8 JANUARY 28, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Ozone Park Block Association calls for more
COVID-19 vaccination and local testing sites
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
CMOHAMED@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
During its first virtual Zoom
meeting of the new year on
Thursday, Jan. 14, the Ozone
Park Residents Block Association
(OZPKRBA) highlighted concerns
of increased COVID-19 positivity
rates in the community, calls for
accessible vaccination sites and the
need for a permanent or temporary
mobile testing site.
As the city continues to ramp up
its COVID-19 testing efforts and rollout
of vaccinations for eligible New
Yorkers, Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr.
informed OZPKRBA that the state is
on a cusp of opening a vaccination
site on Monday, Jan. 18, at the Aqueduct
Race Track, located at 110-100
Rockaway Boulevard.
However, the demand for the vaccine
outweighs the supply and there
might not be enough for people,
Addabbo said.
“We are working with the governor
and mayor’s office to make sure
that the supply meets the demand,”
Addabbo said. “They’re rolling out
the plans, but they didn’t have the
resources to actually handle the
volume. Unfortunately, throughout
COVID we’ve seen this, whether it be
with testing or vaccinations.”
The COVID-19 vaccine will be
distributed in phases to groups of
people at increased risk of COVID-19
exposure or severe illness, according
to the NYC Health Department.
Currently, people ages 65 and older,
teachers and education workers,
first responders, public safety workers
and public transit workers are
eligible to receive the vaccine.
Sam Esposito, president of OZPKRBA,
said the civic association
had filed a petition for the city to
utilize the Deshi Senior Center at
83-10 Rockaway Blvd. as a vaccination
site, to service the Bangladeshi
community.
“If Aqueduct opens, it would help
to get the community there to get
their shots, but we would like to
see the Deshi Center be a part of it
because the Bangladeshi community
is comfortable with that location,”
Esposito said.
In response to the matter, Addabbo
said he has made requests to the
mayor’s office that residents residing
in Community Boards 9 and 10
shouldn’t have to pay a toll to travel
to Rockaway to get vaccinated.
“The mayor and the governor have
to get on the same page because
when they argue, we get hurt and
that’s not right,” Addabbo said.
Kenichi Wilson, chair of CB 9, said
the lack of COVID-19 testing sites has
been an issue in the district that
encompasses the neighborhoods
of Howard Beach, Ozone Park, South
Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Tudor
Village and Lindenwood.
“Within my entire district, we
do not have one permanent testing
site and this is something we’ve
been arguing about with NYC
Health+Hospitals,” said Kenichi, who
is welcoming advocacy for bringing
in temporary mobile testing. “I have
a bad feeling that this is going to get
worse before it gets better, even
though the vaccine is rolling out.”
Betty Bratton, chair of CB 10, said
hopefully the vaccination program’s
function of supply and demand will
improve by Jan. 20, as it has been
difficult for people to register for
an appointment. She is also encouraging
residents to get tested on a
regular basis.
“All of the community boards
in Queens have been pushing the
health department and everyone
involved…there has to be more of a
system where people are not hanging
on a telephone for hours or
knocked off of a website,” Bratton
said. “I am urging people to keep
trying, and to help those who are
65 years and older that are eligible
to get the vaccine.”
Meanwhile, in regards to crime
in the district, the NYPD’s 106th
Precinct is imploring residents to
not leave their cars unlocked with
the key in the ignition due to a rise
in grand larceny auto thefts.
Last year, there were 185 reports of
grand larceny auto thefts, compared
Screenshot via Zoom
to 106 reports in 2019, according to
NYPD 106th Precinct Commanding
Officer, Captain John Costello.
“There’s predators out there. They
drive around looking for these vehicles
and steal them,” Costello said.
“Now, in the cold weather, we see it
more prevalent with people warming
their car in the morning.”
Costello is urging residents to not
start their vehicles in the driveway
and leaving it unattended.
“Lock your vehicle, remove the key,
and shut the car off,” Costello said.
As for grand larcenies, Costello
warned residents of “porch pirates”
who were stealing packages during
the holiday season.
“Have someone home or a neighbor
who can take the package inside,”
Costello said.
Mohammad Khan, executive
director of the Cityline Ozone Park
(COPCP) Civilian Patrol, said their
volunteers are patrolling the streets
daily making sure the community
is safe.
There is also an official complaint
form open to the community that
will remain confidential and taken
to authorities.
According to COPCP, documenting
these complaints will help to support
their concerns to different city agencies.
The organization will also be
documenting all crimes reported to
‘unreported’ to help compare stats
with the NYPD.
link
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
