volume of Subsys prescribed by her assigned doctors, which included BURDUCEA. 

BURDUCEA, who had never prescribed Subsys before in or about September 2014, became approximately the 14th-highest prescriber of Subsys nationally in the second quarter of 2015, accounting for total net sales of the drug of approximately $621,345 in that quarter.

In addition to the prison sentence, BURDUCEA, 43, of Little Neck, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $68,400. A restitution order will be entered within 90 days.

BURDUCEA was one of five Manhattan doctors convicted for participating in the Subsys bribery conspiracy.  Todd Schlifstein was convicted upon a guilty plea and sentenced by Judge Wood on October 28, 2019, principally to a term of two years in prison.  Dialecti Voudouris was convicted upon a guilty plea and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Wood on March 5, 2020.  Jeffrey Goldstein was convicted upon a guilty plea and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Wood on March 12, 2020.  Gordon Freedman was convicted following a jury trial and is scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Wood on March 19, 2020.

Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of the FBI, and thanked HHS OIG for its participation in the investigation.

RESTAURANT OWNER SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FATALLY SHOOTING MAN OUTSIDE BRONX ESTABLISHMENT

Defendant Convicted of Killing Former Employee’s Husband in Money Dispute 

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Westchester man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for fatally shooting a man outside his restaurant in the Allerton section of the Bronx over a money dispute. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant, a restaurant owner, shot his former employee’s husband when they went to pick up her paycheck. The defendant took a life because of a disagreement over money. He will now spend many years in prison for his actions.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Kenton Connerly, 52, of Port Chester, N.Y., was sentenced today to 20 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Alvin Yearwood. The defendant was found guilty by a jury of first-degree Manslaughter and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon on December 13, 2019. 

According to the investigation, on the evening of September 29, 2017, the victim, Lorenzo Daley, 29, went to the defendant’s restaurant, “Simply Seafood” located on 2542B White Plains Road, with his wife, a former employee, to retrieve her paycheck. An altercation erupted between Connerly and Daley, and Daley and his wife stepped outside of the restaurant and the defendant followed with a gun. Connerly pistol-whipped Daley in the head and the firearm went off once, striking the victim in the neck. Daley was taken to Jacobi Medical Center where he was pronounced dead a couple of hours after the incident.

  District Attorney Clark thanked Laura Ramirez, Advocate in her Crime Victims Assistance Unit, and NYPD Detective Robert Cintron of the 49th Precinct for their assistance in the case. 

Jessica Haller Launches Campaign for NY City Council, District 11

Climate Activist Jessica Haller Launches Campaign for New York City Council

BRONX, NY (January 27, 2020) – Jessica Haller, a climate activist, tech entrepreneur and mother of four, has registered a committee with the New York City Campaign Finance Board as a Democratic candidate for the City’s 11th Council District, which includes the neighborhoods of Bedford Park, Kingsbridge, Norwood, Riverdale, Van Cortlandt Village, Wakefield, and Woodlawn in the Bronx. Haller will compete in the Democratic primary, scheduled for June 2021. 

“I am running to bring a fresh local perspective to an array of challenges, from the public-safety threats posed by the sharp increase in hate crimes to the negative effects of climate change impacting our neighborhoods,” said Haller. “We must act now to ensure that our neighborhoods are safe and sustainable for the benefit of our children and grandchildren.” 

Haller has a strong track record as an environmental expert and advocate. She earned an M.P.A. in environmental science and policy from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and the Earth Institute and is a LEED Accredited Professional with the U.S. Green Building Council. She is also a member of The Climate Reality Project, trained and charged by Vice President Al Gore to speak publicly on issues of climate change. And she serves as the vice-chair of Hazon, the largest faith-based environmental organization in the U.S.

Haller is the first female candidate to enter the District 11 Council race. “As someone who strongly supports diversity I find it troubling that in 2020 all of my New York City elected representatives — from the Mayor, to the Public Advocate, to the Comptroller to the City Council — are men,” said Haller. “I believe that diverse organizations — including legislative bodies — are more successful than organizations with uniform memberships. It’s time to break up the old boys club, shatter a few more glass ceilings, and bring people of all genders and backgrounds together to address the serious and life-threatening challenges facing New Yorkers.”

Haller is an active member of 21 in ’21, an initiative launched in 2017 by former City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and former Council Member Elizabeth Crowley in response to the alarmingly low number of women serving on the New York City Council. Today, only 12 out of 51 Council members are women, down from a high of 18 in 2009.

“Our organization is focused on identifying, cultivating, and launching women candidates so they can not only run, but win, with a sisterhood of support behind them,” said 21 in '21 Founder Elizabeth Crowley. “Talented women like Jessica are too often told they must ‘wait their turn’ by the political establishment -- we’re working to change that.”

Haller is a life-long resident of New York City and lives in Riverdale with her husband, Chad, and children Leila, Avery, Chloe, and Mattie.

 

www.JessicaHaller.com

Bronx Progressives Annual Meeting - Wednesday, Jan 29th, 2019 at 6:30pm

Hello Bronx Progressives members!

Bronx Progressives is proud to invite you to our upcoming meeting on Wenesday, January 29th at 6:30pm at 1231 Lafayette Ave, 2nd Fl, Bronx, NY 10474 (6 Train to Hunts Point Ave, also BX 5, 6 and 19 buses).

We will be giving an update of our prior year, having a vote to endorse Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, decide other priority races, and take nominations for the executive committee! 

We look forward to seeing you all on January 29^th at 6:30pm! We welcome all to bring a dish to share!

***This meeting is ADA accessible and is a safe space for all races, religions, sexes, gender identities, ages and beliefs***

EDITOR'S NOTE:

We were at the recent meeting of Bronx Progressives which took place in September 2019 the day before Samelys Lopez announced her bid for the 15th Congressional District.  

At that meeting Ms. Lopez stepped down as the entire Executive Board of Bronx Progressives. Ms. Lopez then nominated eight people to take over for her on the Executive Board, even though there were only six voting members of Bronx Progressives present at the meeting. 

Were those eight people ineligible to run?

Why is there another nomination and election?

Did 15th Congressional candidate Samelys Lopez do something improper while running and then nominating eight people even though there were only six voting members present?

MAYOR DE BLASIO LAUNCHES ANTI-HATE CRIME NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY COALITIONS

Operating out of the Williamsburg, Crown Heights, and Borough Park neighborhoods, the coalitions bring together leaders from more than 70 concerned leaders and community groups

 Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the formation of three Neighborhood Safety Coalitions (NSCs) in Brooklyn neighborhoods that have experienced recent disturbing incidents against Jewish community members. Operating out of the Williamsburg, Crown Heights, and Borough Park neighborhoods, the Coalitions bring together leaders from more than 70 community institutions to create a visible network of ambassadors for neighborhood safety and unity, mobilize community response, and promote cultural understanding.

“Hate has no place in our communities, and in New York City, we watch out for our neighbors,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Our new Neighborhood Safety Coalitions will help communities address the root causes of hate and deter acts of violence before they occur.”

Made up of a diverse cross-section of each neighborhood, each NSC will work to fulfill the mission the Mayor laid down in the wake of the violent attacks on the Jewish communities in Jersey City, NJ and Monsey, NY.

The coalitions, which will begin meeting in February, are modeled on anti-violence programs that have for years operated throughout the City as proven ways to generate safety by neighbors for their neighborhoods. Applying these core, time-tested principles, each NSC consists of leaders from approximately 24 community religious congregations, local organizations, tenant associations, community boards, businesses, and schools from of the three each neighborhoods.  

The Mayor’s Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes will work with the individual coalitions to identify the unique needs within each neighborhood, and will both scale existing efforts as well as develop innovative, long-term strategies that promote respect and break down stereotypes. The NSCs will also offer visible, physical presences in their communities such as neighborhood walks and speakers bureaus in schools and community organizations.

Each NSC will look to design and implement neighborhood-specific efforts to address hate crimes, providing a platform for community-driven solutions. Meeting approximately once a month, the coalitions are tasked with facilitating real and productive dialogue among community partners to generate concrete strategies to address root causes of hate crimes, mobilize residents in response to incidents, and promote cultural understanding among community groups that leads to opportunities for positive social interaction.

To help provide day-to-day support for the coalitions’ initiatives, the City plans to provide $200,000 to each of the three neighborhoods.

While each coalition will determine the programming best suited for their neighborhood, programs may include:

• Neighborhood walks and corner watches led by diverse groups of NSC members, reinforcing a message of unity and common purpose to confront bias-motivated violence
• Speakers bureaus consisting of diverse community members and peer messengers that will tour neighborhood schools to educate students about how stereotypes and prejudice can escalate into hate incidents and violence
• Distribute Safe in the City micro-grants, a proven tool to support community based actions that reduce conflict
• Conduct neighborhood anti-bias workshops and community-building events
• Work with local schools to promote parent engagement and workshops
• Produce and distribute materials combatting hate that use credible neighborhood messengers  
• Pop-up tents to encourage neighbors to gather and meet each other

“Long-lasting change starts from the ground up, and the Neighborhood Safety Coalitions will help ensure our communities have the resources and support to celebrate their diversity and deter acts of hate,” said Deborah Lauter, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes. “I applaud and thank every one of the coalition members for their commitment to their communities.”

“The Neighborhood Safety Coalitions announced today are based on tried and true community-based models that embrace diversity and work toward respect and safety for all. The Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice is honored to help bring New Yorkers together to stand alongside their neighbors against hate and in support of community,” said Elizabeth Glazer, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice.

“Rooting out intolerance and hate takes a comprehensive effort that combines enforcement, education, dialogue and unity,” said District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. “That’s why I commend the Mayor and his Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes for creating Neighborhood Safety Coalitions that will build on Brooklyn’s diversity to combat bias and promote tolerance. My Office stands ready to support this important initiative.”

“The battle against hate crimes is multi-faceted, necessitating an “all hands on deck approach”. The first hands to come together need to be all segments of the local community where these attacks are happening. Their reach is deep in the community and they are the ones who have the most vested in keeping their homes and community peaceful and safe. The NSC coupled with all levels of government dedicating the appropriate resources will enable us to stabilize the crisis of hate crimes that keeps sinking into our streets. We are grateful to the Mayor for his stewardship of the NSC and the city’s response to anti-Semitic hate crimes,” said Rabbi David Niederman, President of the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn.

“The recent violent attacks, especially those on our Jewish sisters and brothers, have deeply shaken our neighborhood, our city, and our nation, and serve as a clarion call. It is a time for us to come together and take action as one united community against hate. El Puente, as our name suggests, is committed to building bridges with our neighborhood partners to inspire unity and understanding that will nurture a community of respect for all, regardless of religion, race, age, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. For decades, Williamsburg’s diverse communities have come together in times of struggle, and in this critical moment, we must do it again,” said Frances Lucerna, Co-Founder & Executive Director of El Puente.

“I thank Mayor de Blasio for creating the Neighborhood Safety Coalition and seeking ways to combat and eradicate hate from our neighborhoods,” said Avi Greenstein, CEO of the Boro Park Jewish Community Council. “I look forward to being a partner with the Mayor’s new Prevention of Hate Crimes office in leading the efforts to work towards the safety of the Boro Park community as an integral part of this vital coalition.”

“This has been ongoing, year in and year out. It’s not only happening in Crown Heights, but all around the U.S. I will be asking Faith leaders to get together to pray about this,” said Karl Cohen, President of the 71st Precinct Community Council.

“Neighbors In Action denounces all forms of violence and will continue working with community members to promote safety and healing for everyone,” said Roshan Johnson, Associate Director of Safety for Crown Heights, Neighbors in Action.

“We are horrified by the recent series of attacks on Jewish people and continuing anti-Semitic activities which encourage hate. We stand together as a community to stop these attacks and the  hate language which corrodes community wellbeing,” said Michael Rochford, Executive Director of St. Nick’s Alliance.

“We were honored that the Mayor built on the work that has been done in crown heights as a model for the rest of the City,” said Rabbi Eli Cohen, Executive Director of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council.

I want to thank the Mayor for putting together this coalition of community leaders to show the “world that we stand together against hate crimes and will do everything in our power to bring our families and the communities together,” said Mike Tucker, Founder of the Lay the Guns Down Foundation.

“Hate crimes in our city, state and country continue to rise at alarming rates. Our collective efforts as human beings to interrupt, change, dismantle and ultimately eradicate the cycle of violence will be what resets the moral compass in our communities and provide an opportunity for us to restore some the humanity that has been stolen from us all. This process begins with how we see, hear and treat each other as human beings. I look forward to working with individuals and communities who will look at hate crimes in all its forms and against all communities in order to work toward solutions that will end the hate and violence,” said Juan Ramos, Executive Director of Southside United HDFC.

“Thank you Mayor deBlasio for making safety a priority in our community. If Clergy and Communities come together to address safety and have conversations with the Youth, all things will work together for the good” said Sr. Pastor Gwen Dingle, The Pentecostal House of Prayer.

"People often commit hate crimes because they fear what they don’t understand. Therefore, it is important to educate people on cultural differences. In joining this coalition, I hope to help educate those with misunderstanding of different cultures and break down negative stereotypes that lead to animosities,” said Louie Liu, Brooklyn Asian Civilian Observational Patrol.

“Where our community was once a melting pot , it has now become a  beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different hopes and dreams is now the beauty of our city,” said Karina Costantino, District 20 Elementary and Middle School Superintendent.

"In this difficult time our differences unite us more than they divide us. I accept this challenge to come together for the betterment of our community," said Rob Solano Cofounder & Executive Director of Churches United For Fair Housing, Inc.

DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION OUTLINES PREPAREDNESS FOR NOVEL CORONAVIRUS

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, FDNY, NYCEM, NYC Health + Hospitals poised to respond novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

  The City laid out its preparedness plans for the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak. The virus, initially identified in China, has now spread to 16 countries with 25 deaths, all in China. There are now two confirmed cases in the United States.

“With the best emergency response teams in the nation, New York City stands ready to respond to any potential cases of the coronavirus,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We will remain vigilant and ensure New Yorkers have the facts they need to stay safe.”

All City hospitals and health providers are now trained to identify symptoms and evaluate patients who may present symptoms for 2019-nCoV, which include cough, shortness of breath, and fever. Additionally, the City has established transport protocols for individuals who may present symptoms of 2019-nCoV and in need of a medical evaluation; infection prevention and control measures at all New York City hospitals; instructions on specimen collection and other preparations.

While there are zero diagnoses in New York City at this time, coronavirus has been detected in hundreds of people worldwide. While initially thought to only spread through prolonged exposure, more recent epidemiology indicates that person-to-person transmission is possible. While some infections have resulted in severe illness, and even death, others have presented mild, flu-like symptoms and been discharged from care. 

  

Authorities have instituted travel restrictions in at least 12 cities in China (including Wuhan), affecting tens of millions of people. The CDC remains poised to screen passengers based on need. To date, no passengers arriving from Wuhan or connecting flights at JFK have needed medical evaluation. However, New York City is fully prepared to transport individuals showing symptoms or who receive positive diagnoses as needed. 

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHM) has conducted outreach and are providing guidance to local community-based organizations and health care providers serving our communities to inform them of the necessary precautions they need to take if someone with symptoms of coronavirus visits them. 

Additionally, NYC Health + Hospitals is working closely with the Health Department, and the public health system is well prepared in the event that a patient with nCoV-like symptoms presents at or is transported to one of its emergency departments. Frontline staff have up-to-date public health clinical information on the 2019-nCoV virus, including infection prevention and control, personal protective equipment usage and practices, instructions on specimen collection, and in-service trainings on ‘donning and doffing’ personal protective gear. NYC Health Hospitals has also embedded travel screening into the electronic health record system to ensure that any patient walking into one of its facility is promptly identified and isolated.

The CDC recommends people avoid non-essential travel to Wuhan. For travel deemed essential, the Health Department has shared the following CDC recommendations with healthcare providers regarding travelers to Wuhan:

• Avoid contact with sick people
• Avoid animals (alive or dead), animal markets, and products that come from animals (such as uncooked meat); 
• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Older travelers and those with underlying health issues may be at risk for more severe disease and should discuss travel to Wuhan with their healthcare provider.

For those who recently traveled to Wuhan and feel sick with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, CDC recommends:

• Seek medical care right away. Before going to a doctor’s office or emergency room, call ahead and tell them about recent travel and symptoms.
• Avoid contact with others.
• Not travel while sick.
• Cover mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not hands) when coughing or sneezing.
• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

“The de Blasio administration is prepared for the likelihood of the novel coronavirus in New York City,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Raul Perea-Henze. “Our world-class public health system anchored by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and NYC Health + Hospitals, working together with our partners across government and in the communities, will manage whatever comes our way. We urge all New Yorkers to continue to pursue their everyday activities and routines, but to remain aware of the facts about coronavirus. Those with a travel history should see a doctor at the first sign of any flu-like symptoms. Everyone is welcome at all NYC Health + Hospitals facilities and will be treated with dignity and respect.”

"We take this rapidly changing situation seriously and are monitoring world events closely,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “New Yorkers should know the risk to residents of the city is low and that public health and emergency teams are ready to act swiftly if circumstances change. We urge New Yorkers who have recently travelled to the Wuhan area to contact their health care providers if they have fever, cough or shortness of breath.”

“Preparation and coordination are vital to any response. Today’s exercise brings together key individuals to discuss the important steps we can take to ensure we are ready to respond to anyone who may be affected by this virus,” said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Deanne Criswell. “Contact their health care providers if they have fever, cough or shortness of breath.”

“FDNY’s highly-trained Paramedics and EMTs are prepared to respond to any potential calls related to the coronavirus,” said Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro. “The Department will continue to monitor this situation and work closely with the Health Department and every city agency to ensure the safety of New Yorkers.”

 “NYC Health + Hospitals takes an ‘all-infectious disease approach’ when preparing for public health threats such as coronavirus,” said Mitchell Katz, MD, President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals. “Our hospitals are vigilant and well prepared in the event that a patient with coronavirus-like symptoms arrives at or is transported to one of our emergency departments. Further, our Special Pathogens Program ensures the ongoing readiness of our facilities through drills and exercises of varying scope and scale by testing system and facility processes and protocols.”

“New York City is committed to protecting the health and safety of all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status,” said Bitta Mostofi, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “No one should be afraid to get the care they need, when they need it. If you or your loved ones have recently travelled to the Wuhan area and are showing symptoms, contact your health care providers or seek care, in your language and community, today.”