6 JANUARY 6, 2022 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
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COVID-19 command center aims to prevent public school shutdowns: Adams
BY ISABEL SONG BEER
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
The 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.
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. “The
safest place for our children is in a school
building.”
The command center also works to
allow all school staff to report pandemicrelated
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
Mayor Eric Adams visits a Bronx elementary School with Schools
Chancellor David Banks and local elected leaders on Monday, Jan. 3,
2022. Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Offi ce
for students both vaccinated and unvaccinated,
with teachers and faculty also
being eligible 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. “The 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. “The 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.”
Donovan Richards sworn in for first 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,
Thomas Zmich, securing over
65% of votes. Following a special
election, Richards became the borough
president last year after his
predecessor Melinda Katz became
the district attorney. Richards was
formerly the councilman representing
the 27th District in southeast
Queens.
He will serve a full four-year term.
The 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
office. 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 first full term in office,”
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.”
The public inauguration ceremony
was scheduled for Jan. 16, 2022.
However, it has been postponed due
to the surge in COVID-19 cases. The
new date has not been determined.
Donovan Richards is sworn in as Queens borough president alongside his
family on Dec. 31. Photo courtesy of Richards’ offi ce
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