ANOTHER SHOT AT VACCINE EQUITY
Congresswoman Meng receives fi rst dose COVID-19 Pfi zer vax at new hub in Bayside
SENIOR
DISCOUNT
��������������������
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | APRIL 2-APRIL 8, 2021 9
BY DEAN MOSES
Congresswoman Grace
Meng received her first dose
of the COVID-19 vaccine after
postponing her shot until the
community she represents
had equal access to the lifesaving
needle.
Just before 10 a.m. on
Monday morning, Congresswoman
Grace Meng arrived
at the Korean Community
Services Center (KCS) in
Bayside. This newly minted
facility opened last week after
Meng had been advocating
for a vaccine site in the
district, citing difficulty for
many residents to travel outside
of the area. Now that the
site, located on 203-05 32nd
Ave., has opened to the public,
Meng received her first
dose of the Pfizer vaccine on
March 29.
It took a matter of seconds
for EMS personnel Anthony
Ivanditto to administer the
shot. Meng was visibly surprised
and impressed by how
quick, painless and efficient
the process was, commenting
“I didn’t feel anything”
as the needle was removed.
Meng was granted her very
own card as proof of the
vaccination before rushing
to another room where she
engaged in a video call with
Mayor Bill de Blasio as he
held his daily briefing. Here
the Congresswoman discussed
the process via the
other end of a laptop, beginning
by proudly showcasing
her vaccine card.
“I just got my first vaccine,
my first shot in the
arm at the KCS in northeast
Queens. It was easy. It was
painless, but I’m going to be
honest, I was a little nervous
before I went in, but I literally
felt nothing. People should
feel very comfortable with
taking the vaccine,” Meng
said to the mayor.
She emphasized the importance
of receiving the
vaccine as not just a protection
for herself, but those
around her. While any visit
to a doctor may incur a level
of foreboding and uneasiness,
Meng assured all those
who listened to her call with
the mayor that it was quick
and easy.
“I just really want to
urge all New Yorkers and all
Americans to get the vaccine
as soon as it is your turn and
you are eligible. The end of
the coronavirus is in sight
and we will soon hopefully be
seeing a return to normalcy
here in northeast Queens,”
Meng said.
Meng represents the sixth
Community District, consisting
of Auburndale, Bayside,
Elmhurst, Flushing, Forest
Hills, Glendale, Kew Gardens,
Maspeth, Middle Village,
Murray Hill and Rego
Park. For quite some time,
Meng has been working with
elected officials to create
vaccine equity for Queens
residents who may have a
hard time traveling to distant
sites, such as the elderly
or disabled. Meng wanted
to ensure that when installing
a hub in the community,
that it was a location where
people felt comfortable and
trustworthy.
“We’ve been working with
our local elected officials on
the city and state level to ask
for a major site in northeast
Queens and other parts of
Queens for many months now.
Northeast Queens, as you
know, is a transportation desert.
People cannot necessarily
easily take a bus or subway
to get vaccinated. There are
also a high number of senior
citizens who need a site that is
close to them,” Meng said.
Read more on QNS.com.
Congresswoman Grace Meng shows off her COVID-19 vaccine card
while on a video call with the mayor. Photo by Dean Moses
JJ’s ROOFING
All Work 100%
Guaranteed!
FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED 4 GENERATIONS
������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������������
����������������������������
SPECIAL 10%OFF
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������
/QNS.COM
/QNS.com
