Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates April 28th

APRIL 28TH RESOURCES AND UPDATES:

Do not drink, ingest, swallow or bathe in Lysol, bleach or any disinfectant. Please be sure all disinfectants, bleach and similar substances are out of reach of your children. There has been an uptick in calls to poison centers. Call the NYC Poison Control Center at (212) 764-7667 with any questions. Registered pharmacists and nurses are available 24/7 to help clarify the proper use of products, medicines and any other potential poisons. All calls are confidential and free of charge. Interpretation services are available.

The Mayor has announced a plan to open 40 miles of streets immediately to pedestrians to allow for safe social distancing, with a goal of 100 miles.

Governor Cuomo reports results from phase two of the state's antibody testing survey resultsThe preliminary results, from an expanded sample size of about 7,500, show that 14.9 percent of the population are positive for COVID-19 antibodies. But there are large variations depending on the region within the state.

The state is expanding its antibody testing survey to further determine the spread of infection among frontline workers and first responders.

At a time when many New Yorkers are hungry, food should not be wasted. Following reports of unsold milk being dumped in upstate New York, the state will work with farmers and companies such as Chobani and Cabot Cheese to distribute their excess products to food banks and those in need. It's part of the "Nourish New York" Initiative to purchase food from New York farms for those in need.

New York State will provide financial support to food banks across the state. The state will provide $25 million from the state's special public health emergency fund for food banks and providers most impacted by COVID-19. To find a food bank, visit the Department of Health's food bank state map.

Self-Swab Testing: Self-collection will be available at NYC Health + Hospital testing sites by the end of this week. In addition to minimizing contact between patient and healthcare workers, self-swab collection will increase the capacity of existing test sites from the current rate of 15 per hour to up to 20 per hour. Over 5,000 New Yorkers have been tested across the 8 NYC Health + Hospitals testing sites that are currently operational citywide.

Contact Tracers: Jobs have been advertised for people with public health backgrounds to investigate and trace COVID-19 cases and contacts. The City is looking to hire 1,000 people by the end of May with an immediate start date. Details on the scope of work, job requirements, salary, benefits, and how to apply available at: https://fphnyc.org/about/careers/.

More End-of-the-Line Assistance: To help as many unsheltered New Yorkers as possible come off the subways, the City will increase its focus on end-of-line stations, where outreach teams will engage unsheltered New Yorkers who are leaving the subways, connecting anyone who needs it to services and shelter.

The City is calling on the MTA to temporarily close the following stations during the overnight hours from 12:00 AM to 5:00 AM for cleaning to allow for better cleaning and more targeted outreach.  To ensure minimal disruptions to service, the City will work with the MTA to provide bus service to riders to access a nearby station while the terminus station is closed.

The following stations will be targeted for enhanced outreach:

  • Coney Island/Stillwell Avenue D,F
  • Flatbush Ave Brooklyn College 2,5
  • Jamaica – 179th St. F
  • Jamaica Center – Parsons/Archer E
  • WTC - E
  • 96th St./2nd Ave (Q)
  • Pelham Bay Park 6
  • Van Cortlandt Park 242nd St. 1
  • Wakefield – 241st St. 2,5
  • Woodlawn 4

During these operations:·    

  • When the train is cleaned at the end of the line, the MTA requires all individuals to exit the train, and unsheltered New Yorkers will be offered service by NYPD Homeless Outreach and DHS
  • Outreach teams and NYPD Homeless Outreach will be on hand to engage all unsheltered individuals who are utilizing or leaving the subways about accepting services, survey them for any symptoms, and connect them to care, to isolation, or to shelter as needed

On Wednesday (4/29) at 2 pm, Borough President Gale Brewer will join a panel on “Reflections on the Centennial of Women’s Suffrage” presented by the American Assembly and the Academy of Political Science, with fellow panelists Liz Abzug, Coline Jenkins, Julie Suk, and moderator Kathryn B. Yatrakis. Register here.

On preventing future outbreaks, the New York Academy of Science has some ideas and talks. Besides the lack of a vaccine against the current coronavirus, one of the biggest challenges scientists face right now is the ability to accurately predict the next COVID-19 hot spots. To help combat this issue, we're launching Challenge: Tracking Coronavirus, asking students 18 and over to develop a surveillance network that can forecast further spread of the current pandemic as well as predict potential future coronavirus outbreaks. On a related note, be sure to check out this recap of "New Developments in the COVID-19 Response," last week's online event where leading public health experts shared their thoughts on what the scientific and healthcare communities have learned thus far about COVID-19 disease, and strategies for guarding ourselves against future pandemics.

On Thursday, April 30, the Center is presenting a program on Flattening the Curve.

In hopes of inspiring young changemakers, the 92nd Street Y will be holding its first-ever virtual summit on Sunday, May 3, at 11 a.m. on how generations X, Y and Z can lead the way towards global recovery and social transformation in the wake of COVID-19. The event is free. To register, visit 92Y.org.

On Thursday (4/30) at 9:30 am, the NYC Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) will hold its second public meeting to discuss the 2020 Income & Affordability Study and the 2020 Mortgage Survey Report. Members of the public may livestream the meeting here, or call in at (646) 668-8656 with Meeting ID 967-5796 -0550. A recording of the first RGB meeting on April 23 is available here.

The Mayor has once again extended the suspension of ULURP laws and processes for another five days, through to this Friday (5/1).

Education/Parenting

Today Chancellor Carranza and Chief Academic Officer Linda Chen of the Dept. of Education announced the official remote learning grading policy, affecting 1.1 million students. Learn more.

Tomorrow (4/29) at 6 pm, the Dept. of Education’s Panel for Educational Policy will hold their monthly meeting via teleconference. Access the meeting online here, or call in at (800) 719-6100 and enter Meeting ID 113-9174 #. Sign-up for public comment will be available once you join the meeting, but only until 6:15 pm.

The Salvadori Center has developed a series of free project-based STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) lessons for students from grades K-12.

Entertainment/Distractions

 

Today (4/27) is the first day of Jane’s Walk NYC (From Home), an online adaptation of the Municipal Art Society’s yearly festival of volunteer-led “walking conversations” inspired by urban activist Jane Jacobs. For today’s kick-off, in partnership with Subway Therapy and Art Plus People, they are asking New Yorkers to share their favorite spots in NYC, either through @subwaytherapy Instagram stories, sharing on social media with #JanesWalkNYC, or by sending an email to [email protected].

Tomorrow (4/29) from 5 - 6 pm, El Museo del Barrio will be hosting a free virtual tour of their most recent exhibit “Zilia Sánchez: Soy Isla (I Am an Island)” with El Museo’s Curator Susanna Temkin. Register here, and instructions to log on will be sent an hour before the event.

On Thursday (4/30) at noon and 9 pm, the New York City Quiz Game returns with Quizmaster (and former Manhattan Borough Historian) Michael Miscione, who will be assisted by Emma Guest-Consales, PhD, President of the Guides Association of NYC. Watch on Instagram Live @nycquizguy and learn more here. Email [email protected] with suggestions for questions.

Coloring can be a great way to relieve stress and deal with cabin fever, for children or adults. ILoveNY released new coloring pages featuring New York State landmarks. Download and print out the coloring pages here.

NYC & Company has compiled Virtual NYC, an ongoing and comprehensive list of virtual cultural offerings by local organizations, sorted by interest (i.e. Family Friendly, Performing Arts, Museums etc.). They also have a form to submit upcoming events and experiences and add to their expanding list.

WAYS YOU CAN HELP

New York City Service is looking for volunteers to help those affected by COVID-19, click here.

New York State has provided a form for the donation of goods, services, or space. To access the form, click here.

The dedicated staff at the Stanley Isaacs Center, 415 E. 93 St., needs help supporting their older adult clients through meals and case management services. Interested in volunteering? Contact [email protected]

Donate blood. Blood is urgently needed. Please go to https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/node/1546 to make an appointment (walk-ins) are no longer allowed and for more information.

Complete the census. We need all the help and Congressional representatives we can get.

Order directly from restaurants when possible. For reasons why you should consider not using third-party delivery services, click here.

Any philanthropies that would like to help the state's food banks to email [email protected].

 

FINANCIAL AND LOCAL BUSINESSES UPDATES

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has resumed accepting Paycheck Protection Program applications from participating lenders as of Monday, April 27, 2020 at 10:30am EDT. Last week, the Senate approved $310 billion in new funding for the program, which is a loan program designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll. You can apply through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating (click here for a list of participating lenders). Importantly, these PPP loans may be forgiven if borrowers maintain their payrolls during the crisis or restore their payrolls afterward. Click here to view an FAQ for Lenders and Borrowers.

 

Click here to view SBA's Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources page and click here to view another SBA page about Coronavirus Relief Options.

 

More about scams. Do not  open any emails with the subject line “Stimulus Payment Confirmation.” No one who’s legitimate will be sending you emails to confirm or ask for details on any stimulus payments. Mark them as spam and block the sender.

The NYC Fund for Public Health is now hiring people with health backgrounds to do COVID-19 contact tracing. Learn more at https://fphnyc.org/about/careers/ under "COVID-19 Jobs." Other non-COVID-19 jobs are listed too.

The NYS Bar Association has launched a new service to connect pro-bono attorneys with New Yorkers having trouble collecting or filing for unemployment benefits. Learn more here.

There’s a lot of helpful information in the Madison Avenue Business Improvement District’s most recent newsletter found here.There links to articles on reopening and other websites.

McKinsey and Co., the management consulting firm has prepared a report on the fashion industry after COVID-19. See https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/its-time-to-rewire-the-fashion-system-state-of-fashion-coronavirus-update. There are links to other analyses and recommendations.

On Thursday April 30, the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College presents COVID-19, Cities, and Climate Change: Revelations, Ambitions, and Public Policy in a Pandemic World. If high density, complexity and networked connections make cities vulnerable to pandemic disease, and many other hazards as well, how should public policy initiatives work to readdress those conditions, while also utilizing aspects of urbanization that help to address climate change, and promote social and economic equity and development?  Ultimately, we must determine the way forward for our cities in an era of globalization, climate change, and pandemics. RSVP here.

April 29, 2020, 11:15 AM - All nonprofits across New York State are welcome to join the Town Hall. We'll have the opportunity to hear from our Senators about the CARES Act and plans for future Congressional action, and discuss specific issues and needs of New York's nonprofits. Register here.

The City's Workforce1 Career Center launched a Virtual Center(or call 718-960-2458) to help New Yorkers prepare for, and connect to, jobs across New York City's five boroughs and in every sector of the economy. Current employment opportunities include Stop & Shop, Fresh Direct & PBM Guardian Industry Services.

Jobs: Temporary opportunities are available by clicking here.

250 of the jobs for NYCHA residents listed on OpportunityNYCHA.org have yet to be filled. These positions are for temporary per diem workers to assist with general maintenance at NYCHA properties. Per diem income will not have an impact on your rent. Apply here.

The IRS has opened a new, online portal and launched a new, free app for economic impact payment tracking. This portal will allow taxpayers to find out the status of their payment. If a payment hasn't yet been issued, individuals can provide their banking information for direct deposit. Individuals who were not required to file 2018 or 2019 taxes can enter their information here so that they will receive economic impact payments.

The New York State Department of Labor (DOL) has launched a new, streamlined application for New Yorkers to apply for COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance without first needing to apply for Unemployment Insurance. Prior to today, New Yorkers were required to apply for regular Unemployment Insurance and be rejected before applying for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. This new application, which aligns with updated federal policy, allows New Yorkers to simply fill out one form to get the correct benefits without requiring applicants to call the DOL. The agency has installed more than 3,100 representatives solely dedicated to answering unemployment benefit needs seven days a week. The DOL previously had 400 representatives in the call center. The DOL has paid out $2.2 billion in unemployment benefits to 1.1 million New Yorkers so far. The new form is available here.

 

LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS' TELE-TOWN HALLS

 


On Wednesday (4/28) at 6:30 pm, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer will be moderating a virtual town hall on “Bridging the Digital Divide during COVID-19,” a discussion of potential solutions for the many disparities in technology laid bare by this pandemic. Partners include the Columbia University School of Social Work, BetaNYC, the West Harlem Development Corporation, Silicon Harlem, and Community Board 11. Panelists include Silicon Harlem’s Clayton Banks, Dr. Desmond Patton of the School of Social Work, Nilsa Orama of Community Board 11, and Noel Hidalgo from BetaNYC.

On Thursday, April 30th from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m., join Senator Krueger and renowned pulmonologist and critical care specialist Dr. Michael S. Niederman, Professor of Clinical Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine for a discussion of how people contract COVID-19, symptoms one might experience, what therapies to use at home vs. therapies used in the hospital, how to prevent spread to others in the home, and when you should go to the hospital. To view the Virtual Town Hall on Facebook, go to https://www.facebook.com/statesenatorlizkrueger/. Please let us know you plan to attend by registering at https://www.lizkrueger.com/virtual-town-hall-part2-rsvp/.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQs & Resources

 

To get regular updates on the latest developments with coronavirus in New York City text COVID to 692-692. You will receive regular SMS texts with the latest news and developments. Please check nyc.gov/health/coronavirus for the latest updates

If you are experiencing stress or feel anxious, contact NYC Well at 888-NYC-WELL (888-692- 9355) or text WELL to 65173. NYC Well is a confidential help line that is staffed 24/7 by trained counselors who can provide brief supportive therapy, crisis counseling, and connections to behavioral health treatment, in more than 200 languages.

Additional resources:

CENSUS 2020

U.S. Census Bureau has made some necessary changes to help keep residents safe while still working to ensure a complete census count. This includes extending the national deadline for the count from July 31 to August 14 and postponing all door-to-door outreach campaigns until May. With the majority of our businesses and libraries closed across the state, this gives local communities more time to adjust their outreach plans and helps prevent our state from being put at an unfair disadvantage.

Fill out your Census at My2020Census.gov OR by phone in these languages: