Health

COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-Out Continues Across the City for 5 Through 11-Year-Olds

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Inoculation of the COVID-19 vaccine for 5 through 11-year-olds continued on Monday, Nov. 8, and Tuesday, Nov. 9, in the Bronx and across New York City. During a press conference on Tuesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said over 4,500 children got vaccinated at public schools on Nov. 8 alone. As of Tuesday, Nov. 9, the mayor confirmed that about 25,000 kids aged 5 through 11 had been vaccinated since this age group was first authorized to get the shot. “It’s amazing,” the mayor said. “So, we see that parents are coming out, getting their kids vaccinated. We expect this to


Read More

UPDATE Montefiore/Einstein Lead Drug Trial on COVID-19 Merck Antiviral Drug, Approved in the UK

By SÍLE MOLONEY
As part of a recently launched international phase 3 clinical trial, officials at Montefiore Health System and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine announced on Monday, Nov. 8, that they are jointly investigating whether the Merck antiviral pill, molnupiravir, approved last week in Britain for treating COVID-19, can prevent COVID-19 in unvaccinated individuals living with people who have contracted the disease.   Montefiore-Einstein is the first and only New York State site for such a trial, according to officials.   U.S. drug company, Merck, recently announced that people with mild or moderate cases of COVID-19 who took molnupiravir reduced their


Read More

Op-Ed: What to Know About COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters

By DR. DAVE A. CHOKSHI
Recently, important updates about the COVID-19 vaccine were announced – that certain people are now eligible for a “booster” dose. Since the beginning of COVID-19, our scientific understanding of the virus has constantly evolved, and many New Yorkers understandably have questions about this new development. I would like to provide the “who, why, and where” about boosters.   Who should get a booster? All three brands of booster shots are available for many New Yorkers — Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson — and “mixing and matching” of the vaccines is safe. But who is eligible for a booster depends


Read More

UPDATE U.S. VP Kamala Harris Visits The Bronx as Immigrant New Yorkers Rally for Visa Amnesty

By SÍLE MOLONEY & DAVID GREENE
  The following is an extended version of the story that appeared in the latest print edition of the Norwood News.    U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, visited the Bronx on Friday, Oct. 22, at the invitation of Congressman Jamaal Bowman (NY-14). The event took place at the recently opened, state-of-the-art Edenwald YMCA center in the Northeast Bronx, which falls within Bowman’s district.   The purpose of the visit was to promote the Biden administration’s “Build Back Better” agenda, and while the mood among those in attendance, inside the venue,


Read More

Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on Organ & Tissue Donation

By DAVID GREENE
With roughly 8,486 people across the State waiting on an organ transplant, as reported, some will die before they receive one. In recognition of Organ Donor Enrollment Day in New York State on Oct. 7, we asked some residents if they were organ donors, and if not, if they would consider becoming donors.   “I am an organ donor. I’ve been an organ donor for over 14 years now. I think if we can give the last gift of life, that’s the greatest gift to give. I think we should follow Spain’s direction where they actually have opt-out donors. You’re automatically


Read More

UPDATE Some Bronx Parents Are Hesitant to Vaccinate Their Children

By DAWN CLANCY
After much anticipation, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 through 11 years of age on Friday, Oct. 29. The decision led the way for the vaccine to be made available to 28 million unvaccinated children across the United States, subject to subsequent approval by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), which came a few days later, on Tuesday, Nov. 2.   In New York City, the first wave of eligible children to receive the shot got vaccinated the very next day, on Nov. 3, at the Children’s Hospital


Read More

Over 300 Participate in 5K Run/Walk/Roll to End Domestic Violence

By DAVID GREENE
  Over 300 people pre-registered and participated in the ‘5-K Run/Walk/Roll to End Domestic Violence’ sponsored by the Bronx District Attorney, Darcel D. Clark, on Saturday, Oct. 16. The event took place along the Grand Concourse, from East 170th Street in Mt Eden to East 161st Street in the Concourse to coincide with Domestic Violence (DV) Awareness Month.   The fourth, annual, in-person event to take place in the borough in the last five years shut down the Grand Concourse to vehicular traffic, and was held in partnership with the New York Yankees and the State University of New York (SUNY).


Read More

UPDATE First Wave of Kids 5-11 Get COVID-19 Shots at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore

By SÍLE MOLONEY & DAWN CLANCY
The first wave of children to receive the newly authorized COVID-19 vaccine had their shots administered at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in Norwood on Wednesday, Nov. 3.   The kids in question were 11-year-old twins, Jamie Onofrio Franceschini and Ryann Onofrio Franceschini, and Kenechi Acholonu (9), Amechi Acholonu (7), and Chizara Acholonu (5).   “Today is a huge relief,” said Chrissie Onofrio, the twins’ mom. “For the last 20 months, we have been doing everything we could to keep them safe. As adults, we have been able to be vaccinated, and have only seen vaccinated people.”   She added,


Read More

Funeral Details Announced for Former Salesian High School Student and Coach, Paul Sousa

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  Norwood News has been informed by officials of New Rochelle’s Salesian High School of the death of former student and coach, Paul Sousa.   “The Salesian Family is deeply saddened to announce the loss of the Salesian baseball star and former coach, Paul Sousa (’72),” the notice read. “Paul was an incredible athlete, coach and friend.” Officials at the school, located at 148 East Main Street in New Rochelle, NY said Sousa’s two sons, Paul Sousa Jr. (’98) and Scott Sousa (’03), also attended Salesian High School.   The following notice has been posted to the Pelham Funeral Home


Read More