Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates February 16th

February 16th, 2021

FEBRUARY 16th RESOURCES AND UPDATES:

 

Sunday, New York expanded eligibility to include New Yorkers with qualifying comorbidities and underlying conditions. And on Sunday NY saw the largest single-day registration total since vaccinations began: 250,924 New Yorkers made appointments at a rate of nearly 10,000 per hour. While we wait for supply to increase, NY is doing everything we can to roll out the vaccine to as many eligible New Yorkers as possible with what vaccine supply we currently have. Governor Cuomo asks New Yorkers to remain patient when trying to schedule appointments.

New Yorkers with the underlying conditions in the bullet list below have been added to the vaccine eligibility list and could begin scheduling vaccine appointments on Sunday (2/14), for appointments on Monday (2/15) and later. According to the Governor, those newly eligible must provide proof of their underlying condition by showing a doctor’s note, medical records, or a signed self-attestation.

  • Cancer (current or in remission)
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Pulmonary disease, including but not limited to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and 9/11-related pulmonary diseases
  • Intellectual and developmental disabilities
  • Heart conditions, including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, and hypertension
  • Immunocompromised state, including but not limited to solid organ transplant, blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, and use of other immune-weakening medicines
  • Obesity (BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher)
  • Pregnancy
  • Sickle cell disease or thalassemia
  • Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
  • Cerebrovascular disease
  • Neurologic conditions, including but not limited to Alzheimer’s disease or dementia
  • Liver disease

Last week, the White House announced a 5 percent increase in vaccine allocations to the states for the next three weeks, which is welcome news. The 5 percent increase doesn't sound like much but it's on top of previous increases that were announced earlier—so it adds up. That being said, supply is still extremely limited. It is frustrating, I know, when so many New Yorkers are chasing a relatively small number of doses and appointments, but unless supply rapidly increases, I urge New Yorkers who are eligible to be patient. It's all about supply, supply, supply—and there still isn't enough.

The MTA will expand overnight service on the Subway. Effective Monday, February 22nd, the MTA will extend late-night subway service by two hours, moving to a 2 a.m. - 4 a.m. closure daily. The changes will lengthen the subway's operations by two hours while enabling the MTA to continue the most aggressive deep cleaning and disinfecting regimen in its history.

Obamacare/ACA enrollment was reopened as part of the COVID relief package passed in December. The new deadline is Wednesday, 3/31. Apply through the New York State marketplace or directly through insurers. If you have questions, make an appointment with a local marketplace navigator, who can help individuals, families, and small businesses choose an affordable plan.

Coverage start dates will vary:  

  • Enroll by February 15: Coverage starts March 1
  • Enroll March 15: Coverage starts April 1
  • Enroll by March 31: Coverage starts May 1

Individuals who are eligible for other NY State of Health programs - Medicaid, Essential Plan and Child Health Plus - can enroll year-round. New Yorkers can apply for coverage through NY State of Health online at nystateofhealth.ny.gov, by phone at 1-855-355-5777, and by connecting with a free enrollment assister.

COVID hospitalizations dropped to 6,620. Of the 136,392 tests reported yesterday, 6,753, or 4.95 percent, were positive. There were 1,271 patients in the ICU yesterday, up one from the previous day. Of them, 878 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 107 New Yorkers to the virus.

As of 11am this morning, 92 percent of first doses allocated to the state have been administered. This represents 2,024,225 first doses administered of the 2,192,675 first dose allocations received from the federal government. So far, 900,303 second doses have been administered out of the 1,178,350 second doses received. See data by region on the State's Vaccine Tracker: ny.gov/vaccinetracker.

A case of the South African COVID-19 virus variant has been found in New York. A Connecticut resident who is a patient in a New York City hospital has tested positive for the South African variant. There is no evidence of any spread in New York State to date, but regardless, all New Yorkers should continue to exercise vigilance in the face of COVID and its variants.

Indoor dining in New York City reopened Friday at 25 percent capacity. The reopening was previously scheduled for Valentine's Day, but restaurants requested an earlier reopening date to allow staff to prepare and the request has been granted. The reopening is subject to strict state guidance, which can be found here.

The curfew for bars and restaurants has been extended to 11 p.m. The Governor extended the closing time for eateries to 11 p.m. effective Sunday. Indoor dining reopened Friday in New York City after a months-long closure. Cuomo similarly cited the state's declining COVID-19 levels in his decision to reopen restaurants.

Stadiums and arenas can reopen with limited spectators on February 23rd. Following the success of the Buffalo Bills testing program, sports and entertainment events in major stadiums with a capacity of 10,000 or more will be allowed to reopen with limited attendance. Venues and events must follow State guidelines, like capacity limitations, testing requirements, mandatory face coverings, socially distancing and more. Under these new reopening guidelines, the Barclays Center will open when the Brooklyn Nets host the Sacramento Kings.

Every year the FDNY takes the opportunity throughout National Burn Awareness Week to increase awareness on the causes of burn injuries and safety tips on how to prevent and treat burns. Please help us in sharing the educational video below to ensure households learn how to be #FDNYSmart throughout National Burn Awareness Week 2021. Please visit https://www.fdnysmart.org/connect/ for more safety tips

New York will follow updated CDC quarantine guidelines for fully vaccinated individuals. Last week, the CDC announced that individuals who have received both vaccine doses, and at least two weeks have passed since the second dose, are no longer required to quarantine if they are exposed to someone who is infected with the virus. New York is updating our guidance to follow the CDC. All New Yorkers, including those who have been fully vaccinated, should continue to wear masks, social distance, and be smart until herd immunity is reached and this pandemic is fully relegated to the history books.

Join the Isaacs Center on Friday, February 19th from 3-5 pm on Zoom for a Virtual Celebration of Black History Month. The event will feature presentations from community members and special guest Dance Theatre of Harlem Company Member Lindsey Donnell. The Zoom meeting ID is :831-6369-6226 and you can join by phone by calling 646-876-9923

The deadline to change parties ahead of the June primary has been extended to Tuesday (TODAY).

The city redesigned its vaccination website to streamline the scheduling process.

New COVID-19 Vaccine Site on Roosevelt Island: As of Friday, February 12, New Yorkers aged 65 and older will be able to receive their COVID-19 vaccines at the Duane Reade on Main Street on Roosevelt Island today, tomorrow, and on Sunday. Appointments can be made by calling the Roosevelt Island Duane Reade at 646-521-2260.

Wednesday (2/17), stores within the Madison Ave. Business Improvement District (Madison Ave. between E. 57th - 86th Sts.) can set up free COVID testing for employees through NYC Test and Trace. Fill out this form to request in-store testing.

Wednesday (2/17) at 3:30 pm, NYCHA hosts a virtual town hall about the Blueprint for Change, with a presentation by Chair Greg Russ and a Q&A. Translation is available in Spanish, Russian, and Chinese. Register here.

Thursday (2/18) at 5 pm, NYCHA leaders are invited to a virtual training on COVID-19 vaccine messaging and appointment navigation, the monthly forum topic from the NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene. Register here.

Thursday (2/18) at 6 pm, watch a discussion about race, inequality, and incarceration during Getting Out and Staying Out’s next “One-on-One” event with Dr. Jocelynne Rainey and Dr. C. Nicole Mason. Register here.

Thursday (2/18) at 6 pm, virtual Black natural hair celebration “To and ‘Fro: The Journey to Honor Black Hair as an Act of Self Determination” commemorates the second anniversary of the NYC Commission on Human Rights’ legal enforcement guidance on race discrimination on the basis of hair. Click the title to register.

Thursday (2/18) at 6:30 pm, “The COVID-19 Vaccine: A Town Hall Conversation” discusses the science behind the vaccines, the need for fairness in distribution, and FAQs. The virtual town hall is hosted by Healthy Equity Research at the Icahn School of Medicine, the CUNY School of Public Health Harlem Health Initiative, Mask Transit, and Kappa Sigma. Click the title (first link) to register.

The Icahn School of Medicine will offer two virtual community-based participatory research workshop series. The first cohort begins Thursday (2/18), and the second cohort starts Wednesday (2/24). Register here.

Apply by March 11, 2021 for one 11 units of rent regulated affordable apartments at 345 East 94th Street. Submit your application here.

Education/Parenting

Today through Friday (2/15-19), the “Kids Week at the Intrepid Museum” hosts virtual activities and workshops. Click the title to see the week’s schedule and register.

Tuesday through Friday (2/16-19), Bryant Park’s Kids Week features arts and crafts, performances, and Mardi Gras and Lunar New Year celebrations.

The NYC Dept. of Education is hosting several virtual high school info sessions for the 2021-22 school year. Register here for one of the following. Wednesday (2/17) at 1 pm and Thursday (2/18) at noon.

Wednesday (2/17) at 5 pm, Roads to Success hosts a webinar for families about specialized high schools. Register here.

East Harlem youth nonprofit Concrete Safaris is hiring teens for spring internships in their garden and outreach cohort. Send a resume to christopher@concretesafaris.org.

Abstracts are due Monday (2/15) for the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing: The Imaging and Geospatial Information Society virtual annual conference (3/29 - 4/2). Student presenter grants are available to cover conference fees here.

NYCHA youth 16-24 who are unemployed and not in school can apply for a paid, 14-week internship with El Barrio’s Operation Fightback. For more information or to apply, contact [email protected] or (917) 547-8899.

Youth ages 12-21 can apply to free digital animation workshops, accompanied by a $500 stipend, sponsored by the Made in NY Animation Project. Session 1 is 2/22 - 4/30, and session 2 is 5/3 - 6/30.

College and graduate students can now apply for a paid summer internship with NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer. Apply by Friday, 3/5.

Entertainment/Distractions

"Fleet Week" in New York City will be virtual this year. Fleet Week, a longstanding tradition where U.S. Navy ships dock in New York City for a week, allowing sailors and other crew members to visit and take in the sights of the city, will take place virtually, the Navy announced. This year's Virtual Fleet Week will run from May 26 to May 31.

A Long Island teenager is using and arts and crafts to promote compassion and kindness. 14-year-old Caroline Faber of Roslyn, Long Island, created the "Craft With Me" program, which provides crafting supplies to children in homeless shelters in the state. She and volunteers then work with the kids over Zoom. While the program is virtual for now, Caroline hopes that one day she'll be able to host a class in person.

Open Culture will provide permits for outdoor cultural performances on designated city streets through October 31, 2021. Arts and cultural institutions, as well as entertainment venues, can secure a permit for single-day, socially-distanced performances at more than 100 locations throughout the five boroughs. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis starting March 1, 2021. For complete guidelines and a list of locations, visit: the Open Culture website (nyc.gov/openculture).

Curtains Up NYC, a program partnership of MOME and the NYC Department of Small Business Services, offers FREE technical assistance, including webinars and one-on-one sessions, for live-performance venues, businesses, and non-profit organizations that want to apply for the federal Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG), also known as Save Our Stages. Curtains Up NYC will help ensure access to federal relief by providing NYC venues with assistance they need to put forward the strongest application, and, importantly, be first in line as soon as the grant applications go live. For more information, visit:  nyc.gov/CurtainsUpNYC or call 888-SBS-4NYC.

In addition, Governor Cuomo announced NY PopsUp, a statewide festival featuring hundreds of free pop-up performances, staged across every type of neighborhood and district in the five boroughs and statewide. NY PopsUp will serve as a "pilot program," creating the state's first large-scale model for how to bring live performance back safely. This is a private/public partnership overseen by the producers Scott Rudin and Jane Rosenthal, in coordination with the New York State Council on the Arts and Empire State Development. NY PopsUp will launch with performances on Saturday, February 20.

Fight fear with facts through Hip Hop Public Health's newest video. To help raise awareness on the safety and importance of getting the vaccine, and boost vaccine literacy, Hip Hop Public Health released a new animated music video featuring rapper Darryl DMC McDaniels of Run-DMC and more. Watch it here.

Apply now to join your Community Board, the most grassroots form of local government. The Boards are pivotal in shaping their communities and work to enhance and preserve the character of the city’s many unique neighborhoods. Applications close Monday, 2/22/2021.

FINANCIAL AND LOCAL BUSINESSES UPDATES

Wednesday (2/17) at 1 pm, “Black Farmers’ Pathways to Success Webinar Series: Reimagining Urban Food Systems” features a speaker from Rocky Acres Community Farm, presented by Corbin Hill Food Project. Click the title (first link) to register.

Free financial counseling is available through the NY Legal Assistance Group. Make an appointment by calling 311 and asking for NYLAG or by visiting this website.

Applications close Tuesday (2/16) for the East Harlem Small Business Grant Gale Brewer created with Council Member Diana Ayala, Union Settlement, and the NYC Economic Development Corp. See eligibility criteria and apply here.

Applications close Tuesday (2/16) for three $1,000 grants to build a publicly accessible compost system, sponsored by Citizens Committee for NYC and the Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB). Learn how to apply here.

Applications close Friday, 2/19 for Women Who Tech grants awarded to women-led emerging tech startups. Apply here.

Applications close Monday, 2/22 for the Higher Ground Festival, open to Northern Manhattan artists. Apply here.

Applications close Sunday, 2/28 for 10 $5,000 grants for Black entrepreneurs, sponsored by retailer Citi Trends. Eligible product categories are apparel, beauty, skin care, hair care, footwear, home decor, bedding, bath, technology, and accessories. Apply here.

Applications close Sunday, 2/28 for five $10,000 grants for Black women-owned businesses, sponsored by the 2021 New Voices + Barefoot #WeStanforHer program. Grants also include complimentary business coaching and mentoring. Apply here.

Applications close Friday, 3/12 for grants up to $15,000 for Asian American women-led organizations and women artists focused on social change, sponsored by the Asian Women Giving Circle. Apply here.

Applications close Saturday, 5/1 for four $10,000 grants for businesses owned by Black women and femmes, sponsored by Merchant Maverick. Apply here.

Single mothers in need can apply for a $500 grant from single mom empowerment blog Wealthy Single Mommy. Apply here.

Little Island in Hudson River Park is hiring several year-round and seasonal positions. See the job postings here.

Council Speaker Corey Johnson and the NYC DOB are hosting Virtual Office Hours Tuesday, February 23rd 11am - 2pm. Appointment only, find out more here.

Free legal services are available in all languages for low-income people through the City Bar Justice Center’s Legal Hotline, via their online application or 212-626-7383 (open Mon-Thu, 9 am - 5 pm, Fri 9 am - 1 pm). Those seeking a referral for a lawyer can contact the New York City Bar’s Legal Referral Service, which has waived its initial consultation fee for all legal issues until further notice. Request a referral online or by calling 212-626-7373 (212-626-7374 in Spanish) Mon-Fri, 8:30 am - 5:30 pm.

File your taxes for free if you earned $68,000 or less in 2020, thanks to NYC Free Tax Prep. If you didn’t receive some or any of the two pandemic stimulus checks, NYC Free Tax Prep can assist with claiming the equivalent amounts as a “Recovery Rebate Credit.” (Volunteer tax preparers are needed for these sites, too.)

As a result of the relief act passed in December, filers can also take advantage of a one-time look-back provision, allowing them to choose to use their 2019 or 2020 income for the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, a change that benefits those who lost their job in the last year.

In other personal finance news, the Biden administration has extended the pause on most federal student loans -- due to expire Sunday (1/31)-- through 9/30, which means payments are suspended, collections on defaulted loans are stopped, and the interest rate is 0% through September. The Federal Student Aid Office’s website has a detailed FAQ about eligibility.

Applications close Friday, 2/12 for “Project Innovation,” a grant for nonprofits from NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47. Apply here.

Restaurants can now sign up for Restaurant Week To Go until tomorrow (2/2) at 5 pm. Restaurant Week itself has been extended through Sunday, 2/28 with takeout and delivery meals available for $20.21 each.

NYC created "What to Expect When You’re Inspected: NYC Indoor and Outdoor Dining Checklist for Participating Establishments." Check it out here. 

Applications open Thursday, 4/1 for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grants aka Save our Stages. Arts venues and representatives can see eligibility criteria here and should note they must have been in operation as of 2/29/2020 and must not have received a Paycheck Protection Program loan on or after 12/27/2020. For additional info, contact [email protected].

The Mayor extended the City’s Open Storefronts program through 9/30/21, allowing storefront retail businesses to continue operating directly outside their store. Plan now for warmer weather; read the FAQ for eligibility and operating guidelines, and apply here.

You could work as a snow laborer removing snow and ice for the city Dept. of Sanitation. If you apply now, you’ll be ready to work after the next storm. Pay is up to $22.50 an hour; you must be over age 18 and eligible to work in the U.S. (The Census Bureau is also hiring-- looking for employees to take additional surveys. View a field representative job description and application link here.)

TechCongress, a technology policy fellowship, is recruiting for its 2021 Congressional Innovation Scholars program, which places technologists to serve as tech policy advisors to Members of Congress. The program pays a stipend equivalent to an annual salary of $60,000 and other benefits. Scholars have been working on the House Judiciary Committee’s Antitrust Subcommittee report on Big Tech, helped pass the OPEN Government Data Act into law, and worked to change defense procurement policy to allow start-ups to better compete with larger contractors. TechCongress hosted an information session Wednesday, 1/27 at 2 pm. Applications close Friday, 2/5.

Apply by 2/16/21 for one of 32 affordable apartments in six West Harlem buildings (118 W. 139th St., 123 W. 112th St., 30 W. 132nd St., 281 W. 118th St., 120 W. 139th St., and 122 W. 139th St.). Studios to four-bedrooms are available with income limits of $48,480-$120,080. Apply through the NYC Dept. of Housing Preservation and Development’s Housing Connect portal.

Applications for HEAP can be accessed by calling 212-331-3126 or visiting the ACCESS HRA website for instructions here. HEAP applications are available for download here.

Learn new job skills and earn certificates to advance your career through 4,000 free online courses offered by the state Dept. of Labor and Coursera, such as “How to Manage a Remote Team” and “Entrepreneurship.” View the course catalog.

The DSNY has issued the below information about restaurant outdoor dining and snow. For more information, click here.

Open Restaurants that use outdoor heating must follow newly released guidance from the Dept. of Buildings and the FDNY for electric, natural gas and propane heaters. Open Restaurants are subject to new regulations pertaining to roadway barriers, snow and dining enclosures, per the Dept. of Transportation.

NYC Department of Social Services/Human Resources Administration (DSS/HRA): For updated information on COVID-19 and changes to social services benefits, including SNAP food assistance, cash assistance, and burial assistance, please refer to DSS/HRA’s Important information about COVID-19 and your HRA benefits.

Free financial counseling is available by phone through the NYC Dept. of Consumer and Worker Protection. Book an appointment online or by calling 311.

The Dept. of Small Business Services has launched Career Discovery NYC, a free career search and skills training tool.

Restaurant & Bar Reopening Toolkit – Find all the guidelines and resources you need in one place, including checklists, Open Restaurant siting criteria, and posters. Download it here, and find additional guidance and resources for restaurants on SBS’ restaurant reopening guide here.

Find Outdoor Dining Fixtures & Equipment – Please click here for the City's directory of equipment rental fixtures & equipment for safe outdoor dining.

The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) will work to ensure that the most up-to-date guidance and materials needed by small business owners for a safe phased-in reopening are readily available. The information will be housed on a centralized resource page with guidance and best practices for the restaurant industry across all five boroughs. SBS will also launch a reopening supplies marketplace for easy access to wholesalers selling PPE, gloves, sneeze guards and other equipment. Business owners can call a hotline at 1-888-SBS-4NYC to ask questions about this process.

PPE for Small Businesses: NYC SBS coordinating with 70+ BIDs and Chambers of Commerce to provide 2 million pieces of PPE to small businesses citywide. Find a distribution partner near you at: Free Face Coverings for Small Businesses & Their Employees

The City’s Department of Small Business Services has shared their new “Find a Job” page, which lists open employment listings from across NYC. Learn more and search the listings.

WAYS YOU CAN HELP

Pop-up stores have appeared in Brooklyn with one radical idea: everything in the store is free. The initiative, called the Free Store Project, is helping New Yorkers in North Brooklyn get rid of unwanted items that may still be useful to others. Founder Myles Smutney began the project last October, and since then, thousands of items have been donated and given away for free, from clothes to books to appliances and more. Volunteers help staff the four locations. The Free Store Project is bringing the community together and supporting one another—because that's what New Yorkers do.

Tuesday (2/16) from 5-7 pm, donate devices in good condition to Goddard Riverside and Community Board 7’s “Donate a Device” initiative for students. Drop off laptops, tablets, headphones, and chargers at Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center (250 W. 65th St.). Devices should be wiped of all personal information.

Students at P.S. 146 in East Harlem are in need of iPad chargers. If you’re able to donate, contact [email protected].

Animal Care Centers of NYC is seeking donations of large crates, no-pull harnesses, toys, and pet food.

Helpers for COVID-19 is an organization that delivers essential goods to the immunocompromised. To volunteer, click here. To request deliveries, click here or call (862)-621-9614‬. Assistance is available in English, Hindi, Russian, Mandarin, Spanish, and Hebrew.

The NYC Civic Corps is seeking nonprofit organizations to host 2021-2022 AmeriCorps members, who help develop host organizations’ volunteer programs. Learn more and apply here.

The Dept. of Sanitation is seeking locations with indoor storage space that can host eCycleNYC bins for electronics recycling. Interested building owners and managers can fill out this form, and DSNY will be in touch.

Order directly from restaurants, not from delivery apps. See why the New York Times.

Businesses and organizations can donate extra food and supplies to local organizations that can then redistribute them. Details about eligible donors and recipients can be found online: For food donations visit nyc.gov/donatefood; for non-food donations, visit nyc.gov/donate.

Borrow free equipment for community clean-ups from the Dept. of Sanitation by calling 311, emailing [email protected] or submitting this form.

If you are experiencing COVID symptoms or believe you may have been exposed to someone who is positive, get tested. Find a testing site near you. You can also call 1-888-364-3065 to schedule a free appointment at a New York State-run testing location.

If you get a call from NYS Contact Tracing, pick up. Contact tracers are working around the clock to trace clusters and inform people who have been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID. How can you help? Simply by picking up the phone. If your caller ID says "NYS Contact Tracing," pick up and help New York stop the spread. (Tracers will never ask for your Social Security Number or financial information; if someone does, they are not an official tracer and you should hang up.)

Give your friends a call. Check in with your family. Ask them how everything is going and how they are feeling. Let's show each other some love because mental health is just as important as physical health. New Yorkers can also call the State's mental health hotline at 1-844-863-9314 for free emotional support, consultations & referrals to a provider.

The pandemic has caused declines in organ donations. With so many people awaiting lifesaving organ transplants, Governor Cuomo urges New Yorkers to become organ donors and join the NYS Donate Life Registry.

Apply to become a member of the NYC Community Emergency Response Team, which assists first responders with community preparedness and disaster support. Apply here.

Donate Plasma: Recovered COVID-19 patients are needed to donate plasma, which is used to treat critically ill patients across the country. Donate at a NY Blood Center location. Eligible donors can give convalescent plasma up to eight times in a three-month period.

THE CITY is asking folks who know any New York City residents who have died of COVID-19 to fill out a simple form to tell them about the lives of those we’ve lost. Their goal is to put as many names, faces and details to the numbers as possible. You’ll find more here — including the form.

Donate blood. The New York Blood Center says that levels of blood are dangerously low. To make an appointment to donate, visit nybc.org or call 1.800.933.2566. Appointments are strongly recommended.

Support local businesses by buying gift cards. We have posted links to sites selling gift cards. Another site selling gift cards to restaurants, barber shops, and events like ghost hunts, and museums, see SupportLocal at https://supportlocal.usatoday.com/cities/

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? Shifts: Meal Plating from 7:00am-9:00am; Meal Delivery from 9:45am-1:00pm; Cold Packing from 10:00am-1:00pm. Contact communitysupport@isaacscenter.org

LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS' TELE-TOWN HALLS

Rebecca Seawright: Tuesday, February 23 at 7:00 pm on Facebook live and Zoom- Rank Choice Voting Information Session. RSVP here.

RSVP to receive dial-in info here.

2021 Virtual Roundtable for Boomers and Seniors from Senator Liz Krueger. “Being Mortal: Thinking About End of Life Decision Making”

This year's Roundtable series will bring together experts to offer concrete tools to assist with end of life planning, and provide a forum to ignite our imagination about what we value and how we want to live as we age.

To RSVP for any or all of the sessions in this year's series, please go to https://tinyurl.com/2021SeniorRoundtableSeries.

Thursday, February 18th - Health Care Proxies and Living Wills 10 am - 11:30 am

- Sally Kaplan, Program Director, What Matters: Caring Conversations about the End of Life, Marlene Meyerson JCC
- Tina Janssen-Spinosa, Senior Staff Attorney, Total Life Choices Program Coordinator, NYLAG

Thursday, March 18th - Research on the Use of Psychedelics to Address End-of–Life Existential Distress 10 am - 11:30 am

- Anthony Bossis, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health
- Mary Cosimano, MSW, Director of Guide/Facilitator Services, Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, Johns Hopkins

Thursday, April 22nd - Living Well: What Do We Value Most? 10:00 am – 11:30 am

- Rabbi Angela Warnick Buchdahl, Senior Rabbi, Central Synagogue
- Jeannie Blaustein, PhD, D. Ministry, Founding Board Chair, Reimaging End of Life, Adjunct Faculty, Pace University, Psychology

Thursday, May 20th - Reimagining Later Life Care Models 10 am – 11:30 am

- TBA

Coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQs & Resources

The State's Coronavirus Hotline is open 24 hours if you have any questions or concerns: 1-888-364-3065. **If you need help getting medical care, you can also call 311. New York City will provide care regardless of immigration status or ability to pay.

The NYP COVID Hotline 646-697-4000 can answer questions about COVID-19. This hotline is a public service to provide information only and not to diagnose, treat, or render a medical opinion. Their Coronavirus Frequently Asked Questions document is available on the NYP Coronavirus website.

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:

Download the app on your iPhone here.  Download the app on your Android device here.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Past Updates from CB8