Prominent Leaders Voice Strong Support for AG James's Lawsuit Against Facebook’s Illegal Monopoly

 

Federal, State, and Community Leaders, and Scholars Across New York and Nation Praise Fight Against Anticompetitive Conduct

 After New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit yesterday against Facebook for illegally stifling competition to protect its monopoly power, elected and community leaders across New York and the United States came out and expressed their support for the lawsuit.

Federal Leaders

“Numerous reports have brought Facebook’s long history of anti-competitive behavior to light,” said U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN). “The company’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp have made the social media landscape less competitive and worse for users. Big technology companies like Facebook should not have free reign to impose their will on the market, and they must be held accountable when they attempt to do so. I’m glad the FTC and state enforcers are taking action to stop Facebook’s anti-competitive behavior.”

“Facebook’s reign of unaccountable, abusive practices against consumers, competitors and innovation must end today,” said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (CT). “For too long, Facebook has avoided real competition through anticompetitive acquisitions, unchecked power over consumers, and the failure of federal antitrust enforcers to take action. The Federal Trade Commission and the state attorneys general’s cases against Facebook should set a new standard for how we fight back against entrenched corporate power. The case against Facebook is clear and compelling — competition has been stifled, innovation has suffered, and consumers have been harmed.”

“For nearly two years now, I’ve been calling to break up Big Tech — including Facebook,” said U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (MA). “I’d said before that the purchases of WhatsApp and Instagram should never have been approved and need to be reversed. Today, the FTC and 48 states agreed. Facebook is doing pretty well right now. They've acquired potential competitors WhatsApp and Instagram. More than 85 percent of all social networking traffic goes through sites owned or operated by Facebook. They've got a lot of power — and face little competition or accountability. And they’ve wielded that power over everything — over our economy, our society, and our democracy. They’ve bulldozed competition, used our private information for profit, and tilted the playing field. And in the process, they have hurt small businesses and stifled innovation. I want a government that makes sure everybody — even the biggest and most powerful companies in America — plays by the rules. And I want to make sure that the next generation of great American tech companies can flourish. More competition means more options for consumers and content creators, and more pressure on companies like Facebook to address the glaring problems with their businesses. Healthy competition can solve a lot of problems and it’s how we can protect the future of the Internet.”

“Rather than competing with Instagram and WhatsApp, it appears Facebook simply bought these firms to expand its dominance,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10). “As a result, Facebook has illegally maintained its monopoly, allowing it to engage in other abusive conduct. This should never have happened in the first place, and accountability is long overdue. I applaud New York Attorney General Letitia James and the Federal Trade Commission for their efforts to promote competition by filing today’s complaints.”

“By breaking the rules to push out competition and dominate user data, Facebook has gamed the system to consolidate their own empire at the expense of consumers, small businesses, and our democracy,” said U.S. Representative Nydia Velazquez (NY-07). “I salute Attorney General James for leading this lawsuit and harnessing the power of our judicial system to hold Facebook accountable and restore the heathy competition that our economy needs to promote equal opportunities.”

“Facebook is a monopoly. Its abuse of its dominance harms competition, innovation, and other businesses. In the absence of competition and accountability, Facebook has harmed people's privacy and allowed disinformation to flourish on its platform, threatening our democracy,” said House Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David N. Cicilline (RI-01). “Facebook has broken the law. It must be broken up. I applaud the FTC and state attorneys general who are leading this effort. This marks a major step in our ongoing work to bring the tech industry's monopoly moment to an end.”

“Facebook is absolutely an out-of-control monopoly — one that has abused its market power to squash competition, manipulate democracies, and crush journalism,” said U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14). “Thank you to New York Attorney General Letitia James for leading the way.”

Community Leaders

“Yesterday, the state attorneys general filed an antitrust case against Facebook that couldn’t have come at a more crucial time in our nation’s history,” said Sally Hubbard, director of enforcement strategy, Open Markets Institute. “Facebook’s role as a gatekeeper of speech has had a devastating impact on the marketplace of ideas, the public sphere of debate, and our elections. Facebook has maintained its monopoly power not by outperforming competitive threats, but rather by muscling them out of the competition altogether or by buying them. The evidence that Facebook has violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act and Section 7 of the Clayton Act is overwhelming.”

“We are very pleased to see an overwhelming bipartisan group of states, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, bring a long-awaited case against Facebook for its blatant efforts to squash competition, both by buying out nascent competitors and by abusing its access to data about consumers,” said Jason Kint, CEO, Digital Content. “Beyond the obvious harm to the news, entertainment, and advertising industries, Facebook’s anticompetitive behavior has had a subversive effect on democracy and public discourse around the world.”

“Attorney General Letitia James has built a watertight case and an historic bipartisan coalition of state and territorial enforcers to send a much-needed message: Facebook is not above the law,” said Sarah Miller, executive director, American Economic Liberties Project. “As the complaint makes clear, Facebook's dominance was not built through innovation, but through illegal acquisitions and brazenly anti-competitive conduct. This suit is an affirmation that leaders like Attorney General James are ready and willing to protect the public by enforcing the law against the world's most powerful corporations, including by pursuing structural remedies, and reinforces the critical role of antitrust in securing fair competition, promoting innovation, and protecting democracy from monopoly power.”

“The American Antitrust Institute applauds New York and the broad coalition of states for their unified, bipartisan support for strong antitrust enforcement against Facebook,” said Diana Moss, president, American Antitrust Institute. “This action highlights the essential role of state enforcement, delivering the message that the attorneys general will stand up for competition and consumers to protect our markets and the U.S. economy.”

Scholars

“This is an important lawsuit that raises significant concerns about the WhatsApp and Instagram acquisitions, the abuse of tools that apps needed to connect with Facebook, and harm to consumers,” said Michael A. Carrier, distinguished professor, Rutgers Law School.

“The state and FTC antitrust complaints against Facebook are excellent and crisply state the relevant antitrust issues. This is going to be a fascinating, landmark case,” said Einer R. Elhauge, Carroll and Milton Petrie professor of law, Harvard University.”

“Facebook's anti-competitive behavior has resulted in a skyrocketing of non-economic costs for parents, citizens, and entrepreneurs,” said Scott Galloway, professor of marketing, New York University Stern School of Business. “There are few firms that have done this much damage, at this scale, this fast. Attorney General James’ lawsuit is a powerful step to restoring a healthier media ecosystem, and national dialogue.”

“Facebook’s idea that 'it is better to buy than compete' is totally contrary to the letter and spirit of antitrust laws,” said Scott Hemphill, Moses H. Grossman professor of law, New York University. “Dominant firms have to compete on the merits with innovative startups that are emerging rivals, not buy them up. This litigation is important to restore competition and protect innovation in social networking and beyond.”

“Facebook beat its early competitors by loudly promising to protect users’ privacy and personal information,” said Matthew Hindman, associate professor of media and public affairs, George Washington University. “This filing, by a broad bipartisan coalition, is an important first step toward reversing Facebook’s illegal bait-and-switch.”

“The lawsuit filed by 48 AGs is a landmark effort to ensure that antitrust laws are enforced in the digital age,” said Lina Khan, associate professor of law, Columbia University School of Law. “The states collected reams of evidence showing that Facebook engaged in a series of illegal acquisitions and business practices, designed to maintain its monopoly in violation of antitrust laws. Their work evinces a sophisticated understanding of digital markets and the harm that Facebook's monopolization has produced.”

“It is time — some might say past time — to address the undisputed power and alleged anticompetitive behavior of the tech giants,” said John B. Kirkwood, professor of law, Seattle University School of Law. “In October, the Justice Department and eleven states sued Google. Now, the FTC and forty-eight states have sued Facebook. Everyone knows that Facebook has enormous power. This action asserts that that power is monopoly power and that Facebook gained it, in part, through illegal tactics, including acquiring start-ups that would have challenged Facebook’s dominance. If these charges are true, Facebook has harmed users and advertisers, and some form of break-up has to be considered. These actions are important for consumers and competition.”

“Just two years ago, we wondered how our antitrust laws might hold our tech titans to account. In just a short span of time, we bridged that gap,” said Dina Srinivasan, author and fellow, Thurman Arnold Project at Yale University. “I am glad to see New York take a lead on Facebook. Its social network is still free, but Facebook has harmed people in other ways, including when it comes to their privacy.”

“Absolutely groundbreaking lawsuit led by Attorney General Letitia James, 48 states suing to break up Facebook for ‘buying and burying,’ illegally acquiring competitors in a predatory manner and cutting services to smaller competitive threats,” said Zephyr Teachout, author and professor, Fordham University’s School of Law. “What a great day for the future of the internet.”

“Attorney General James’ Facebook lawsuit is centered on the core gospel of the antitrust law: that acquiring or neutralizing your competitors is not a legal business model,” said Timothy Wu, Julius Silver professor of law, Columbia University School of Law. “The many, highly damning documents quoted make it clear that Facebook saw a path forward that depended on eliminating competitive threats, one way or another. As such, the complaint brings to life the legal phrase 'unlawful monopoly maintenance.'”

Mayor de Blasio Morning Informational COVID-19 Session

 

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Good morning, everybody. Well, it is a season, a very special season and a time for us all to support each other, believe in each other. And today we prepare for Hanukkah and I want to wish a very Happy Hanukkah to all. This is a time to think about what the holiday tells us. And it talks all about light and hope and faith and perseverance. And it's a time when people support each other and show their love for each other. Obviously, this year, the gatherings have to be different. People have to watch out for each other. That's another way of celebrating the holiday and all the holidays this season. Watch out for each other, make sure you do your celebrations in a way that really is all about the health and the safety of everyone you love. But it's a special time, it's a time to celebrate. And what a perfect symmetry that Hanukkah comes just at the time when we expect the first shipments of a vaccine to give us hope, to shed light, to remind us that our persistence will be rewarded here in the city, and we will be turning the page in the months ahead.    

   

And speaking of turning the page, kids are back in classrooms, turning the pages of their textbooks today. Another step forward for our schools. This week we have seen our younger kids come back to school, pre-K, 3-K, K-through-five. Today, our special education kids in District 75 come back to school. The Chancellor and I were in the South Bronx earlier in the week to see kids coming back, to see parents bringing them to school with such joy. Our educators also feeling such joy to see kids again. We continue to bring our kids back in a safe and smart way and, look, for our special education kids, it's so important for them to be back in the classroom with educators who love them, who care for them. So, this is another good day. And I want to say to all the families of kids in District 75, we have heard you. You said how important it is to have the support, to have the help of these caring professionals, and I’m very happy that kids in District 75 schools will be back in the classroom today.    

   

Now, today, we want to talk about our classrooms, our kids, our families, our parents, our teachers, and what lies ahead because we have a lot more work to do in this school year, for sure. In fact, most of the school year still lies ahead of us. And we'll be talking about that constantly in the days and weeks ahead, but it's also time to start looking to the future. It's time to start thinking about what our city is going to be like as the vaccine is distributed more and more, what our schools are going to be like in the future, how we can address the needs of our kids and families. And it's time to really reckon with a challenge that we're seeing very, very clearly, which is a way that COVID has stood in the way of our kids' education. The fact that there has been learning loss and there will still be learning loss ahead that we have to compensate for and then overcome. In fact, clearly there will be a COVID achievement gap, and we have to close that COVID achievement gap. Today, we're going to outline a plan that will take us forward into the next school year and give us the tools to close that COVID achievement gap. It is absolutely essential.    

   

Today, we will present a 2021 Student Achievement Plan. We want all New Yorkers to understand where we're going with our schools and the foundation, we’ll be laying through this school year to get ready for a very different school year that begins in September. In September, there will be a new normal. Let's be clear. Our approach will be based on everything we have learned through this very challenging time. But like with every crisis, we also in a crisis learn how to do new things and sometimes better things. We learn ways to serve our kids that are different and can reach them in a more individual manner. Our kids are going to need that individual help because they're overcoming so much. So, our 2021 Student Achievement Plan will lay out the ideas, the foundations of how we continue to improve the education of all children and build from there. But look, kids have gone through a lot. They have gone through a lot in terms of their education and the disruption to their education. They've gone through a lot emotionally, everything that's happened to them, to their families, to their community. And it's important to think about what has happened to our children. The Chancellor and I have talked about this a lot, the weight our kids are carrying that we must address. Again, that's both on the academic side and on the emotional side.    

   

Let me give you an example. Think about a child in our schools. I'm just going to paint you a picture. Let's call him Robbie. He's a third-grade child. Last year, he's going to third grade, February, things are going great, and then the coronavirus hits. So, his school year gets cut short. He's dealing with a disruption that no child could ever expect, or even could easily comprehend. Doesn't get all that he would have gotten had school been continuing as normal last school year. He starts to fall behind. He starts to experience some of that learning loss. He's struggling a little bit more. And then Robbie, like so many other kids, may have had losses in his family. He may have seen loved ones, get sick, or even lose a loved one. He may have seen families around him lose a loved one. The disruption, the confusion, think of what this does to a young mind. And we're encouraging our kids all the time to be all they can be and reach their potential. But imagine a child who has experienced disruption after disruption, and the traumatic realities that this virus has wreaked on this city and on so many families. Robbie needs more than to just come back to school next year, with the same old approach. That's not going to cut it. Robbie needs a lot more support and help than he would have if there had not been the coronavirus. So, how do we go about that? We provide the tools. We need to make sure that the way we assess where Robbie is, academically is better than ever. And that we understand exactly what he needs. We need to make sure that our teachers have new tools, new training, have the ability to use digital approaches in new ways. And teachers are constantly experiencing that this year and they're doing amazing things.    

   

And I want to just express my admiration for our educators who have had to innovate and innovate and innovate throughout this year. And they keep doing it and they learn new and better ways. Kids like Robbie are going to need that. They're going to need a very individualized approach. We know in a New York City public school classroom, 20, 24 kids, teachers do their best to reach each one, but they're going to need to do even more in this new normal and use the power of digital education to really individualize, tailor-make a plan for Robbie and for all other kids, to help them get the support they need and reach the heights they're capable of. All of these things have to happen. And our parents will need support too, because they'll need to understand how they can help their kids the best. And this is an area where there's long been a gap as well, the ability of our schools to fully engage our parents as academic partners. We're going to do that. We're doing it right now. We're going to build upon it with our Parent University, training parents how to be the best colleagues to teachers in the education of their child, how to help their child blossom.    

   

And finally, we have to think about the mental health needs of our children and address the trauma they've gone through and bring new tools to bear as we go into the new school year. So, again, our mission is clear, for the child I've presented to you today, Robbie, and for every child, we have to be there for them in brand new ways. We have to close that COVID achievement gap, and we have to have a clear plan going into next school year to maximize achievement. Our schools are going to come back stronger than ever. I don't doubt it. Our 2021 Student Achievement Plan will give us the foundation to make sure that that approach reaches every single child. Here to give you the outline of where we'll be going in 2021 and the years ahead, our Chancellor, Richard Carranza.   

   

Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. When you put it in terms of Robbie, it brings it home to all of us. We're talking about our children. And while this past several months have been a whirlwind for all of us with constantly evolving public health guidance and a completely transformed school system. It's time that we think about recovery, literally looking up from the here and now and looking forward, where are we going? Every single educator and every single staff member supporting our schools and students has had their heads focused singularly on the work for months on end. With the first doses of the vaccine arriving next week, it's clearer than ever that we will return to a normalcy that is unlike the normal pre-COVID-19. Today, we want to look slightly further ahead and out of the immediate moment and into the path forward. We know that it will require a recovery period. And that's the vision and framework that we're sharing with you today. We have a lot of work to do alongside our brilliant educators and leaders across the Department of Education to build this out to completion. But today we begin by sharing how we'll get started.    

   

We will improve teaching and learning and continue to bring back our students by number one, getting a baseline of what ground we lost with low stakes diagnostic assessment citywide and interim assessments throughout the school year to monitor progress and tailor learning. You can't know where to focus unless you know what to focus on. And that's the whole point of these formative assessments. Number two, increasing access to high-quality digital curriculum at every single school in our school system. Three, launching a one-stop digital learning hub. This will be a new learning management system phased in and developed and customized for New York City schools that houses lessons and tools, and that can be shared across the city to help students, their teachers, and families better understand how a student is progressing. Our teachers have done remarkable work during this pandemic, and we're going to capture that work that's been developed here in New York City and make it available for everyone. Number four, we're deepening our professional development for our teachers, so our educators have the training and tools to close the gaps. We're expanding our Parent University to continue supporting parents with the tools they need to support and deepen learning at home in their language. And number six, we're confronting the trauma and medical health crisis faced by our students through a citywide approach. This vision is rooted in healing and in learning because our students need both. We'll have more to share in the weeks and months to come, but we're clear-eyed about where we need to go. And we're looking forward to building this out.    

   

And Mr. Mayor, if I could just add to Robbie's story, I want to tell you the story of Aashi. Aashi literally disappeared from the Department of Education when we transitioned to remote learning in March. We couldn't find her. We didn't know where she was. On the very first day of school on September 21st, she showed up at school and it turns out that her parents had both lost her jobs. They were evicted. She didn't have a device, they literally couch surfed, but she had heard that school was back in session and she showed up. And the principal that shared this story with me was so incredibly moved because she is not the only student that has undergone that kind of trauma. So, when we talk about trauma, that's the trauma we're talking about. Robbie and this Bengali student named Aashi, that's who we're fighting for. And thank you for leading us in that.   

   

Mayor: Thank you so much to answer. And you could hear the heart in the Chancellor's voice when he told that story. This is exactly right. We understand our kids have been through so much. We talk, I talk to parents, I talk to educators, I hear what it's like for kids this year, everything they've been through. We have to be there for them, but I also have immense faith in the ability of our educators to reach our kids and in the strength and resiliency of our kids and their ability to reach their potential. If we're there for them every step along the way, we can figure out what each child needs to succeed and how to support them, that's what this is all about.    

   

Now, look, this is all going to take a lot of hard work. I don't think anyone imagines anything different and New Yorkers are never afraid of hard work. Our educators have done amazing things in the course of this year, unprecedented things, but we're calling upon everyone who serves us to do that. And one of the other groups that has been absolutely outstanding in this crisis is our Test and Trace Corps. They have worked so hard. And remember, this was a brand-new organization, brand new approach had to be put together from scratch. Test and Trace Corps has done amazing work, reaching out deeply into the city to protect people and has helped us avoid thousands upon thousands of coronavirus infections. Well, here's an update – and you heard from Dr. Ted Long about a record that was set just earlier in the week, 95,000 – 95,000 New Yorkers got the coronavirus test on one day. We've never seen a number like that before. That's a really good sign, both of the reach of the Test and Trace Corps., encouraging people, the fact that so much testing has been made available successfully over the city, but the fact also that New Yorkers are hearing the message get tested. And particularly on Get Tested Tuesdays, people have been out there. 95,000 people on one day – well, that's extraordinary. Also, the week before Thanksgiving, half a million tests were given in a single week. These are the kind of numbers we dreamed of long ago that would really allow us to understand exactly what was happening and to protect the most people. Half a million New Yorkers in a single week got tested. We want to keep seeing that going forward. And I'm proud to tell you that now, based on a lot of innovations, including our extraordinary pandemic response lab – another thing that we started from scratch here in New York City, in the midst of this crisis, we now have a greater capacity to test New Yorkers than we've ever had before – 120,000 New Yorkers can now be tested in a single day. This is, again, a goal that seemed far away not that long ago, but we're here now – 120,000 people can be tested a single day.   

  

Now, New Yorkers, the tests are out there – so many people ready to serve you. We can get you a quick turnaround time on those results. It's fast, it's easy. Get on out there and get tested. It will help this city to move forward, but, more importantly, it will protect you and your family and everyone you love.   

  

Okay. Let's go over today's indicators. Number one, current hospital admissions – daily number of people admitted to New York City hospitals for suspected COVID-19. Today's report, 185 patients. So, we're below that threshold of 200, but it's still a high number. We’re going to keep working to get that down. And on the hospitalization rate, today's number, 2.41 per 100,000 New Yorkers. We want to get that number under two, so more work to do there. Next, current new cases – again, this combines probable cases with confirmed cases. Daily number of new cases on a seven-day average, today is 2,614 – very high, very much surpassing the target where we want to be – 550. It's going to take us a while to get back there, but we will. And the daily update on the seven-day rolling average, percentage of New York City residents testing positive – today's report, 5.32 percent. Again, we want to be under five. We're dealing with a challenge right now. What's the answer? Get tested, wear a mask, practice social distancing, do not travel, avoid indoor gatherings. If we keep doing all of that, we are going to get this number back down, especially with the vaccine arriving in a matter of days.   

  

CONSUMER ALERT: NYS DIVISION OF CONSUMER PROTECTION ALERTS CONSUMERS TO PRIVACY PRECAUTIONS WITH TECHNOLOGY TOYS

 

Technology Toys are Popular Gifts that are also Vulnerable to Hacking

Parents Should Take Precautions to Ensure Toys Properly Operate and Shutdown

 As part of its seven-part consumer alert holiday series, the New York State Division of Consumer Protection (DCP) is today alerting parents and families that Bluetooth and technology-enabled toys may be fun for families to interact with this holiday season, but these toys are also easy for hackers to access and manipulate for nefarious means. When children’s products, such as smartwatches, smart toys and gaming devices, are tested for vulnerabilities, results show exposures with microphone and camera access in sleep mode, Bluetooth connections without authentication, access to location information and conversation eavesdropping. 

As children interact with technology-enabled and connected toys, usage and personal information (like location) is continuously uploaded to company servers. Once a toy is vulnerable to a hack, that information can be easily accessed and collected. Additionally, when toys allow children to search and access the web, the toy can effortlessly misdirect children away from age appropriate sites. 

“Toymakers are in the business of making toys, not technology,” said Secretary of State Rossana Rosado, who oversees the New York State Division of Consumer Protection. “Making toys fun and easy to use often means technology and security take a back seat. New York families need to take extra precautions, especially when children are 35 times more likely to fall victim to identity theft.”

Steps to make technology-enabled toys safer:

• Research complaints. Parent blogs, social media, and security company websites often sound the alarm well before news stories hit. Check for known security issues before considering a purchase.
• Turn it off. When a child is done playing with a toy or leaves it, make sure the toy is first disconnected from the internet and then turned off. When toys remain connected to the internet in sleep mode, your personal privacy and information can still be accessed.
• When children are playing with technology-enabled toys, watch their interactions closely to understand how the toys work and quickly identify when something is not right with a toy.
• Secure WiFi. Never use technology-enabled toys on public WiFi. Hackers gain easy access to the toy and can use it to capture other protected information in the home.
• Strengthen passwords. Make sure your passwords are unique and updated regularly. Try using a passphrase instead of a password and include special characters and numbers. If it’s difficult to remember so many passwords, try a password manager with multi-step authentication to manage your passwords.
• Use parental controls. Many toy companies claim they want to protect your child’s information. See which companies offer the option to delete your child’s information and select that option. Also, understand what settings are defaulted when you use the toy and what additional settings you can adjust to further protect your child.
• Read the policies. Companies are beginning to specify what information they store and share. Read the long policy documents to see what information is stored and what is used only for sign-up and then deleted. If this information is not clear, consider choosing another product.
• Follow your data. Interactive toys may store data locally or in the cloud. Toys that do not connect regularly to the internet are less connected and less likely to be hacked. Either way, check whether toys can have data deleted or better still, reset to factory settings, before passing it on to another household.
• Enter an alias. If setup requires additional information, provide a different name or nickname, birthdate and other important information. If the toy is hacked, this decreases the chance of child identity theft.
• Technology is here to stay. Toys can provide an opportunity to talk with kids about staying safe online. For ideas, check out Common Sense Media: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/privacy-and-internet-safety.
• Stay offline. Old-fashioned games, books and puzzles are making a comeback. Consider a family game night – without gaming consoles!

If you believe your child’s toy was hacked, report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

For more information on Child Identity Theft, visit the Division of Consumer Protection website.

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection provides voluntary mediation between a consumer and a business when a consumer has been unsuccessful at reaching a resolution on their own. The Consumer Assistance Helpline 1-800-697-1220 is available Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm, excluding State Holidays, and consumer complaints can be filed at any time at www.dos.ny.gov/consumerprotection. To view consumer alerts, consumers can visit https://www.dos.ny.gov/about/newsroom.html. The Division can also be reached via Twitter at @NYSConsumer or Facebook at www.facebook.com/nysconsumer.

Pelham Parkway Menorah and Christmas Tree Lighting

 

Due to the construction at White Plains Road and Pelham Parkway the traditional Menorah and Christmas Tree have been relocated this year to the corner of Pelham Parkway and Williamsbridge Road at the Peace Plaza.

On hand for the Menorah and Christmas Tree were a small select group of people which included Councilman Mark Gjonaj, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, Rabbi Saabia Pewzner, Bronx Jewish Community Council Executive Board member Steve Glosser, members of the 49th Precinct and a few others including technicians who were live streaming the event on Facebook. Due to the Pandemic members of the public were asked not to attend, but view the event on Facebook as it was happening.

Above - Councilman Mark Gjonaj, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, Rabbi Saabia Pewzner, and Steve Glosser.

Below - Rabbi Pewzner explains the miracle of Chanukah.

Above - The Menorah is Lit.

Below - The Christmas Tree is lit.

WHITE PLAINS ROAD BID HOLIDAY LIGHTS

 

Wednesday night the White Plains Road Business Improvement District lit the holiday lights that spread over White Plains Road from Lydig Avenue north to Pelham Parkway. 

Holiday lights were also put on Lydig Avenue from Holland Avenue east to White Plains Road. The Christmas Bicycle also made an appearance. 

Above - At the corner of Lydig Avenue looking north up White Plains Road. Councilman Mark Gjonaj, White Plains Road BID former Executive Director Felipe, Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association Vice-President Steve Gkosser.

Below - On Lydig Avenue looking east to White Plains Road.

The Christmas Bicycle with Kevin Daolia.

CITY UPDATES NEW YORKERS ON VACCINE PREPAREDNESS

 

 Mayor de Blasio announced additional preparations for vaccine distribution. The City is expected to receive 465,000 doses of the vaccine by the beginning of January.  

“With a vaccine on the horizon, we are in the last big battle against the virus,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Hope is finally on the way, but we must stay vigilant to get through these winter months. We need New Yorkers to keep doing what we know works: wear a mask, get tested, socially distance, and if you’re a senior citizen or have a pre-existing medical condition, stay home as much as possible.”

 

“The vaccine is one step to protect New Yorkers, especially our extraordinarily dedicated health care heroes,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi. “As the broader public awaits a vaccine, remember that we have other sources of protection, namely those precautions that brought COVID-19 under control the first time around—masking, distancing, hand-washing and staying home.”

 

In accordance with State and CDC guidelines, the initial expected doses will be given to nursing homes and health care personnel performing high-risk activities. The first shipments of the vaccine will be sent to hospitals, who have the capacity for ultracold storage, which is required for the Pfizer vaccine. Other healthcare personnel will receive vaccine next. To ensure equity in distribution, the City will also prioritize vaccination for residents and communities of color in the 27 neighborhoods that had been disproportionately hard hit in the spring, 

 

The Health Department is prepared to stand up and operate temporary sites for additional capacity to supplement hospital vaccinations. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control is operating a program in partnership with pharmacies to bring vaccination to long-term care facilities throughout the country. Through this program, providers from CVS and Walgreens will bring vaccines and needed supplies to long-term care facilities to vaccinate both residents and staff.

 

Additionally, Health Department has been working closely with healthcare providers in New York City to prepare for forthcoming vaccine distribution. This has included sharing information on what we know about vaccine trials, timelines, and anticipated logistics for a campaign. The City is also continuing to enroll healthcare providers in the Citywide Immunization Registry, which allows the Health Department to track doses and vaccinations across healthcare providers within the City. The City is additionally prepared to launch sites citywide in coordination with emergency response partner agencies to offer vaccinations, ensuring access and availability citywide.

 

Yesterday, the FDA made public the data Pfizer provided in their Emergency Use Authorization application, which offers promising information about the safety and efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine. On Thursday, an independent FDA advisory committee is scheduled to discuss authorization. The FDA could issue the Emergency Use Authorization as soon as Saturday, and if so, on Sunday a CDC advisory committee will also meet and vote on clinical guidance to accompany the vaccine rollout. If all goes according to plan, the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine could arrive as early as next Tuesday, December 15^th. A similar process will unfold for the Moderna vaccine, which could arrive a week or two after the Pfizer vaccine.

 

Ahead of next week, providers like BronxCare have now conducted trial runs of the COVID vaccine ordering process, from submitting the other all the way to facility confirming receipt of a test package.

 

EDITOR'S NOTE:

New York State has broken down its distribution of the first round of the COVID-19 vaccine by population ratio to the state population. New York City will receive 72,000 doses for its roughly forty-three percent of the state population. 

Mayor Bill de Blasio must now divide the 72,000 doses by each boroughs population ratio to make sure the vaccine is distributed evenly, so no one borough receives more than it should. This should continue until that system is no longer needed.

Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Vaccination Distribution Plan

 

FDA Expected to Authorize Pfizer Vaccine This Week; New York Could Receive Initial Allocation of 170,000 Doses Beginning this Weekend 

Nursing Home Residents, Nursing Home Staff and 'High Risk' Hospital Workers Prioritized First 

90 Cold Storage Sites Identified Across the State to Receive and Store Vaccines 

New York National Guard Selected by Department of Defense to Participate in One of 16 Pilot Programs Aimed at Vaccinating Military Personnel 

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's vaccination distribution plan as the FDA is expected to authorize Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine this week. The state's vaccination distribution effort will focus on battling skepticism, include outreach to Black, Brown and poor communities, as well as expedited distribution and administration. New York could receive its initial allocation of 170,000 vaccines as soon as this weekend, and expects further allocations in the following weeks.

"Distributing the vaccine is a massive undertaking. I think frankly, people have not focused enough on the extent of what this undertaking means. I can't think of a government operation that has been commenced that is more difficult and intricate than what governments will be asked to do here," Governor Cuomo said. "The way the vaccine is going to work is the federal government will be responsible for the procurement and the distribution. The military is doing the transportation with private companies, and they will send it where we ask them to send it. We then set the priorities for not only where it goes, but who gets it. The first allocation is for nursing home residents, nursing home staff and high-risk health care workers. We've identified 90 regional centers that can keep the vaccine at the required temperature and they'll act as distribution centers for that region. Pfizer's vaccine is expected to be approved by the FDA tomorrow. Immediately after that, our New York State panel will convene and review and approve it. They've already been speaking to the FDA about the process."

As outlined in New York's vaccination program, high-risk healthcare workers, nursing home residents and staff are prioritized first to receive the vaccine, followed by other long-term and congregate care staff and residents and EMS and other health care workers. Essential workers and the general population, starting with those who are at highest risk, will be vaccinated after these initial priority groups.

New York has opted into the federal government's nursing home vaccination program. Under the federal program, employees of CVS and Walgreens will vaccinate residents and staff in these facilities, much like the do for the flu vaccine. New York State will issue guidance for hospitals to select which patient-facing staff should be prioritized as "high-risk" in line with state rules.

If authorized by the FDA, the first delivery of Pfizer vaccines for the federal nursing home vaccination program could begin arriving next week, with the federal program slated to begin on December 21. New York is dedicating a portion of its initial allotment of 170,000 doses to this program. Portions of future state allocations will also be used to help complete the program and ensure all residents and staff are vaccinated.

'High risk' hospital workers eligible to receive a vaccination from the state's initial allotment include emergency room workers, ICU staff and pulmonary department staff. As part of the effort to vaccinate 'high risk' hospital staff, the state has identified 90 locations across the state with requisite cold storage capabilities and those sites will receive enough doses for approximately 90,000 patient-facing hospital staff, or 40 percent of the entire patient-facing hospital workforce. The state expects all 'high risk' hospital staff will receive a vaccine by the end of week two. Staff at every hospital in New York State, regardless of storage capabilities, will have access to the first allocation of a vaccine.

The vaccine will be allocated on a regional basis. Regional estimated distributions are as follows:

• New York City -72,000
• Long Island - 26,500
• Mid-Hudson - 19,200
• Capital Region - 7,850
• North Country - 3,700
• Mohawk Valley - 4,200
• Central New York - 6,400
• Southern Tier - 4,500
• Finger Lakes - 11,150
• Western New York - 14,500

Following the vaccination of 'high risk' health care workers, the priority will shift to all long-term and congregate care residents and staff, EMS and other health care workers. Essential workers and the general population will follow those groups, and those with the highest risk will be prioritized.

Additionally, the New York National Guard has been selected by the Department of Defense as one of 16 pilot programs across the nation to be part of the limited distribution of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to military personnel. Members of the New York Army and Air National Guard who serve as part of the state's COVID response efforts will be eligible for the vaccine.

Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic - DECEMBER 9, 2020

 

4,993 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide

952 Patients in the ICU; 521 Intubated

Statewide Positivity Rate is 5.44%

95 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"We now are conducting three COVID operations basically at the same time. We're managing hospitals under what we call the "surge and flex" program. Hospitals are going to have to be extraordinarily flexible and nimble to handle the additional case load. Not only will they have to work as a system and balance caseload among their hospitals, but they also need to be prepared to shift patients before they're admitted, to other hospitals that have a greater capacity," Governor Cuomo said. "We also need to continue to work to slow the spread of the virus. We have the Thanksgiving surge and we're starting to see the full effect of that now, making it critical that we all stay tough, practicing safe behaviors, and follow the guidelines. Additionally, we have the vaccine, which is the weapon that will win the war. If we get it produced, if we get it delivered, and distributed and people actually take it, we will be successful. We have come so far already, and if we all stay united as a state and persevere, we will reach the light at the end of the tunnel."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 194,595
• Patient Hospitalization - 4,993 (+158)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 747
• Hospital Counties - 53
• Number ICU - 952 (+46)
• Number ICU with Intubation - 521 (+28)
• Total Discharges - 89,089 (+505)
• Deaths - 95
• Total Deaths - 27,404