Op-Ed: What to Know About the Delta Variant

By Dr. DAVE A. CHOKSHI

From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our knowledge about the virus has constantly evolved, and we are now confronting a new challenge. Over the past several months, we have seen a rise in COVID-19 infections as a result of the delta variant, a new strain of the original virus causing COVID-19. As of last week, delta made up over 99% of COVID-19 cases in New York City, up from 9% in early June. Understandably, many New Yorkers have questions about what delta is and how it will impact everyday life. Here are three things to know.

By SÍLE MOLONEY

NYC Emergency Management and the NYC Department of Social Services announced on Thursday, Sept. 9, that service centers in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens that were opened to support individuals and families affected by the flash flood emergency caused by Storm IDA on Sept. 1, will change locations beginning Friday, Sept. 10. As previously reported, the centers are each day from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and provide those affected with in-person support and information on resources and services available. New York City government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community-based organizations will be on-site to help connect families and individuals to critical

By SARAH HUFFMAN

Since the second week of July, a group of four young Bronxites have been meeting at St. Barnabas Hospital’s Healthplex in Little Italy on Thursday and Friday evenings for hour-long fitness and boxing classes. The classes are the latest initiative by St. Barnabas Hospital and the Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence (B.R.A.G.). cure violence program. The classes are part of a B.R.A.G., 12-week, pilot program which will end in October. Norwood News spoke to David Caba, senior program director at B.R.A.G., on July 29 about the new initiative. He said it’s just one of B.R.A.G.’s many programs which helps

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York are preparing for schools to be fully open for in-person learning in the fall with no remote or hybrid learning. On Thursday, Aug. 12, the superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of New York released “Catholic Schools Are Open: We Continue to Soar!”, a guide which lays out the Archdiocese’s plan which representatives say aims to ensure the maximum health, safety, and care for children and staff in September. According to the archdiocese, the updated manual, distributed on Thursday to parents, principals, school staff and faculty, is based on an international

By SÍLE MOLONEY

INCLUDEnyc is hosting an online back-to-school panel for Spanish-speaking parents of students with disabilities on Tuesday, Aug. 17. The panel aims to address and ease concerns about the transition to in-person learning, and how to connect to needed supports this fall. INCLUDEnyc will be convening Araina Sepulveda-Moreiras, associate director of special education translations and Daliz Vasquez, director for special education from NYC Department of Education, Dr. Judith Flores, a pediatrician from NYC Health + Hospitals, as well as Cruz Fuksman, community liaison at New York psychotherapy and counseling center. Panelists will discuss school reopening, vaccine eligibility, school translation

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The U.S. National Weather Service, New York has advised New Yorkers to take precautions to beat the heat. High heat and humidity are in the forecast from Wednesday, Aug 11 through the weekend, with an average high of 84 degrees. To help New Yorkers beat the heat, New York City will open cooling centers throughout the five boroughs. Attendees must wear face coverings inside all cooling centers and adhere to social distancing guidelines. Cooling center locations may have changed from last year. To find a cooling center, including accessible facilities closest to you, call 311 (212-639-9675 for Video Relay

COVID-19 Updates Transmission Rates & Trends As of August 9, all five New York City counties have community transmission considered substantial or high by the CDC. On July 27, the CDC issued an updated recommendation that all people, regardless of vaccination status, should return to wearing masks in indoor, public spaces in areas of high COVID-19 infection rates. To see the risk of transmission in your area, visit covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view. Delta Variant An internal CDC document leaked by The Washington Post revealed that further research proved that the Delta variant causes more severe illness than other variants and is as

By SHANIA DEGROOT & SÍLE MOLONEY

Editor’s Pick I’Raise Boys & Girls Intl in conjunction with the City of New York presents a North Bronx Homecoming Concert on Saturday, Aug. 21, from noon to 3 p.m. at Evander Childs Campus, located at 800 East Gun Hill Road, Bronx, NY 10467. Come and enjoy live performances, honor the past, celebrate the present and

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT

After an almost two-year wait, a new Chase Bank branch has opened at 7 E. Burnside Avenue, just east of Jerome Avenue on the border of Fordham Heights and Mount Hope, close to the University Heights border. A former Chase branch located at 5 W. Burnside Avenue closed in October 2019, serving a blow to the local community. The impact of that closure was compounded by the subsequent closure of a local Amalgamated Bank branch in September 2020, as reported. Elected officials, including Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15) and Assemblyman Victor Pichardo (A.D. 86) delivered remarks at the grand