7 BRONX WEEKLY May 31, 2020 www.BXTimes.com
BY JASON COHEN
Late on May 22, President
Donald Trump dropped a
bombshell and declared houses
of worship “essential,” which
would require such establishments
to reopen to the public.
According to a report from
CNN, the president said that
state governors must reopen religious
institutions for services
and threatened to “override”
governors if their states did not
follow the new federal recommendations
despite not having
the authority to do so.
Since the start of COVID-19,
150 clergy have died citywide
and one church in the south
Bronx has lost 21 members.
Councilman Fernando Cabrera,
who is also who is also a
senior Pastor of New Life Outreach
International Church,
said that this is not the right
time to reopen.
With 2,000 new confi rmed
cases of COVID-19 in the state
daily, the number of cases is
still too high to let people back
into houses of worship, Cabrera
said.
“I’m not in favor. “I think
this weekend is too early,” he
said.
Cabrera noted that he has
spoken to fellow clergymen and
has gotten mixed responses.
They have seen the stress and
anxiety amongst their congregants
and recognize the
need to help them, but also
know there are still too many
people dying from COVID-19.
At the same time, Cabrera
stressed that people need
their houses of worship. For
many, churches, synagogues
and mosques are their second
home.
Cabrera argued that establishments
like liquor stores
have been deemed essential
since the onset of the pandemic,
but houses of worship have not
earned the same designation.
“I think people are starting
to understand the role houses of
worship play,” he said. “Houses
of worship are people of faith
and they have felt this closing
was unconstitutional.”
Cabrera cautioned that none
of the places can reopen without
having a plan. All it takes
is one person to infect others,
he said. According to Cabrera,
families can sit together and
there should be six feet between
them other congregants and all
places must distribute masks
and require everyone to wear
them.
When the Bronx Times
spoke with Cabrera, he said that
he would not open the church
this weekend but would not be
surprised if other places did.
Many churches and synagogues
will open out of necessity as
they are bleeding money.
“How long can churches
survive being closed?” Cabrera
wondered. “I have wept because
I miss my church family.”
Cuomo unveils COVID-19 testing pilot
program with independent pharmacies
BY JASON COHEN
While the New York
City leads the country in
COVID-19 testing and the
areas bordering the city
looking to open next week,
the governor is attempting
to test as many people as
possible.
On May 22, Governor
Andrew Cuomo announced
a COVID-19 testing
pilot program for 50
independent pharmacies
statewide that will result
in 7,000 diagnostic tests
per week. Among those
pharmacies, about eight
are from the Bronx.
The federal government
will procure testing
kits and personal protective
equipment (PPE) on
behalf of New York, who
will in turn provide the
materials to independent
pharmacies.
Steve Moore, president
of the Pharmacists Society
of the State of New
York (PSSNY) looks forward
to implementing the
program. While he is still
awaiting a fi nal call with
the governor’s offi ce to
hammer out the details, he
anticipates testing will begin
June 1.
“I think once we start
to test in the city this can
be incredibly valuable,” he
explained.
Moore told the Bronx
Times in places like the
Bronx, Brooklyn and
Queens, where there are
many impoverished communities,
this will be a big
boost to help fl atten the
curve and help the people.
Additionally, those boroughs
have several drivethrough
testing sites and
most New Yorkers do not
have cars.
Customers will be
asked to self swab their
mouth and the pharmacy
will then send the kits out
for results.
Moore has spoken to his
colleagues and said that
they are all eager to participate.
“By and large everyone
is excited,” he said. “As
community based pharmacies
we know the needs of
the community.”
Steve Moore, president of the
Pharmacists Society of the
State of New York, speaks
about the governor’s plan to
use independent pharmacies
for COVID-19 testing. Courtesy
of Steve Moore
Despite Trump deeming
houses of worship essential,
Bronx offi cial think its too
early to reopen
Councilman Fernando Cabrera thinks it’s too early to reopen houses
of worship. Courtesy Offi ce of CM Cabrera
WS BID FOOD DRIVE
Westchester Square BID Executive Director, Yasmin Cruz with Racquel Sulong from Family of
Christ Ministries. WSBID held a food drive in collaboration with Family of Christ Ministries, City
Harvest, Here to Here and Integrity Contracting. Photo courtesy of Westchester Square BID
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