Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic - JANUARY 19, 2021

 

9,236 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide 

1,614 Patients in the ICU; 1,049 Intubated 

Statewide Positivity Rate is 7.06%

167 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. 

"On the eve of a new federal administration, New York is encouraged by the accelerated progress we are confident we will make in the coming months on the COVID front," Governor Cuomo said. "We are seeing new strains of the virus from the UK, South Africa and Brazil that could spark a second wave. New York has used our experience from the spring to prepare our hospitals and our residents as we continue to fight this invisible enemy. As we prepare for better days, I encourage all New Yorkers to remain New York Tough: wear a mask, social distance and avoid large gatherings."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

  • Test Results Reported - 177,269
  • Total Positive - 12,512
  • Percent Positive - 7.06%
  • Patient Hospitalization - 9,236 (+368)
  • Patients Newly Admitted - 922
  • Hospital Counties - 56
  • Number ICU - 1,614 (+91)
  • Number ICU with Intubation - 1,049 (+52)
  • Total Discharges - 117,052 (+550)
  • Deaths - 167
  • Total Deaths - 33,224

Mayor de Blasio News Briefing and COVID-19 Update


Mayor Bill de Blasio: Good morning, everyone. It’s a great day, because in just a little more than 24 hours we'll be able to say President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris and so much is going to change for the better for this nation for this city. It's an exciting moment. And there are so many reasons to be excited, the one I want to focus on is President-elect Biden's very clear, powerful pledge to vaccinate Americans at a record rate. He's calling for 100 million doses to be given in his first 100 days. I commend him. That's the kind of goal we need. What a clear departure from what we have known. And that's the kind of commitment that's going to help us here in New York City to get the vaccine we need, because the central message today is we are vaccinating people faster and faster, it's getting better and better, and just now we are running out a vaccine and we need it desperately. A new president, I think, is going to make all the difference.  

 

So, let's talk about what's going on with our vaccination effort here. It's extraordinary. Last week, we set a public goal of 175,000 vaccinations. We surpassed that goal this last week, ending Sunday, ending up the week was about 220,000 – over 220,000 vaccinations in New York City. So, the pace of vaccination is going faster and faster. Look, these numbers keep growing. What it meant – as of Sunday, that a New Yorker was being vaccinated every three seconds. That's what was happening in New York City. Every three seconds a New Yorker got vaccinated as of Sunday. As of today, since the beginning of the vaccination effort, 455,737 doses have been given here in New York City. Later today into tomorrow, we'll go get to half-a-million doses having been given since the beginning. Look, the good news is we have the ability to do this faster and faster. We're setting a goal for this week, assuming we have the vaccine – and I'll talk about that in a moment – if we have the vaccine we needed, we could vaccinate 300,000 people this week we're in right now – if we had the vaccine. The problem is, right now, we don't. So, right now, we had a small supply come in – today are coming in – today, 53,000 doses, leaving us with only 116,000 for the week ahead. Look, at the race we are going, we will begin to run out on Thursday – this Thursday, two days from now. And we will have literally nothing left to give as of Friday. What does that mean? It means if we don't get more vaccine quickly, a new supply of vaccine, we will have to cancel appointments and no longer give shots after Thursday for the remainder of the week at a lot of our sites. We will not get on the current schedule resupplied again until next Tuesday, which means for many of our sites we couldn't vaccinate again until the day after next Wednesday. This is crazy. This is not the way it should be. We have the ability to vaccinate a huge number of people. We need the vaccine to go with it.  

 

So, right now, it is up to the federal government, it is up to the State, it's up to the manufacturers to do everything they can to get us the maximum supply, because we are proving that, literally, every passing day, we can reach more and more people. Again, I'm very hopeful the Biden Administration is going to fix a lot of this. They are just coming into office, of course, it's going to take time, but their commitment is there and I appreciate that deeply. Right now, in New York City, capacity, growing every day – four 24/7 sites open right now, 15 Health Department hubs, new 24-seven sites coming, including the Empire Outlets in Staten Island, a Citi Field, which we’ve talked about before. Yankee Stadium, coming soon – and we're excited about that. Thank you to the New York Yankees. But all of this is what we need, but it won't work without vaccine. There are so many people ready to be vaccinated. We need the vaccine to reach all the New Yorkers who, right now, are ready to put their arms out and get the shot.  

 

Now, I want to talk about what it's going to take, going forward, to get this right. Supply, of course, but let's talk about the approach we need. So, we're putting forward today five principles that really should govern what we do from now on. If we're going to get this right, if we're going to make it fast and smooth and really hit the huge numbers we need over the coming months, these are the five principles that should govern our actions. One – supply, bottom line. Federal government and the manufacturers, working with the State, maximize the supply to New York City because we have shown a trajectory, we have shown what is going to be – what's going to be possible in terms of vaccinating – hundreds of thousands of people. Again, the goal this week, 300,000 people, we're confident we can make it if we have the vaccine. Next week, even more. Get us the vaccine. So, that's one. Two – if we put together more and more sites, the vaccine has to be there to meet the sites. So, the bottom line is, we want maximum sites, we want this to be as decentralized as possible, we want this to be as local as possible. That's what's going to encourage people. You know, we talked a while ago about all the hesitancy out there. Well, we see that hesitancy is reducing and more and more people want the vaccine, particularly older New Yorkers. But if it's hard to get to, that is going to slow things down. We want as many sites as possible, as local as possible. Number three, cut the red tape, keep the supply flowing. Federal government, State government have a variety rules. Some of those rules are making things go a lot slower than they have to. We have to reduce those bottlenecks. We don't need complexity. We need simplicity at a moment like this. So, the idea is, the better we know what kind of supply we're going to have that we can rely on, it is moving fast, we understand exactly what we can depend on, the more people we can vaccinate, the more lives we can save. Number four – again, the importance of localness. We want people to trust this process. If they're going to a local site, if they're going to a site staffed by local people, if local organizations are involved in that site, that is going to engender trust. So, hesitancy is clearly still out there. There's still trust issues that have to be addressed, but those issues get mitigated if more and more local people are involved, trusted people, trusted organizations and the site are of, and by, and for the community with community-based providers involved – that's the direction of the future. That's what's going to help us to reach millions and millions of New Yorkers. And then, number five, let's keep it simple – let's recognize that we need all of the folks who should be vaccinated to have the right to be vaccinated. We need the freedom to vaccinate a whole variety of people in the same site for just pure efficiency. And we also have some folks who still don't qualify. It just doesn't make sense. Let's look at our Sanitation workers – we absolutely depend on them, they've been heroes throughout the coronavirus crisis. I want to thank all the men and women of the Sanitation Department that you don't get the credit you deserve a lot of time, but I feel deeply for what you do. And I thank you every chance I get. You should have the right to be vaccinated. We need you. You should have the right to be vaccinated. We need you on the job. We need to protect you.  

 

But there's other folks too – and I want to talk about our court system, our DA’s, our grand juries. Look, right now, in addition to the coronavirus crisis, we've got a lot of work to do to address what's happened in our neighborhoods as a result of this perfect storm of the COVID crisis. So many things afflicting so many people simultaneously, and that created real issues in our neighborhoods. If we're going to fight back some of the challenges we've had, we need the criminal justice system to be working nonstop. It can't be bogged down. Therefore, it makes all the sense in the world to say, look, folks who work in our court system, folks who work in our District Attorney's offices, the folks who are presenting the cases that help bring justice to help protect communities, the folks who are going to step forward to be jurors. If you get a notice to join a grand jury you should know you can do that safely. So, I want to thank some of my colleagues in government, District Attorney Melinda Katz, of Queens; District Attorney Cy Vance, in Manhattan – they've been raising these issues to me. Clearly, we want people to serve on juries. We want them to be safe. We need those juries to happen reliably. That's part of how we intensify our efforts and safety in the city. Everyone who participates in a jury should have the opportunity to get vaccinated so they know that they can do – they can participate safely. It's going to be an encouragement. And that's how we get rid of this huge backlog of cases. Our criminal justice system, it's almost been a year since it's functioned normally. Let's deal with that backlog. If everyone's vaccinated, then they can have the assurance that they can come forward and do the job.  

 

Okay. So, that is a lot of what we need to do. Those principles govern what we need to do, going forward. That's going to put us on a real war footing, where we can really vaccinate people on a huge level. That's going to make sure that folks who need the vaccine first are getting it. That's going to make sure that effort is local and powerful and reaches people. That's all a strong, clear path forward. Now, I mentioned the court system in particular, and now I want to link it to another important issue. Again, we've got so much to do in the year 2021, to bring our city back, to speed our recovery. We've got so much to do to make our communities safe, both in terms of the health front and public safety in general. The best way to do that, of course, get everyone vaccinated, but another crucial part of the equation is deepening the relationship between police and community. We know we have work to do, and we're committed to doing that work. That's what neighborhood policing has been about all along. The NYPD in the year 2021, is going to redouble its efforts to gain trust and understanding and mutual respect at the community level. There's a lot of ways you do that. Neighborhood policing tells us that one of the number-one ways is just communicate, a lot of person-to-person communication locally. And that's been a really clear, strong element over the years that's helped us a lot. And the vast majority of our officers do their job, do it well, do it the right way, but some officers do the wrong thing. When they do the wrong thing, one of the things communities demand is fairness and consequences, really clear consequences and transparency. It makes sense.  

 

So, last year in the first half of the year, a process was developed to start to rethink our entire approach to police discipline. And then in August last year, a proposal was put out publicly. A lot of great public comment came in and it culminated with the publishing on Friday of the new NYPD discipline matrix. This is an extraordinary document, everyone. And I want you to take a look – if you care about the relationship between police and community, if you care about public safety, if you care about reforming police and changing police culture, read this document. It is powerful. You can get it at nyc.gov/disciplinematrix. This will revolutionize the way we discipline police officers who have done the wrong thing. Now, again, we hope and we pray that as very few officers, but one of the ways to ensure it's very few officers is clear consequences. So, here you will see for the first time in NYPD history, each specific offense and the specific consequences that will occur if someone commits that offense. Everybody deserves due process. We believe in due process across the board in our society. But if that due process system says guilty, you did that offense, then the specific penalties are outlined right here – the minimums and the maximums. And what it says clearly is, for many offenses, particularly those involving the use of force, it is clear the ultimate penalty is termination. And I want to emphasize, it's not just use of force. There's a variety of other offenses that, if someone has done them, that indicates very clearly that they should not be a member of the NYPD. And I want to particularly focus here on hate speech, racism, white supremacy, anybody who utilizes speech and has beliefs that do not conform with the values of this city and this nation can't be a police officer. So, if we have an instance where someone expresses on the job racist beliefs, and exclusionary beliefs, and white supremacist beliefs – it's quite clear in this matrix, if they're found guilty of that offense, they will no longer be a member of the NYPD. That's the kind of thing we have to do forcefully and clearly, and now for the first time in our history, we have a clear public transparent template that will govern how discipline occurs, and that is for the good of all.  

 

Okay. Before we wrap up here and turn to our indicators, just want to note, I started with the positive point about what's going to happen tomorrow in Washington D.C., and something, obviously, that will be a celebration of our nation and our democracy. But, tonight, we're going to have a more somber moment all over the nation – 5:30 tonight, the COVID Memorial, where we're going to, all together, as Americans, remember those we've lost. This is something that President-elect Biden, Vice President-elect Harris, asked everyone to participate in together as a show of unity and respect for those we've lost and for their families who are always in our thoughts and prayers. So, at 5:30 tonight, you're going to hear a church bells ringing all over the city. You're going to hear – you're going to see buildings lit up to memorialize those we've lost. I'm going out to the Statue of Liberty with Chirlane. We're going to have a ceremony there to remember the 25,000 of our fellow New Yorkers we've lost. And I think everyone out there, you know someone who we've lost or a family who lost someone – this has touched every one of us. So, tonight, let's join together in true unity and give our hearts to those families who have lost loved ones and never forget them and resolve to move forward as a city and a nation. 

 

Okay, let's go over today's indicators. Number one, daily number of people admitted to New York City hospitals for suspected COVID-19, today's number is 255 patients. We know that is too high. And the hospitalization rate continues to grow 5.05 per 100,000. Again, despite this very real challenge New York City hospitals are doing remarkably well. They have learned so many important lessons in this crisis and continue to save lives in a remarkable fashion. But this does mean more and more pressure on our hospitals. It's something we're watching very closely. We're communicating with the State about closely. This is something to watch. This is, as the Governor has talked about the single most sensitive factor. We're going to keep an eye on that closely. New cases, daily number of cases – new cases of COVID-19 seven-day average, today's number. 5,009. A very, very high number. And then, current testing percentage of New York City residents testing positive, seven-day rolling average 8.23 percent. Again, way too high. Everybody we vaccinate, however, let's bring it back to where we started. Every single person we vaccinate changes the reality, and we're vaccinating the folks who are most vulnerable and most in greatest need. First, this is why the supply of vaccine is so crucial. With the numbers we're putting up now 300,000 people in a week, come on. That is a game changer. That starts to affect the overall environment, if we have the vaccine to go with it. So that's what we're going to talk about incessantly until we actually get the deliveries we need here in New York City.

Attorney General James' Statement on NYPD Interactions with Protesters?

 

New York Attorney General Letitia James released the following statement in response to interactions between the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and peaceful protesters marching in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday last night:

“Once again, we are seeing and hearing accounts of NYPD officers infringing on the rights of New Yorkers. The images of officers using excessive force against peaceful protesters is alarming and cause for deep concern. Less than a week after I filed a lawsuit against the NYPD over these very exact issues, we saw officers exhibit the same behavior. As we laid out in our lawsuit, this is a longstanding pattern that must stop. These New Yorkers were marching in the spirit of Dr. King, who taught us that peaceful protest is the most powerful force in the fight for freedom, equality, and justice for all. I will continue to fight to protect these most basic rights.”

Last week, Attorney General James filed a lawsuit against the NYPD and its leadership to end its pattern of using excessive force and making false arrests against New Yorkers during peaceful protests.

347 Days and Counting

 


347 days until the next Mayor of New York City.

CITIES FOR ACTION ISSUES IMMIGRATION POLICY PRIORITIES FOR THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION AND THE 117TH CONGRESS

 

Coalition’s recommendations include a special focus on an inclusive COVID-19 recovery that considers the needs of all residents and families, regardless of immigration status


  Cities for Action (C4A), which represents nearly 200 U.S. mayors and county executives who advocate for pro-immigrant and inclusive policies and programs that strengthen communities and families, today released a Vision for Immigration Action: Local Leaders’ Recommendations for Building Inclusive, Equitable, and Resilient Communities for All and a sign-on letter from local leaders urging bold action to address the needs of immigrant families and communities across America.

 

Mayors and county executives from small, large, urban, and rural cities and counties, including Aurora, Colorado; Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and Tucson, Arizona signed onto the Vision for Immigration Action available at citiesforaction.us/vision. The recommendations position C4A member cities and counties as key partners in building an inclusive and equitable COVID recovery for every member of our communities, and follow the December 2020 Cities for Action nationwide convening with representatives from the incoming Biden-Harris Administration. 

 

“Our city has stood firmly against the Trump administration’s inhumane approach toward our immigrant communities, from their blatant attempts to demonize immigrants to their racist policies that tear families apart,” said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We have always known that immigrants make our city and our country great, and now is the time to unite and create lasting and meaningful immigration reform alongside the Biden-Harris administration”

 

“Cities have remained frontline defenders of immigrant rights and American values over the past four years — and we will always stand firm for the dignity of anyone who calls our country home,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “The inauguration of the Biden-Harris Administration marks a fresh start for our immigration policies and a chance to reaffirm our commitment, locally and nationally, to protecting the refugees, asylum seekers, Dreamers, and all those who strengthen Los Angeles and communities nationwide.”

 

“Our strong and resilient immigrant communities have put up a great fight over the past four years against relentless xenophobic and racist policies and rhetoric," said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. "The Cities for Action Vision for Immigration Action outlines the various bold and needed ways the incoming Biden-Harris administration can support our immigrant communities' efforts to build their lives, raise their families, and pursue their dreams free from fear.”

“As a Cities for Action steering committee member, Seattle is proud of this vision for immigration that brings America back on the path of welcoming immigrants,” said Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. “This past year presented unprecedented challenges for cities across the world. We saw the resiliency, compassion and determination of our neighbors, friends, first responders and essential workers as our communities came together to respond to these unimaginable dual crises of the pandemic and economic recession. In 2021, in partnership with cities across the country, there is so much hope on the horizon. Cities like Seattle stand ready to collaborate with this new administration to build back stronger, better and more equitable.”

Nationwide, in cities and counties big and small, immigrants are integral members of communities—they are our teachers, food producers, healthcare workers, and family members. Cities and counties affirm that when immigrant communities are thriving, the country is thriving and that all residents benefit from pro-immigrant and inclusive policies. As a result, C4A is urging the Biden-Harris Administration and the 117th Congress to implement a bold national strategy for immigrant integration and immigration reform that includes:

 

       A pathway to citizenship for all undocumented immigrants, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders and essential workers

       Establishment of a White House Office of New Americans

       Respect proven local public safety strategies by ending efforts to condition federal funding on local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement

       Increasing access to citizenship

       Expand support for immigrant crime victims who help law enforcement

       Support for language access at all levels of government

       A national funding stream for immigration legal services

       Keeping families together by rethinking enforcement and shifting away from detention

       Raising the annual refugee admissions ceiling and rebuilding the resettlement infrastructure

       Respect proven local public safety strategies by ending efforts to condition federal funding on local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement

An immigration inclusion and reform strategy would not be meaningful without an effective and equitable COVID-19 recovery plan that recognizes the outsized harms suffered and enormous contributions made by our immigrant communities. Many immigrant community members kept our cities and counties running in essential occupations during the pandemic. C4A subsequently is calling for a federal COVID-19 recovery plan that:

 

       Expands access to pandemic relief and health care for small business owners, unemployed workers, and families, regardless of immigration status

       Deploys strong, coordinated outreach and multilingual messaging that immigrants should not fear interaction with government and can safely access medical care – including COVID-19 testing, treatment, vaccines, and preventative care – as well as emergency food, shelter, and other resources during the pandemic

       Provides immigration relief that recognizes the contributions of immigrant essential workers and sets them on a path to work authorization and citizenship, as well as enforceable protections for all workers, regardless of immigration status, to help them demand safe working conditions without the fear of retaliation

       Issues a moratorium on immigration enforcement while the pandemic continues to threaten public health and release vulnerable and immuno-compromised individuals from immigration detention

Visit citiesforaction.us/vision to download C4A’s Vision for Immigration Action.

“Immigrants were among the first impacted by the pandemic but the last to get help, despite many risking their lives serving as essential workers and others being left without a job. Here in the Borderlands, immigrants are not only central to our economy, but to our social and cultural fabric as well. I have strong confidence in the ability of the incoming Biden-Harris Administration to be forward-thinking with their immigration policies. I join localities across the country in encouraging them and the 117th Congress to prioritize immigration reform that will build inclusive, equitable, and resilient communities for all,” said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero.

“Our immigrant families deserve our support, compassion, and relentless advocacy; their story is the American story of hope, inclusion and opportunity,” Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said. “As Mayor of America’s most unapologetic Sanctuary City, I urge all to support these common sense policies that will end the nightmare for our valiant Dreamers and advance an immigration system that actually supports our communities, our economy, and our American values.” 

“Amid the many crises we face, supporting our immigrant and refugee communities is more vital than ever,” said Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter. “This set of priorities will help ensure no one is left behind as we move forward together through these uncertain times.”

 

“Local leaders know firsthand the critical role immigration plays in realizing economic growth, keeping families together, and reaching our greatest potential as a country. We have seen the devastating impact federal, xenophobic policies and the COVID-19 pandemic have had on our immigrant communities, but are continuously inspired by their resilience and fortitude,” said Bitta Mostofi, Commissioner of New York City’s Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “It is in that spirit of hope that together we present these recommendations for immigration action and stand ready to work alongside the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress to seize this moment and build a more resilient and inclusive nation, for the benefit of all.”


“This past year made ever clear the essential role immigrant New Yorkers  hold in keeping the city safe and healthy amid the pandemic,” said JL Paniagua Valle, Deputy Executive Director of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. “I commend the efforts of these leaders across the country to help ensure immigrant communities are fully included in civic life.” 

In recent years, in the face of damaging rhetoric and policies at the federal level, C4A and its members have led the charge to create safe and inclusive environments for diverse communities. These initiatives have included the development of municipal IDs, legal and other support for immigrants seeking citizenship or other immigration benefits, the expansion of language access, and the fight to defend our values as localities and a country of immigrants with policies that advance community trust and greater safety for all.

About Cities for Action 

Cities for Action is a coalition of nearly 200 U.S. mayors and county executives working to advocate for and promote civic inclusion of our immigrant communities. Click HERE to see a list of Cities for Action mayors and county executives. To learn more about our work, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Monday, January 18, 2021

Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic - JANUARY 18, 2021

 

 8,868 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide

1,523 Patients in the ICU; 997 Intubated

Statewide Positivity Rate is 6.54%

153 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.

"While we are encouraged as the numbers begin to come back down to pre-holiday surge levels, we still have a long way to go before we reach the light at the end of the tunnel," Governor Cuomo said. "Not only has the federal government opened up the floodgates of eligibility without increasing the supply of vaccine, now we are seeing new strains of the virus from the UK, South Africa and Brazil that could spark a second wave - yet the federal government continues to do nothing. If these strains hit, we will see our numbers go right back up. New York has used our experience from the spring to prepare our hospitals and our residents as we continue to fight this invisible enemy and it's time for the federal government to follow suit - increase the vaccine supply, test international travelers and actually work with states to win this war."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

  • Test Results Reported - 186,205
  • Total Positive - 12,185
  • Percent Positive - 6.54%
  • Patient Hospitalization - 8,868 (+97)
  • Patients Newly Admitted - 939
  • Hospital Counties - 56
  • Number ICU - 1,523 (-27)
  • Number ICU with Intubation - 997 (-7)
  • Total Discharges - 116,502 (+601)
  • Deaths - 153
  • Total Deaths - 33,052

Governor Cuomo Announces Nearly 1,200 Senior NYCHA Residents Receive First Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine at State Pop-up Sites

 

Vaccinations Completed as Part of Two-Day Deployment of State Community Vaccination Kits to Five NYCHA Housing Complexes 
  
Community Vaccination Kits to be Redeployed in Three Weeks to Complete Second Doses 
  
Deployments Further Governor's Directive to Ensure Fairness and Equity for Underserved Communities in Vaccine Distribution Process 
 
 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that following Friday's two-day deployment of State Community Vaccination Kits to five NYCHA housing complexes, nearly 1,200 senior NYCHA residents have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. These sites will be re-established in three weeks to administer second doses. Following this first pilot deployment at NYCHA locations, kits will be deployed to existing locations and additional vaccination sites that will open throughout New York State to further bolster the State's efforts to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in communities that are underserved by traditional healthcare institutions.

"We have one mission - getting shots in arms - and we need to do that in the most equitable way possible," Governor Cuomo said. "The communities traditionally underserved by the health care system have been hit hardest by COVID and we said from the start that we won't let these disparities dictate who gets the vaccine. Through our community vaccination kits, mass vaccination sites, and local partnerships, New York established one of the most expansive vaccination networks - but we will only be as successful as our federally-controlled supply. We see the light at the end of the tunnel but to reach it the federal government must send us more vaccine."

Following the deployment of community vaccination kits by Governor Cuomo, five sites were established to administer the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible NYCHA residents at:

  • Bronx
    • NYCHA West Tremont Avenue-Sedgwick Avenue Area, 200 West Tremont Ave., Bronx, NY 10453 
  • Brooklyn
    • NYCHA Stuyvesant Gardens II, 150 Malcolm X Blvd. Brooklyn, NY 11221
  • East Harlem
    • NYCHA Corsi Houses, 307 East 116 St., New York, NY 10029
  • Queens
    • NYCHA International Tower 90-20 170 St., Queens, NY 11432
  • Staten Island
    • NYCHA Stapleton, 230 Broad St., Staten Island, NY 10304

The opening of these sites furthers Governor Cuomo's goal of ensuring the fair and equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. In late 2020, the Governor announced the launch of New York's Vaccine Equity Task Force chaired by Secretary of State Rossana Rosado, Attorney General Letitia James, National Urban League President & CEO Marc Morial, and HealthfirstPresident & CEO Pat Wang. Since its establishment, the Task Force has continued work to ensure vulnerable and underserved communities are not left behind by breaking down the barriers to vaccination and ensuring there is equitable distribution of the vaccine across the state.

To facilitate this effort, New York has continued to build Community Vaccination Kits and work with public housing officials, churches, and community centers to support these efforts and deploy kits to the appropriate locations. Each kit includes step-by-step instructions for how to set up a site, and critical supplies and equipment such as: 

  • Office Supplies
  • Workstation Equipment
  • Communications Equipment
  • Cleaning Supplies
  • Lighting Equipment
  • PPE
  • Crowd/Traffic Control Equipment
  • Vials
  • Syringes
  • Room Dividers
  • Privacy Curtains


348 Days and Counting

 


348 Days Until the Next Mayor.