Richards endorses COVID testing mandate
BY BILL PARRY
Queens Borough President
Donovan Richards endorsed
the city’s newly issued mandate
that all municipal employees
receive a COVID-19
vaccination or submit to weekly
COVID-19 testing ahead of
the start of the 2021-22 school
year.
Mayor Bill de Blasio is also
calling on the private sector
to enact vaccine and test mandates
at all offices, workplaces
and facilities.
“The science is clear: Getting
vaccinated against COVID
19 is the best way to protect
ourselves, our families
and our communities from a
vicious virus that has killed
more than 8,600 of our fellow
Queens residents and delivered
an unprecedented blow
to our borough,” Richards
said.
Richards said the mayor’s
announcement on Monday,
July 26, is a “common-sense
investment in the overall safety
and ultimate recovery of
our city, while also respecting
reasonable accommodations
on an individual basis.”
“We’ve come too far and
lost too much in the fight
against COVID-19 to not defeat
this once and for all,” Richards
said. “The vaccines are
safe, free and effective.”
The de Blasio administration
is mandating that beginning
on Sept. 13, the first day of
school, approximately 340,000
city workers, including teachers
and police officers, will
need to be vaccinated, or submit
to weekly testing.
“We’re also going to reinforce
for all city government
workers starting on Monday,
reinforcing clearly, if you are
unvaccinated and you are
a city employee, beginning
on Monday, you must either
wear a mask indoors at your
work site at all times, or if you
would prefer not to, you have
to immediately go get vaccinated,”
de Blasio said. “This is
very, very clear.”
De Blasio said they will
“unfortunately, be very
tough” about the vaccine requirement.
“If a city government employee
does not wear a mask
indoors and they are unvaccinated
there, unfortunately,
there will have to be consequences
because we have to
Lawmaker expands reproductive health education
22 TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | JULY 30–AUGUST 5, 2021 BT
take it seriously,” he said.
“If someone’s unvaccinated,
unfortunately, they pose a
threat to themselves, but they
also have a greater chance of
spreading the disease.”
While the city’s infection
rate hit an all-time low earlier
in the summer as the vaccination
rate increased, it has
ticked upwards throughout
July as the more infectious
delta variant has become the
dominant strain.
“These new requirements
reflect our commitment to
each other and the people we
serve,” Health Commissioner
Dr. Dave A. Chokshi said. “In
the tug of war between vaccines
and the variants, we
should continue to bet on the
vaccines. But now is the time
for our whole city to pull together
and defeat delta.”
Approximately 4.9 million
New Yorkers have received
at least one dose of the vaccine.
This includes over 10,000
doses from mobile vaccination
sites, 280,000 doors knocked by
canvassers and 20,000 doses
given in-home to anyone who
needs it. There have also been
more than $80,000 in referral
bonuses given to community
organizations.
“We’ve come a long way
from once being the ‘epicenter
of the epicenter’ on COVID
19, but the pandemic is not
over yet,” said NYC Health +
Hospitals President and CEO
Mitchell Katz, MD. “We have
a moral responsibility to take
every precaution possible to
ensure we keep ourselves, our
colleagues and loved ones safe.
Our city’s new testing requirement
for city workers provides
more peace of mind until more
people get their safe and effective
COVID-19 vaccine.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718)
260–4538.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards (center) accompanied Mayor Bill de Blasio at a College
Point vaccination hub in January, and now backs the city’s COVID-19 testing mandate for city workers.
Photo courtesy of mayor’s office
BY JULIA MORO
On July 16, Governor Andrew
Cuomo signed legislation
sponsored by Assembly
member Jessica González-
Rojas allowing the New York
State Department of Health
to educate and provide treatment
options regarding preeclampsia.
Preeclampsia is caused by
high blood pressure after the
20th week of pregnancy. If it
goes untreated or undetected,
it can lead to organ damage,
strokes, seizures, premature
birth and death. However, in
many cases, preeclampsia is
preventable or can be detected
early.
The recently signed legislation
was inspired by Lian
Gravelle, a constituent of the
district represented by Senator
Jeremy Cooney, who also
sponsored the bill. Gravelle
passed away six months after
giving birth to twin boys from
preeclampsia complications.
“Lian educated new mothers
about dangerous maternal
health conditions, such as
preeclampsia,” Cooney said.
“Although we tragically lost
Gravelle, her spirit is embodied
in this lifesaving legislation.”
The law will provide thorough
education to patients
and training for healthcare
providers of maternal health
services.
“I spent my career in reproductive
health care and this is
something that is going to save
lives,” González-Rojas said.
González-Rojas said that
this legislation perfectly
aligns with her goals as an
elected official looking to prioritize
women’s health and
reproductive rights. Prior to
running for office, she ran a
nonprofit called the National
Latina Institute for Reproductive
Health, working to make
health care accessible.
“I see the implications
when people don’t have information
about maternal reproductive
healthcare, there
are consequences,” González-
Rojas said. “There are often
social determinants of health
based on immigration status,
insurance status or the language
you speak. My goal is
to break those barriers and
pass legislation that’s going to
ensure our communities have
access to the healthcare they
need.”
The bill was widely supported,
with 35 sponsors made
up of both Republican and
Democratic state senators and
assembly members.
Once the bill was signed
into law, González-Rojas
called Gravelle’s husband.
“It was very emotional. I’m
very grateful for him lending
her name to this bill,”
González-Rojas said. “We carry
this in her honor.”
Reach reporter Julia Moro
at jmoro@schnepsmedia.com.
Jessica González-Rojas. Angélica Acevedo/QNS
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