7 BRONX WEEKLY August 16, 2020 www.BXTimes.com
Bronx pharmacy faces COVID setbacks
Owner of Pelham Bay pharmacy discusses challenges during global pandemic
BY JASON COHEN
Situated under the
Buhre Avenue stop for the 6
train is a large sign that illuminate
the word “Drugs.”
This is the home of Pilgrim
Pharmacy, which Ray Macioci
has operated for 44
years.
Macioci, a past board
chairman of the Pharmacists
Society State of New
York, has worked in the
pharmacy industry since
the age of 14. His fi rst job
was in Belmont at Mount
Carmel Pharmacy.
Even though pharmacies
were deemed essential
and he has been open
throughout the pandemic,
he told the Bronx Times
that the experience has not
been easy.
“It’s been challenging
to say the least,” he said.
“I can’t praise my staff as
much as they deserve to be
praised.”
Macioci, 71, said this
has been one of the most
diffi cult times in his long
career. Knowing that the
safety of his employees and
customers are of utmost importance,
he adapted.
When the coronavirus
arrived in late February
early March he took action.
He put up Plexiglass
barriers at the register,
made sure all employees always
wore gloves and face
masks, handed out gloves
and masks to customers,
stopped selling lotto tickets,
encouraged customers
to call in orders for their
prescriptions, did curb side
pickup for medicine and
has even been using Door-
Dash to have medicine delivered.
Pilgrim also has a courier
service that brings
medicine to people.
“It’s a diffi cult situation
with these folks getting
to the pharmacy,” he explained,
adding that despite
being an essential business,
there has been less
foot traffi c over the past few
months.
According to Macioci,
fewer people are seeing
their physicians right now,
so there are not as many
prescriptions being written.
The past fi ve months definitely
have not been a “picnic,”
he said. He cut store
hours, received fi nancial
assistance from the government
and feels fortunate to
be afl oat. Macioci noted seeing
the restaurants shuttered
and numerous businesses
forced to close is
heartbreaking.
“You try to your best,”
he explained. “This isn’t going
to end anytime soon.”
Macioci explained another
challenge is dealing
with the unregulated
Pharmacy Benefi t Management
industry. Health
care providers have been
struggling for years at the
hands of powerful prescription
drug middlemen and
COVID-19 has accelerated
their demise.
Pharmacists have been
fi lling high volumes of prescriptions
at a loss and providing
free delivery and
other costly-but-essential
services to their patients,
raising concerns that many
pharmacies won’t survive
the pandemic. In the fi nal
days of 2019, Governor Andrew
Cuomo vetoed a bill
described as the “nation’s
toughest crackdown” on Rx
middlemen after it passed
the New York State Legislature
with overwhelming bipartisan
support.
“It’s been challenging
over the past 10 or 15 years
with the PBM industry,” he
commented. “It’s something
the state needs to reign in.
The PBM’s have been ripping
the state off for a lot of
money.”
As Macioci looks ahead,
he and his staff will continue
to do their jobs and
provide services for the
community.
“We’re in the business
of taking care of people,”
he stressed. “If a pharmacy
closes suddenly then the
folks that went there, where
are they going to get their
medicine?”
Ray Macioci has operated Pilgrim Pharmacy for 44 years
Vigil for trans woman Tiffany Harris
BY JASON COHEN
In July, Tiffany “Dior” Harris,
a black transgender woman, was
brutally killed in her Jerome Avenue
apartment.
On Aug. 7, Councilwoman Vanessa
Gibson, Councilman Ritchie
Torres, Senator Gustavo Rivera,
Destination Tomorrow and community
members held a vigil for
Harris and called for a ban for
Walking While Trans and stressed
that Black trans lives matter.
According to the Human
Rights Commission, in 2020, 25
Black transgender women have
been killed this year. Since HRC
began tracking this data in 2013,
advocates have never seen such a
high number at this point in the
year.
In 2018, there was a 120 percent
increase in arrests, with 47
percent of all arrests across New
York State happening in Queens.
According to the New York State
Division of Criminal Justice Services,
in 2018, 91 percent of people
arrested under the statute were
Black and Latinx people and 80
percent identifi ed as women.
“While I’m overjoyed to be
with family, I’m saddened at the
occasion,” said Sean Coleman,
executive director of Destination
Tomorrow, a grassroots agency in
the south Bronx that provides services
to and for the LGBTQ community.
“Today we gather to celebrate
the life of Tiffany Harris.”
Coleman was quite emotional
when speaking. He said that he
is getting tired of seeing people
under these sad circumstances.
He stressed that the city must
provide safe, affordable housing
for transgender people, must create
an equity inclusion task force
and of course, repeal the Walking
While Trans ban.
Gibson, who is the co-chair of
the Women’s Caucus, has been a
staunch supporter for Black transgender
rights and repealing Walking
While Trans.
The councilwoman said people
should not be killed for how they
look, their skin color or ethnicity.
“It’s really painful to stand
here as I think about our sister
Tiffany Harris,” Gibson stated.
“We cannot say all lives matter
until Black trans lives matter. Tiffany
Harris, say her name.”
Torres, an openly gay elected
offi cial, shared Gibson’s sentiments.
The councilman noted that
often the violence against these
transgender women is by men
they are dating.
Torres questioned why these
men can’t realize they are attracted
to trans women, he said.
Furthermore, many trans women
don’t report their attacks because
they feel the police won’t do anything.
“Tiffany Harris’ life was cut
short by hate and fear,” he exclaimed.
“The savage stabbing of
Tiffany wasn’t an isolated event.
Society has failed Tiffany Harris.”
Activist and transgender
woman Octavia Lewis spoke about
Harris and the violence against
transgender Black women.
Lewis told the attendees she is
frustrated that she is still looked
at because she is transgender. People
need to treat each other better.
“Our lives should not be about
struggle,” Lewis said. “I am tired
of existing. I deserve to live. I am
telling all of you, you are worthy
of love. You are somebody
Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson speaks at the vigil for Tiffany Harris. Photo by Jason Cohen
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