September 25, 2020
by Georgio A. Dano for FNTV
New York City—As more than 200,000 Americans up to the present have succumbed of COVID-19, re-infection rates in many states and especially in hardest hit New York City is currently beginning to see spikes in cases.
The New York City Health Department issues an order for non-public schools in Brooklyn and Queens to safeguard public health. The newly appointed city’s health commissioner, Dr. Dave A. Chokshi said, “This may by the most precarious position with COVID-19 we have experienced in months, and we must immediately take action to protect our communities”. The ZIP codes under the health commissioner’s order includes: 11204 (Bensonhurst/Mapleton), 11223 (Gravesend/Homecrest), 11230 (Midwood), 11691 (Edgemere/Far Rockaway), 11415 (Kew Gardens), 11219 (Borough Park), 11229 (Gerritsen Beach/Homecrest/Sheepshead Bay), and 11210 (Flatlands/Midwood). The commissioner’s orders are effective immediately and inspectors will be visiting each ZIP code for compliance.
According to the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene a considerable growth of positive cases are at an alarming rate. Specific areas include: Gravesend/Homecrest (6.0%), Midwood (4.95%), Edgemere Far Rockaway (4.08%), Kew Gardens (3.99%), Borough Park (3.53%), Bensonhurst/Mapleton (3.16%), Gerritsen Beach/Homecrest/Sheepshead Bay (3.07%), Flatlands/Midwood (3.06%) and Williamsburg (1.67%).
New York City’s new Health Commissioner Dave A. Chokshi discussed the increase cases in Brooklyn today at Gravesend Park (18th Avenue between 56th and 58th streets) along with President and Chief Executive Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals Dr. Mitchell Katz, Dr. Theodore Long of NYC Test & Trace Corps and Dr. Jay Varma public health advisor to Mayor Deblasio. The press conference of the city’s top doctors, today, was disrupted by a man who refused to wear a mask and his denial of COVID19.
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo updates New Yorkers on the State’s progress response. As of September 25, 2020, the 94,818 test results reported to New York State on September 24, 2020, 908 persons or 0.95 percent were positive. The Governor confirms that 908 additional cases of the novel coronavirus brings the statewide count a total of 453, 755 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 908 confirmed cases on September 24, 2020 there were 7 deaths due to COVID-19 in the state. This number brings the total death count of 25,446.
New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said, “New York’s ability to stay vigilant and conscientious toward their fellow citizens is critical as we continue to battle COVID-19 throughout the state. That mindset—that I wear a mask not just to protect myself, but to protect you as well—is what will get us through to the other side”.
The governor gives daily updates on the numbers since the beginning of the pandemic and has often lauds New York’s resiliency, “New Yorkers need to keep wearing masks, socially distancing and washing their hands, and local governments need to keep enforcing state guidance. There is a long road ahead, but we will tackle it together by staying New York tough”.
Mayor de Blasio’s administration health department will increase enforcement in areas with significant uptick in cases. Starting on Saturday, September 26, 2020, the health department states, “there will regular inspections of all non-public schools within these clusters and their adjacent zip codes. The number of enforcement staff will continue to increase in order to provide robust mask and social distancing compliance in these areas as well”. This comes as reported, “clusters of considerable growth in COVID-19 cases as seasonal changes and autumn weather starts in New York City.
The swift actions will continue well into Monday evening. The city will continue to monitor the situation and if indicators continue to rise even with additional enforcement actions the city’s health department vows to scale back activities in these ZIP codes. The actions to include: prohibiting all gatherings of more than 10 persons, issues fines for refusals to wear masks after being offered a mask, ordering private schools and child care centers to close if they don’t meet DOE standards, and lastly, closing all non-essential businesses immediately as per the NYC health department.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, a Brooklyn native, has lauded New York’s successful response to the virus, “We know some states did a good job. Some states did not so good a job. Some states tried to do a good job but people didn’t listen”. He continues on to state, “more lives could have been saved if everyone in this country better followed recommendations to wear masks, avoid crowds, and keep 6 feet apart”.
Dr. Fauci and several top U.S. health officials continue to monitor and assure the government and the public that a vaccine released will be assured as safe and effective, “we feel cautiously optimistic that we will be able to have a safe and effective vaccine, although there is never a guarantee of that”.
New York City’s coronavirus numbers can be found by visiting https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-data.page
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