Stop & Shop Launches Second Pick-up Location in the Bronx

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The supermarket chain, Stop & Shop, is expanding its reach in the Bronx, announcing a new pick-up location in Crotona at 961 East 174th Street on Tuesday, March 30. The new Crotona store joins the first Bronx Stop & Shop store at Castle City, located at 1720 Eastchester Rd., which opened in January, as reported by Norwood News. The store concept brings a certain level of comfort to both the public and employees in terms of its novel approach to shopping by minimizing contact with crowds. Customers can order their groceries online, schedule a pick-up time at the store,

Editor’s Pick Join the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Center for Health Equity & Community Wellness for a discussion on steps for getting vaccinated in NYC, COVID-19 demographic data in communities, CDC and DOHMH safety guidance and resources, and questions about the vaccines. The department will be focusing on The Bronx on April 8. To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/, search “How to Sign Up for the COVID-19 Vaccine,” and select April 8. Events From December 2020 to June 2021, the Norwood Farmstand will be open to the community on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at E.

By DAWN CLANCY

In March 2020, New York City was designated the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, accounting for nearly 5 percent of the world’s COVID-19 cases. Meanwhile, the Bronx was ranked 62 [out of 62] by the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, as New York State’s unhealthiest county, and has consistently remained one of the region’s hardest hit counties by the coronavirus. At Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7)’s Health and Human Services Committee meeting, held on March 16, Michelle Avila, committee chair, shared recent COVID-19 infection rate data from the City’s health department to

COVID-19 Vaccinations Appointments are required to receive a vaccination. To determine your eligibility, access a list of nearby providers, and schedule your vaccination appointment, use New York State’s Am I Eligible app. Prior to receiving your scheduled vaccination, you must complete the New York State COVID-19 Vaccine Form. Please be patient and continue to monitor these links frequently for available vaccine appointments: New York City: https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/ or 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692) New York State: https://am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/ or call 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829) VaccineTogetherNY: https://vaccinetogetherny.org/Pages/default.aspx or call 646-697-VACC To schedule an appointment, go to: https://vax4nyc.nyc.gov/patient/s/. To find a vaccination site, go to: https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/locations. Your physician or local

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Social Security Administration officials say the agency has continued to work with advocates and community-based organizations (CBOs) to reach the country’s most vulnerable populations, including individuals with low income, limited English proficiency, mental illness, or those facing homelessness. Officials said the department has a long history of outreach and coordination with such advocates and community-based organizations across the nation, and is fully committed to continuing to assist all people to gain access to the information and services they need, with a specific emphasis on helping them to apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and

By ONI TONGO

March is National Nutrition Month. It’s a great time to think about what we eat, and how we can make healthy food and physical activity part of our lives. We can celebrate by trying a new food or recipe, making healthy snacks with our kids, or adding a different physical activity into our daily routine. This year’s theme is “Personalize Your Plate,” which is all about choosing food and fitness goals that work best for you. Our city and our neighborhoods are diverse, and folks have unique food preferences and tastes. That means we also have a lot

By DAVID GREENE

This week, we asked readers their thoughts on life one year on from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I just want this [expletive] to be over with, I just want to go back to school. I just want everything to go back to normal. No, I didn’t think it was that serious when this first started. I thought it would [have been] over by now and it hasn’t – that’s how serious it was, and how many people have died.” Aameenah Islam West Farms “I just came out of the nursing home, and I was with

By SÍLE MOLONEY

NYC Health + Hospitals announced on March 16, that it has adopted the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation guidelines, system-wide, to further reduce the potential spread of COVID-19, and keep staff and patients safe during the pandemic. The COVID-19 ‘Choosing Wisely’ guidelines advise healthcare providers on eliminating unnecessary testing and treatment in an effort to reduce exposure to COVID-19. The guidelines also incorporate specific, evidence-based recommendations clinicians should consider to utilize limited resources wisely, such as blood transfusions. The recommendations adopted by NYC Health + Hospitals were decided on through an internal survey and dialogue with

By SÍLE MOLONEY

In his recent State of the City address, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the creation of “Vaccine for All Corps,” an initiative that aimed to create jobs for 2,000 New Yorkers, by supporting vaccination efforts across the five boroughs. On March 10, the City announced that it is now hiring for the first of these positions via nyc.gov/vaccinejobs. Recruitment for the “Vaccine for All Corps” jobs is being led by the Workforce1 Career Center System operated by the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS), and is targeting candidates from those communities hardest hit by COVID-19.