A4
TIMESLEDGER, GUIDE TO QUEENS, SPRING/SUMMER 2022
AFTER TWO YEARS, QUEENS LOOKS
TO REBOUND FROM COVID-19 PANDEMIC
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A massive mural at Flushing Meadow Corona Park in the spring of 2020 paid homage to frontline medical workers who battled the first
wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
BRIAN RICE
Publisher
ZACH GEWELB
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BILL PARRY
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BY BILL PARRY
Anyone who saw the
massive mural by Jorge
Rodriguez-Gerada at
Flushing Meadow Corona
Park in May 2020 will
never forget it.
The artist was inspired
by an immigrant
doctor who died on the
frontlines battling the
COVID-19 pandemic in
minority communities.
The mural was a
haunting reminder that
that section of Queens
had been labeled the “epicenter
of the epicenter”
as the neighborhoods
of Corona, Elmhurst
and Jackson Heights
were disproportionately
impacted during that
first wave of COVID-19.
Many of the residents
were essential workers
who couldn’t work from
home during the lockdown
and many were
living in multigenerational
households where
there was little room for
social distancing.
During that first
wave in 2020, one out
of nine Corona residents
were infected by
the virus, according to
the city Health Department,
and few had access
to healthcare.
Now, two years later,
and following the deaths
of nearly 12,000 Queens
residents, the borough
is emerging from the
pandemic armed with
lessons learned, especially
in regards to
health disparities.
Take Far Rockaway,
for instance. In ZIP code
11697, 612 residents perished
during the pandemic,
the second-highest
total in Queens.
Mayor Eric Adams
is planning to bring a
new healthcare facility
to Far Rockaway under
his “Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent”
economic recovery
plan for New York
City released on March
10. The mayor made the
announcement after
Queens Borough President
Donovan Richards
and southeast Queens
elected officials drafted
a letter explaining how
St. John’s Episcopal
Hospital was overburdened
and a “smattering
of smaller healthcare
clinics” didn’t provide
enough access to medical
care families deserve.
The mayor’s plan outlines
an ambitious agenda
to reimagine the future
of New York City’s
economy built on equity
and inclusivity. Queens
leaders hope the blueprint
will assist small
businesses and bring
down an unemployment
rate in the borough that
remains higher than the
national average.
“People are hurting,
and they need relief,”
State Senator James
Sanders said. “Mayor
Adams has created a
solid blueprint for success
addressing many
of today’s prevalent issues,
such as job creation,
helping small
businesses, and inclusive
economic growth.
I support these initiatives
and look forward
to assisting Mayor Adams
in moving our city
onward and upward.”
Another part of the
recovery equation in
Queens is education.
While some Catholic
schools were forced
to close during the
pandemic and remain
shuttered, the School
Construction Authority
built new schools
across the borough as
part of its 2020-2024
capital program, which
includes more than $2,2
billion in funding for 31
buildings adding more
than 18,000 seats in
Queens, especially in
the most overcrowded
districts.
Earlier this month,
the Key to NYC program
was suspended
lifting the indoor mask
mandate for city public
school K-12 students.
Councilman Francisco
Moya, who was
raised in the same Corona
neighborhood that he
now represents, is chair
of the Subcommittee on
COVID-19 Recovery and
Resiliency.
“COVID-19 has been
ever-evolving forcing us
to constantly adjust but
we are resilient,” Moya
said. “Two years ago we
did not have the tools and
lessons learned to protect
ourselves and others. As
we move forward, we need
to continue to monitor the
trends and new variants
to ensure we can pivot
as needed to protect our
most vulnerable communities,
our families, our
local businesses, and the
recovery of our city.”
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