3
QUEENS WEEKLY, APRIL 19, 2020
‘The Postal Service is holding on for dear life’
Qns congresswoman calls on federal government to provide relief for United States Postal Service
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
Queens Congresswoman
Carolyn Maloney is
calling for Congress and
the White House to provide
relief for the United
States Postal Service in
the next COVID-19 stimulus
package after learning
about the devastating impact
the crisis has had on
their finances.
Postmaster General
of the United States and
Chief Executive Officer
Megan J. Brennan spoke
about the financial struggles
USPS is currently
facing as well as the steps
Congress and President
Donald Trump must take
to ensure continued delivery
of essential information,
packages, and services
during a video briefing
with the members of Congress’
Committee on Oversight
and Reform, chaired
by Maloney, on Thursday,
April 9.
“I want to commend
the brave men and women
of the Postal Service for
all they are doing in the
midst of this pandemic,”
Maloney said. “The Postal
Service is holding on for
dear life, and unless Congress
and the White House
provide meaningful relief
in the next stimulus bill,
the Postal Service could
cease to exist.”
The Postal Service is
made up of more than
31,600 retail locations
and employs more than
650,000 people in the country.
It also undergirds a
more than $1.7 trillion
mailing industry that employs
more than 7.5 million
people.
Brennan emphasized
the Postal Service will
“run out of cash this fiscal
year” without help
from Congress and the
White House administration,
they also anticipate
a “$13 billion revenue loss
directly to COVID-19 this
fiscal year and a $54.3 billion
additional losses over
ten years,” according to
Maloney’s office.
The bipartisan Postal
Service Board of Governors,
appointed by
President Trump, asked
Congress to provide the
Postal Service with a $25
billion emergency appropriations
to offset coronavirus
related losses,
$25 billion grant to fund
“shovel-ready” projects
to modernize the Postal
Service, and access to $25
billion in unrestricted
borrowing authority from
Treasury.
QNS previously reported
post offices in
Ridgewood and Middle
Village have struggled to
get Queens residents their
mail as call out rates increase,
which they say is
due to a lack of communication
from management
in terms of positive
COVID-19 cases within
their facilities as well as a
lack of thorough cleaning
of their workplaces and
equipment.
A USPS spokesperson
told QNS that as of March
30, 207 postal employees
tested positive for COVID-
19.
The letter carriers who
spoke with QNS described
a sense of unease and fear
that they’re not only putting
their lives at risk by
delivering essential mail,
but also their customers’
lives by unknowingly
transmitting the virus
through the mail.
While the World Health
Organization and Center
for Disease Control
maintain there’s a low
risk of catching the virus
through the mail, there
have been scientific studies
that found the virus
can live on certain surfaces
for days, including
for 24 hours on cardboard
and 72 hours on plastic
and steel.
National Security Subcommittee
Chairman Stephen
F. Lynch (D-Boston)
mentioned the critical
role postal service workers
have during the pandemic.
“Reminiscent of their
courageous service in
response to 2001 anthrax
attacks, the dedicated employees
of the U.S. Postal
Service are serving a critical
role in our nationwide
pandemic relief efforts
— from delivering essential
medical supplies and
protective equipment to
facilitating voting by mail
in preparation for the 2020
election,” Lynch said in a
statement. “As we develop
additional stimulus legislation,
it is imperative
that we include robust
funding for the Postal
Service, our most trusted
government institution,
to ensure the continuation
of vital services for
the American people and
protect the right of every
citizen to vote in 2020.”
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
This Queens hospital has discharged more than 120 COVID-19 patients
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Since St. John’s Episcopal
Hospital admitted
Queens’ first COVID-19
patient back in March, the
hospital staff has worked
tirelessly to successfully
treat and discharge more
than 120 patients affected
by the virus.
According to hospital
healthcare workers,
SJEH has made a number
adjustments and investments
to provide patients
with elevated care, including
purchasing new
beds and equipment and
increasing telehealth
measures.
“We work hard to ensure
that we are as prepared
as possible to treat
each COVID-19 patient,
and have made significant
investments to see
that our patients achieve
positive health,” said
SJEH Chief Medical Office
Dr. Donald Morrish.
“When we are able to successfully
discharge a person,
it brings us great joy,
and also shows that there
are people who have overcome
COVID-19.”
Data released by the
city’s Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene
found that the Rockaways
communities are
among the hardest hit by
the virus.
Since March, SJEH has
increased its beds from
257 to 326, purchased additional
beds and stretchers
and converted existing
beds into intensive
care units (ICU).
The hospital has also
hired more staff and
transformed its fifth
floor outpatient specialty
services practice to an inpatient
unit.
Additionally, the hospital
has created several
negative pressure rooms
on the premises, which
uses a special ventilation
system to prevent the
spread of contagious diseases.
“Our investments are
helping people heal during
this pandemic, and I
want to see more positive
outcomes. We will spare
no expense,” said hospital
Chief Executive Office
Jerry Walsh. “And, I
have the utmost respect
for our doctors, nurses
and entire staff who come
to work each day to help
those who need it most.”
Other hospital investments
include the
purchase of much-needed
personal protective
equipment (PPE), ventilators
and other essential
equipment and the
implementation of a new
telehealth/virtual visits
system. The system,
which SJEH rolled out in
March, allows patients
to have their doctor appointments
via computer,
phone or tablet.
Reach reporter Jenna
Bagcal by e-mail at jbagcal@
qns.com or by phone
at (718) 260-2583.
St. John’s Episcopal Hospital Photo courtesy of SJEH
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