BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
The newly sworn-in Queens
Borough President Donovan
Richards hit the ground running
with a tour of the borough’s hospitals,
making Elmhurst Hospital
his third stop on Dec. 10.
The former southeast
Queens councilman has visited
three hospitals in the past 24
hours, including Queens Hospital
Center and St. John’s Episcopal
Hospital, to get a better
sense of where the borough’s
needs are amid a recent uptick
of COVID-19 cases.
“I think there were a lot of
lessons from March and April,
at the height of the pandemic,
and they’re much better prepared,”
Richards told QNS.
“They’re not at capacity, but
preparation means being ready,
so the best way to ensure that a
plan is successful is to be ahead
of the game. All of our institutions
thus far are ahead of the
game — but still worried about
seeing that surge. No one wants
to be back where they were in
March or April.”
On Thursday, Richards was
welcomed by interim CEO of
Elmhurst Hospital Eric Wei as
well as several doctors and administrators
of what became
“the epicenter of the epicenter”
of the pandemic back in March
and April.
While addressing the small
group of health care professionals,
Richards thanked them for
their ongoing bravery and sacrifices.
He remembered Priscilla
Carrow, a coordinating
manager at Elmhurst Hospital
and well-known community
member who passed away in
March due to COVID-19.
“Someone who we lost in
this pandemic, someone who
gave it all, who did so much
for me in my personal life. Who
kept this hospital running, who
kept people fed. Who looked out
for people, even during their
most vulnerable moments. We
lost her, we remember her, we
love you and we miss you,”
said Richards. “But we know
you would want us to carry on
the work that you started. And
that’s why I’m here today.”
Richards said his administration’s
top priority will be
HEALTH ADVISORY
NEW YORKERS SHOULD LIMIT ACTIVITIES
THEY AND THEIR HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS AND CAREGIVERS SHOULD:
Limit their activities outside of their home – only leave to go to work or school or for medical care or
other essential needs, such as groceries and pharmacy items.
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.4 COM | DEC. 18-DEC. 24, 2020
investing in health care.
Queens has only nine hospitals,
and the fewest hospital
beds per capita when compared
to the other four boroughs,
with 1.66 beds per 1,000 people,
according to a report by the
Queens borough president’s
office.
“There’s ample opportunity
as this borough grows, as we
look at land use, there should
certainly be a strategic plan
in place by the city to make
sure there’s community facilities
space that health care is
prioritized in those spaces,”
said Richards. “With a multipronged
strategy we actually
can see health care, and more
quality health care in the
borough.”
As the borough’s infection
rate rises, Richards said
it’s important for community
members to wear masks, social
distance and stop gatherings.
“We owe it to them to not
just clap for our health care
workers, but to also be responsible
to remember that these
are folks who have to go home
to their loved ones and want to
go home to their loved ones, and
they deserve our respect and
greatest debt of gratitude for all
they have done,” said Richards.
Richards added that he is
calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo
and Mayor Bill de Blasio to prioritize
Queens when it comes to
vaccine distribution.
“I’m urging the public to get
vaccinated. I am not gonna lead
from the rear; I’m gonna lead
from the front on this one,” said
Richards. “I know that there’s
a lot of concern and a lot of fear
around what that vaccine will
do to you, but it is critical for us
to get back to some semblance of
normalcy — once again, as we
look at our health care workers
and we thank them — that we
Photo by Angélica Acevedo
also take personal responsibility
and look out not just for them,
but our neighbors, our family
members, our children.”
Wei said that while the hospital
is “busy,” it’s nothing compared
to the spring yet. He said
that while the number of their
COVID patients is rising, it’s
doing so in a linear way that
allows them to implement their
step-by-step surge plan — which
is “good and bad news for us.”
“We’ve never stopped preparing,
never stopped procuring
equipments, supplies, staff,
and training our staff on things
you need for COVID like dialysis
and ICU care. So we feel
like we’re in a good place,” said
Wei.
BP Richards tours local hospitals, says
health care will be his ‘highest priority’
COVID-19 CASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE INCREASING
RAPIDLY IN NEW YORK CITY.
ADULTS OVER 65 AND PEOPLE WITH CERTAIN UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS
ARE AT GREATER RISK FOR SEVERE COVID-19.
For more information, visit nyc.gov/health/coronavirus
Wear a face covering at all times when
outside their home, indoors and outdoors.
Not have visitors in their home, except
for caregivers.
Avoid public spaces and gatherings.
Stay home if sick, except for
getting medical care, including testing
for COVID-19.
IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19, CALL YOUR DOCTOR.
IF YOU ARE HAVING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, CALL 911.
Bill de Blasio
Mayor
Dave A. Chokshi, MD, MSc
Commissioner
/coronavirus
