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COURIER L 12 IFE, JAN. 28-FEB. 3, 2022
Military members
arrive at Coney Island
Hospital to assist
with COVID surge
U.S. Military service members arrive at Coney Island Hospital
to help the battle the COVID-19 outbreak in southern
Brooklyn. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
BY LLOYD MITCHELL
Coney Island Hospital
is getting a helping
hand in the battle
against COVID-19!
On Monday morning,
local electeds and
hospital offi cials lauded
the arrival of military
service members, sent
by President Joe Biden
to assist the southern
Brooklyn hospital with
the overfl ow of coronavirus
patients in wake
of the national Omicron
surge.
“Right now our COVID
ward is understaffed
and overworked,”
said Mitchell Katz, president
and chief executive
offi cer of the NYC Health
+ Hospitals system,
which controls the hospital.
“We need all the
help we can get. I am
glad they arrived.”
Earlier this
month, Brooklyn Paper
reported that Biden
was dispatching federal
personnel to assist six
hospitals in six different
states to work alongside
healthcare workers
on the frontline to combat
the surge by helping
take the strain off overwhelmed
emergency
departments, aimed at
freeing up healthcare
professionals to continue
providing care
elsewhere.
On top of helping
at Coney Island Hospital,
the New York-based
team will also assist at
North Central Bronx
Hospital in the Bronx, a
Health + Hospitals rep
previously told Brooklyn
Paper.
Offi cials told the
press on Jan. 24 that the
ward at Coney Island
Hospital has seen an 80
percent increase in COVID
19 patients during
the latest wave of the virus.
“I am thankful for the
arrival of the US military
to help during this
diffi cult time when the
southern district needs
you most,” said U.S. Rep.
Hakeem Jeffries. “We
have brought in the best
of the best to make a difference
for workers at
the hospital.”
At this time, it is undetermined
how long the
service members will assist
the hospital.
The 11235 Zip Code,
where Coney Island Hospital
is located, has seen
1043 new COVID-19 cases
per 100,000 residents
over the last seven days.
In that area, 71.66 percent
of people are fully
vaccinated, which is
lower than the median of
74.64 percent in the Five
Boroughs, according to
city data.
The Zip Code saw its
peak on Jan. 8, when
37.09 percent of tests
came back positive, accounting
for 3,268 people
testing positive.
Citywide, 14.74 percent
of tests have recorded
positive results
over the past seven days,
equalling 9,536 total
cases.
Additional reporting
by Aidan Graham
Call to enroll or make an in-person appointment
1-800-469-6292 (TTY 711)
H2168_MKT22-10_M
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