Governor Cuomo Announces Discovery of First Brazilian Variant in New York State Resident

 

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the discovery of the first case of a COVID-19 P.1 variant, commonly referred to as the Brazilian variant, in a New York State resident. The case was identified by scientists at Mount Sinai hospital in New York City and verified by the Department of Health's Wadsworth Center Laboratories. The patient is a Brooklyn resident in their 90's with no travel history. DOH is working with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to learn more information about the patient and potential contacts.

"The detection of the Brazilian variant here in New York further underscores the importance of taking all the appropriate steps to continue to protect your health," Governor Cuomo said.  "While it's normal for a virus to mutate, the best way to protect yourself is to continue to wear a well-fitted mask, avoid large crowds, social distance, wash your hands and get vaccinated when it's your turn."

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, "This is a race between the vaccine and the variants, and we continue to make tremendous progress of getting shots in the arms of eligible New Yorkers. In the meantime we remind New Yorkers to do everything they can to protect themselves and their neighbors as we continue to manage this pandemic."

The P.1 variant was first detected in the United States at the end of January, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently reporting 48 cases nationwide. The P.1 variant has been designated a "variant of concern," which means there is evidence of an increase in transmissibility, more severe disease and the potential for reduced effectiveness of treatments or vaccines. However, while additional research is warranted, researchers at the University of Oxford recently released non-peer reviewed data that indicates the P.1 variant may be less resistant to the current vaccines than originally thought. 

Wadsworth Center is currently sequencing COVID-19 virus specimens at a rate of approximately 90 per day and has sequenced more than 8,200 virus samples statewide. Most specimens have been selected at random from throughout the state to ensure geographic representation. 

A RECOVERY FOR ALL OF US: 181st STREET BUSWAY TO LAUNCH APRIL 26, BRINGING FASTER BUSES TO 66,000 DAILY RIDERS IN WASHINGTON HEIGHTS

 

Two months after launch of Flushing-Main Street busway, DOT announces speeds up 13-31%

 Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the 181^st Street Busway, which will bring faster bus speeds to 66,000 daily riders in Washington Heights, will launch on April 26^th, 2021. The 0.5-mile busway, which builds on the success of similar projects on Jay Street in downtown Brooklyn, 14^th Street in Manhattan, and Flushing-Main Street in Queens, is the latest promise kept in Mayor de Blasio’s transformational Better Buses initiative, announced last June. 

The Department of Transportation (DOT) also announced today that two months after its launch, the Flushing-Main Street busway is already providing faster and more reliable bus service for 155,000 daily riders in Queens. Data from MTA/New York City Transit show that bus speeds along the Main Street corridor have been significantly faster since January 19^th. Bus speeds in the northbound direction are on average 15%-24% faster during the day, and 13%- 31% faster during the PM peak.

 

“Washington Heights deserves faster, safer, more reliable bus transit. The 181^st Street busway will help this iconic neighborhood come back stronger than ever,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Busways have transformed transportation across the city – most recently in Flushing, where the new busway has dramatically increased speeds in just two months – and I look forward to bringing these changes to even more neighborhoods citywide.”

 

"We have seen across this city the benefits of faster, more reliable bus service, and the early success of the Flushing-Main Street busway is just the latest example," said Deputy Mayor for Operations Laura Anglin. "Washington Heights is up next in our continued expansion of busways, and we are looking forward to the positive impact this project will have on the more than 60,000 daily riders."

 

“Next month, DOT will continue our great Better Buses work by speeding up commutes across Washington Heights,” said DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman. “We have already worked closely with our partners at MTA New York City Transit to deliver busways with faster and more reliable bus service, including in Flushing, downtown Brooklyn and of course on 14th Street in Manhattan. In all of these locations, busways are successfully connecting New Yorkers, including essential workers, to employment as well as to dynamic commercial hubs, where local business owners are working hard to emerge from the COVID crisis. We expect similar great results along 181st Street – and I for one cannot wait to ride.”

 

“The key to an effective bus system is well-enforced bus priority.  We’re thrilled that the Main Street Busway is improving commutes for thousands of customers with up to 31% speed increases, and are excited to bring improvements to our customers on 181st Street and in other parts of the city,” said Craig Cipriano, President of the MTA Bus Company and Senior Vice President for Buses, MTA New York City Transit.

 

181^st Street is one of the busiest and most congested corridors in Manhattan, resulting in average bus speeds of less than 4mph. These slow bus speeds create unreliable service for bus riders making connections to the A and 1 trains; any of the six MTA bus routes traveling on the north-south avenues; and the Port Authority’s George Washington Bridge bus terminal. This project will increase bus speed and reliability, calm traffic, and improve truck travel and loading and unloading, while maintaining local access to support businesses and services.

 

The busway in Washington Heights will bring transit and truck priority to 181^st St between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue in the eastbound direction, and Amsterdam Ave to Wadsworth Avenue in the westbound direction. Through traffic would be limited to buses, trucks, and emergency vehicles. Cars, taxis, and vans must make next available right turn off busway. Local access and parking are allowed, with improved truck loading and parking meter regulations.

 

NYPD will provide traffic enforcement and inform motorists about the new regulations with the launch of the busway. DOT will also install bus lane cameras, which for the first 60 days will issue warning letters to registered vehicle owners who violate the new regulations, before beginning to mail out violations with fines.

 

DOT formed a Community Advisory Board (CAB) to guide the project before, during, and after implementation. DOT also met with Community Board 12, the Washington Heights BID, local elected officials, and small businesses.

The Mayor’s record-setting Better Buses Restart plan has increased bus speeds and reliability along major corridors in all five boroughs. Since June 2020, DOT implemented 16.9 miles of new bus lanes and busways, the largest one-year effort in New York City history. Completed projects Jay Street in Brooklyn (0.8 miles), Malcolm X Blvd in Brooklyn (0.1 miles), 14th Street extension in Manhattan (0.8 miles), Hylan Boulevard (4.7 miles) on Staten Island, E.L. Grant Highway (1.2 miles), University Ave (0.1 miles) and 149th Street (2.7 miles) in the Bronx and Merrick Blvd (5.9 miles) and Main Street (0.6 miles) in Queens.

Attorney General James Recovers More Than $1.6 Million from Government Contractor That Skimmed Funds from State Public-Works Projects

 V.J. Associates Inc. of Suffolk Padded Hours on Public-Works Projects in New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the recovery of $1,875,000 — $1,658,020 of which will go to New York state — from V.J. Associates Inc. of Suffolk and its affiliates (VJA) for falsely inflating bills for cost estimating and scheduling services on public-works projects in New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.  

“We demand contractors taking on public-works projects in the state of New York and billing our state to act with the highest levels of honesty,” said Attorney General James. “V.J. Associates padded hours and bilked our state’s taxpayers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars for hours they never worked. Not only are we now recovering the ill-gotten gains of these fraudsters, but we are ensuring that V.J. Associates cannot bid on or be awarded another public-works contract with the state for at least five years. New Yorkers can always rely on my office to fight to protect their tax dollars.”

The Hicksville, New York-based companies performed services as subcontractors to prime contractors on public works projects for the Metropolitan Transit Authority, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New York City’s School Construction Authority, and other government entities throughout New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.  

“Riders and taxpayers have a right to know that unscrupulous contractors will not rip off hard-earned tax dollars and fares dedicated to our public transportation system,” said MTA Inspector General Carolyn Pokorny. “Executives at V.J. Associates padded their invoices to the MTA in a failed attempt to steal precious dollars from New Yorkers. I am grateful to our law enforcement partners at the New York attorney general’s office and pleased these individuals have been held accountable.”

VJA performed these services under two types of contracts: time-and-expense contracts (under which VJA was paid for the hours it claimed its employees worked) and fixed-fee contracts. 

From January 1, 2013 through August 29, 2018, VJA submitted false bills to the prime contractors on certain time-and-expense public works projects where VJA employees worked from a VJA office rather than on-site, at government offices. The bills VJA submitted falsely billed for more hours on projects than its employees actually worked. Specifically, VJA overbilled for hours that its employees worked on unrelated, fixed-fee projects; hours that its employees spent performing administrative tasks unrelated to the projects for which they were billing; and hours that were excessive and unnecessary. 

As part of this agreement, VJA admitted to submitting false bills and also agreed to be debarred from submitting bids or being awarded any public-work contracts with the state of New York or any municipality or public body within the state for five years.

Attorney General James’ investigation began after a whistleblower filed a qui tam complaint under the New York False Claims Act, the Federal False Claims Act, and similar statutes in Massachusetts and New Jersey. The New York False Claims Act allows private persons to file civil actions on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. The recovery announced today is part of a multistate agreement between VJA and New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.

New Yorkers can learn more about filing a New York False Claims Act on the Office of the Attorney General's (OAG) website.

The OAG wishes to thank the whistleblower — without whose information the misconduct might not have been discovered — and also the whistleblower’s attorneys. The OAG also wishes to thank the Office of the Inspector General of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the Office of the Inspector General of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the New York City Law Department, and the Offices of the Attorneys General of Massachusetts and New Jersey for their extensive cooperation and support with the investigation of VJA. The OAG extends particular thanks to Assistant Deputy Inspector General Monica Hickey-Martin in the Legal and Investigations Department at the Metropolitan Transit Authority; Investigator Mia Chang of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; Senior Counsel Anjan Mishra of the New York City Law Department; Assistant Attorney General Erin Staab of Massachusetts; and Deputy Attorney General Eric Boden of New Jersey. Finally, the OAG wishes to thank the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts for its work in this matter.

Governor Cuomo Announces More than 5 Million New Yorkers Have Received at Least One Dose of the COVID Vaccine

 

188,828 Doses Administered Across New York State in the Last 24 Hours         

More than 1 Million Doses Administered Over Past Seven Days         

Vaccine Dashboard Will Update Daily to Provide Updates on the State's Vaccine Program; Go to ny.gov/vaccinetracke

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced more than 5 million New Yorkers have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. 188,828 doses have been administered across New York's vast distribution network in the last 24 hours, and more than 1 million doses have been administered over the past seven days.  

"Our providers have been working day and night to administer shots and we can see the results of their tireless efforts," Governor Cuomo said. "One in every four New Yorkers has now received at least one dose of the vaccine, and we are continuing our outreach across the state to address hesitancy and accessibility so that we can continue getting shots into people's arms as quickly as possible. In the meantime, it is essential that we continue to exercise basic safety protocols so we can continue to build on all the progress we've made on vaccinations." 

New York's vast distribution network and large population of eligible individuals still far exceed the supply coming from the federal government. Due to limited supply, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.                    

The 'Am I Eligible' screening tool has been updated for individuals with comorbidities and underlying conditions with new appointments released on a rolling basis over the next weeks. New Yorkers can use the following to show they are eligible:

• Doctor's letter, or
• Medical information evidencing comorbidity, or
• Signed certification  

Vaccination program numbers below are for doses distributed and delivered to New York for the state's vaccination program, and do not include those reserved for the federal government's Long Term Care Facility program. A breakdown of the data based on numbers reported to New York State as of 11 AM today is as follows.                  

STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN

Total doses administered - 7,494,596

Total doses administered over past 24 hours - 188,828

Total doses administered over past 7 days - 1,047,876 

Percent of New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 25.3% 

Percent of New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 13.0%   

PROGRESSIVE WOMEN OF NEW YORK STEERING COMMITTEE CALLS FOR THE IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION OR IMPEACHMENT OF GOVERNOR CUOMO

 

 Citing New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s abusive treatment of women and his systemic neglect of the state’s most vulnerable, leaders of Progressive Women of New York today are joining the chorus of those calling for his resignation or removal from office.

The steering committee of the 1,600-member PWNY is stressing the urgent need for new leadership in Albany to immediately address the ongoing injustices in the state’s response to the pandemic. Governor Cuomo's reign of fear has exacerbated Albany’s culture of abuse and corruption and stood in the way of desperately needed progress for long enough. How can he govern effectively when he’s focused on all the crises he created? The only path forward to ensure New Yorkers’ confidence in their state government is for Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign. If he does not, the New York State Legislature must proceed with impeachment and removal from office.

A PWNY member, Lindsey Boylan, was the first of at least eight women who have bravely come forward to accuse Cuomo of behavior ranging from sexual harassment to sexual assault. Cuomo’s own words - which he does not deny uttering - prove he is a predator. Boylan, candidate for Manhattan Borough President, experienced firsthand what happens to those who defy the Governor - when his insiders try to silence, discredit, or “destroy'' critics.

“The governor must be held accountable for his abuse of power and harassment of women," said Boylan. "Instead of leading us out of the pandemic, the governor and his aides have been focused on smearing and discrediting women who have made credible accusations against him. The governor’s actions and his administration’s response make it clear he is unable to lead with integrity.”

The Cuomo crises have paralyzed state government and sidelined the Democratic Party’s legislative agenda, revealing that the state’s executive branch is dedicated to serving the Governor, not governing.

Cuomo’s many abuses have had a real human cost, disproportionately devastating communities of color.

• Issuing an order protecting his top donor, leading to an indeterminable number of deaths, and covering up as many of 50 percent of COVID deaths in nursing homes across the state all up for more than a half-year

• Ordering draconian Medicaid cuts in the midst of a pandemic

• Ceding control over healthcare policy in NYS to a private hospital network, blocking two critical pieces of legislation: The New York Health Act and the Safe Staffing for Hospitals

• Making a series of devastating, fatal missteps in handling the state’s COVID response, releasing a book and accepting an Emmy while constituents are suffering and dying

• Because of his obsession with austerity, dozens of hospitals have closed during his tenure, and many more are critically under-resourced.

• Demonstrating hypocrisy, after urging the resignation of Eric Schneiderman in 2018 when sexual harassment allegations against the then-attorney general emerged

PWNY steering committee members stand with other survivors to document this pattern of abuse and call the Governor to account for his executive actions and inactions during his tenure.

Progressive Women of New York -- a statewide political activism and social justice organization committed to upholding progressive values and human rights at every level of government formed in 2017 — pledges to support the administration of New York’s first female governor and plans to help elect a progressive governor in 2022.

Progressive Women of NY

PO Box 1197

Millbrook, New York 12545

Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic March 20,2021

 

Hospitalizations Drop to 4,513—Lowest Since December 5

ICU Patients Drop to 909—Lowest Since December 6

Intubations Drop to 575—Lowest Since December 13

Statewide Positivity Rate is 2.95%

62 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. Hospitalizations dropped to 4,513, the lowest since December 5. ICU patients dropped to 909, the lowest since December 6. Intubations dropped to 575, the lowest since December 13. 

"New Yorkers have fought through this pandemic by being vigilant, and even though the vaccine is here, we need everyone to continue being smart until we're able to vaccinate everyone who wants it," Governor Cuomo said. "We are working 24/7 to get vaccines into arms quickly, safely and equitably — and we will not rest until that's done. In the meantime, everyone should continue washing their hands, staying socially distanced and masking up. We're going to get through this and defeat the COVID beast together, but there's more work to be done before we get to the light at the end of the tunnel."

Today's data is summarized briefly below: 

• Test Results Reported - 258,129
• Total Positive - 7,623
• Percent Positive - 2.95%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.26%
• Patient Hospitalization - 4,513 (-14)
• Net Change Patient Hospitalization Past Week - -104
• Patients Newly Admitted - 567 
• Hospital Counties - 48
• Number ICU - 909 (-15)
• Number ICU with Intubation - 575 (-12)
• Total Discharges - 156,366 (+506)
• Deaths - 62
• Total Deaths - 39,870

287 days and counting

 

I did not have a press conference on Friday, have no public appearances today, and have nothing planned for Sunday. When are you going to give me the vaccination shot Dr. Choskhi?

What is going on at the Board of Elections? Bronx Special Elections 2021.Part 2 Bronx Science High School Poll Site

This is the entrance to the Bronx Science High School early voting poll site. It is down an alleyway from Goulden Avenue and around to the side. On a nice Saturday the first day of early voting the right door was wide open, but on a cold rainy Thursday afternoon March 18th it was closed. The sign says Handicap entrance, and for voting to use the right door, which was closed. There are no door handles to open the doors, or any other signs to tell the voter what to do to get in to vote. 

I knocked the door a few times so someone would come to open it, nothing. I banged on the door a few times, nothing again. Imagine if I was a voter and was trying to vote not knowing if the poll site was open, since there were different times on different days to vote early. The voter would have left, and I don't know if any or how many people did not vote that day because the door was closed, due to no answer to open the door. I knew the poll site was open so I decided to give the door a few foot bangs so someone would hear it. Someone finally came and said why am I kicking the door, I replied that the door was closed, no one heard the hand knocks or hand bangs, and I could not get in. 

I went to the Coordinator's table to sign both logs, and was asked for my official BOE media ID, which I showed. A different person came over asking to photograph the papers, and again I said that does not happen, and proceeded to walk to the ballot scanners to copy down the vote totals, and leave. The poll worker at the first scanner said they were instructed to block the machine from me. I called the number on my authorization letter (if there were any problems), and I was talking to the secretary of the Executive Director of the BOE when I was asked to leave the poll site. When I went into the vestibule to continue my conversation I turned around to see two police officers from the 52nd Precinct enter, and had to hang up on my call. I asked if the police officers were going to arrest me so I could sue the Board of Elections and retire. Officer Goris and his partner (both who knew me from my job and community work in helping Bronx precincts) said no, and asked me what was the problem. I showed the two officers the authorization from the Board of Elections, told them I had signed in, and was there to just copy down the number of votes cast on each ballot scanner. They went in to talk to Mr. David Agront, the Democratic poll coordinator said I could go to the ballot scanner to copy down the vote count, which I did and left. 

As soon as I got to my car I called the Bronx Board of Elections and asked to talk to the Deputy Chief Clerk Ms. Brendaliz Candelaria to lodge a complaint against poll coordinator David Agront, and tell Ms. Candelaria my experience at the Bronx Science High School poll site for the second time in two visits. Ms. Candelaria apologized to me once again, saying that the poll coordinators know that I have authorization which she even told them. She added that the door should be open, and she will call the poll site to have it opened, and if it is to cold, to have a person standing right next to the door to open it when anyone comes to it. I then called the Executive Director's office of the citywide BOE to explain to the woman I had to hang up on exactly what went on at the poll site, and what Bronx Deputy Director Candelaria told me. 

Watch for Part Three over the weekend. 

Poll coordinator David Agront covering his face inside the Bronx Science High School poll site.