4 THE QUEENS COURIER • JANUARY 6, 2022 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
COVID-19 command center aims to prevent infections,
shutdowns at New York City public schools: Adams
Donovan Richards sworn in for full term as Queens borough president
BY JULIA MORO
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Incumbent Donovan Richards was
sworn in as the borough president during
a small, private ceremony on the
steps outside of Queens Borough Hall on
Friday, Dec. 31.
Richards beat his Republican challenger,
Th omas Zmich, securing over 65%
of votes. Following a special election,
Richards became the borough president
last year aft er his predecessor Melinda
Katz became the district attorney.
Richards was formerly the councilman
representing the 27th District in southeast
Queens.
He will now serve a full four-year term.
Th e borough president’s wife, Tameeka,
and son, Donovan III, joined the swearing
in ceremony last week as New York
City Clerk Michael McSweeney administered
the City Charter-mandated oath
of offi ce. Newly elected Queens Deputy
Borough President Ebony Young was also
in attendance.
“It is a great honor to have the opportunity
to continue serving the 2.4 million
residents of the borough of Queens,”
Richards said. “I know a great deal of trust
and faith has been placed in me to lead
our borough as it seeks to emerge from
the COVID-19 pandemic and enjoy a
brighter future. With the help and support
of the people of Queens, we will make
sure a brighter future is ahead.”
Young said she is excited to serve alongside
Richards and gave a “heartfelt congratulations”
to the borough president.
“It is a great privilege to serve Queens
as its deputy borough president, and I
look forward to working with Borough
President Richards as he begins his fi rst
full term in offi ce,” Young said. “I know
that, under the borough president’s skillful
and steadfast leadership, we will succeed
in implementing his vision of a
Queens that works for everyone.”
Th e public inauguration ceremony was
scheduled for Jan. 16, 2022. However, it
has been postponed due to the surge in
COVID-19 cases. Th e new date has not
been determined.
BY ISABEL SONG BEER
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Th e Department of Education launched
a COVID-19 command center to improve
communication between school districts
and principals to help minimize infections
and prevent school shutdowns, Mayor
Eric Adams and Schools Chancellor David
Banks said Monday morning, Jan. 3.
During an appearance in the Bronx,
Adams said the command center would be
in operation in order to combat the omicron
variant and to keep schools open in accordance
with the “Stay Safe and Stay Open”
policy introduced by former Mayor Bill de
Blasio last year.
“We want to be very clear,” said Adams as
he spoke at Concourse Village Elementary
School in the Bronx on Monday. “Th e safest
place for our children is in a school
building.”
Th e command center also works to allow
all school staff to report pandemic-related
issues, including lack of staff or issues with
school testing protocols.
“All indications are that we are in a pretty
good place right now and we will be prepared
to make whatever adjustments are
needed,” Banks said.
Jan. 3 marked the start of new in-class regulation
including doubling testing for students
both vaccinated and unvaccinated,
with teachers and faculty also being eligible
and encouraged to test as well.
Mayor Adams also stressed that he wants
to mandate in-school testing, but that
approval needs to come from the federal
government in order to be approved and
that he is currently working wit Governor
Kathy Hochul to negotiate the change in
testing protocol.
Speaking at the American Sign Language
and English Lower School in Manhattan,
President Michael Mulgrew of the United
Federation of Teachers (UFT) expressed
some hesitation and concern with schools
reopening aft er the holidays with record
high numbers of COVID-19 infections.
“Right now there is no protocol for students
who do contract the virus and have
parents or guardians who work full time, are
immunocompromised or otherwise unable
to tend to their sick children,” Mulgrew told
amNewYork Metro. “Th e city needs to come
up with a program for that and I told the
mayor and the chancellor that these are situations
we need contingencies in place for.”
However, Adams reiterated that schools
are safer places for children that homes stating
that “less than 1% of children are infected,”
whereas “at home, over 15%,” although
it was unclear where he received those statistics.
Meanwhile, Lydia Howrilka, a union
organizer with the United Federation of
Teachers Solidarity expressed concern with
the decision to reopen schools aft er the winter
break, calling it a “dangerous and unsustainable
plan” in an email statement.
“We have been telling the city for almost
two years that school buildings are not
safe,” Howrilka said. “Th e science behind
this virus is constantly shift ing and changing
every day. At this time, schools are not
safe for students and staff . We must be fully
remote until we can have better access to
testing or until the post-holiday surge of
COVID subsides.”
Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Offi ce
Mayor Eric Adams visits Concourse Village Elementary School in the Bronx with Schools Chancellor
David Banks and local elected leaders as they greet students and parents who returned from holiday
break on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022.
Photo courtesy of Richards’ offi ce
Donovan Richards sworn in as Queens borough president alongside his family on Dec. 31.
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