Jacobi launches drive thru COVID-19 testing
Making Sense of the Census
The Count
Begins
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,BTR MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2020 3
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By Julie Menin, Director of NYC Census
2020.
During these trying times we are in,
we want to share one bit of good news,
readers! Thanks to you and your fellow
New Yorkers, New York City is already
making great strides in the 2020 Census.
After being available for just one
week, 15.1% of NYC households have
already responded to the 2020 Census.
These are good starting numbers, but
let’s take a moment to appreciate why
this is so significant.
In 2010, after one week, just 6% of New
Yorkers had responded to the census by
this point, compared to the national average
of 16% at the time. Now in 2020, as
of March 23, the national average is 21%,
and NYC is at 15.1%. That means we are
closing the gap between New York City
and the national average.
That alone is incredibly significant.
But we have to remember that this is
even more important than ever because
of the unprecedented challenges we’ve
faced in the 2020 Census: the fear, misinformation,
and disinformation stemming
from the protracted, multi-year
battle surrounding the citizenship question;
a deep and widespread distrust of
the federal government; the census being
primarily available online for the
first time; and now, New York City is one
of the national epicenters of the battle
against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now more than ever, to keep each
other safe and healthy, it’s never been
more important for New Yorkers to selfrespond
to the census, as more than 15%
of us have already done. And luckily, it’s
never been easier, since you can fill it out
in just five minutes online or by phone.
So if you haven’t filled out the census
yet, fill it out now at my2020census.gov
or by calling 844-330-2020. And if you
have already done it, take a moment to
pat yourself on the back for being a part
of this historic effort — then tell your
friends, family, and neighbors to do the
same!
“Making Sense of the Census” is a
weekly column from Julie Menin, Director
of NYC Census 2020. Every week we
will be publishing pieces from Julie and
guest authors laying out the facts and
answering tough questions about this
year’s census. Fill out the census now at
my2020census.gov.
BY JASON COHEN
With more than 25,000
confi rmed coronavirus cases
in New York and 2,328 in the
Bronx, medical professionals
are doing everything they can
to help people.
On March 17, Jacobi Hospital
launched a drive thru
testing site for coronavirus.
So far, the disease has killed
131 in the city, including a
principal in Brooklyn and renowned
playwright Terrence
McNally.
Dr. Elana Sydney, chief of
ambulatory medicine at Jacobi,
spoke with the Bronx
Times about how the testing
works and who should come
for it. She stressed that people
do not need a doctor’s note, but
must call 311 in order to make
an appointment and they cannot
just show up at the site.
Testing is available from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m.
“I think people are concerned,
obviously anxious,
but I think the overall atmosphere
has been controlled,”
Sydney said.
Upon arrival the patients
are greeted by a few nurses
and a doctor. The car pulls up,
A cop directing traffi c at the drive thru testing site at Jacobi. Photo Courtesy Jacobi Hospital
the nurse gets their info, the
doctor asks them what symptoms
they are having and then
swabs their mouth. A diagnosis
is received within 48 hours.
During her brief interview
around 12:30 p.m. on March
20, there had already been 30
cars at the site. Sydney said if
anyone has a fever, coughing,
sore throat or respiratory issues
they should call 311 and
make an appointment.
“I think the best thing everyone
can be doing, even
with mild symptoms, is to stay
home, isolate and quarantine
themselves,” she said.
According to Sydney, most
people will experience fl u like
systems, but since there is
no cure, it is spreading much
quicker. Furthermore, the elderly
and people with weaker
immune systems are more
prone to it.
The doctor stressed that
people are fl ooding the emergency
rooms when they aren’t
symptomatic and that isn’t
helping
“I think people are anxious
and they want to get tested,”
Sydney said.
On March 20, Mayor Bill
de Blasio and NYC Health +
Hospitals today announced
expanded, appointment-only
COVID-19 testing capacity
across 10 acute-care hospitals,
seven Gotham Health community
based health centers and
four drive-thru test sites.
Citywide, there are 14,776
positive cases of COVID-19 and
131 fatalities. Currently, there
are 4,364 cases in Queens,
2,887 in Manhattan, 4,237 in
Brooklyn, 2,328 in the Bronx,
and 953 in Staten Island.
In addition to Jacobi, there
will be 10 new sites at hospitals
each serving 150 people
per day.
There are eight already
open in Bellevue, Elmhurst,
Harlem, Jacobi, Kings, Lincoln,
Woodhull, Queens
There will be seven new
sites at Gotham clinics, each
serving 50 to 75 people per day
and all opened last week at Belvis,
Cumberland, East New
York, Gouverneur, Morrisania,
Sydenham and Vanderbilt·
/my2020census.gov
/my2020census.gov