Bronx Leads First New York State COVID-19 Drug Trial

By Síle Moloney

A new drug trial treatment is underway at the Moses Campus of Montefiore Health System using the experimental drug, remdesivir, which might help patients with serious COVID-19 complications. The Montefiore site is the first one to open in New York State as part of an international multi-center effort to fight the deadly disease which has taken close to 60,000 lives worldwide since it was first detected in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. According to a press release, Montefiore Health System, in conjunction with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has joined an international clinical trial which is taking place across 46

By DAVID GREENE

Four women, who were next-door neighbors, died in two separate top floor apartments after a fast-moving blaze tore through several apartments in a six-story building in Mount Eden on Tuesday, March 31. Firefighters responded to a 911 call at 1560 Grand Concourse, at East Mt. Eden Avenue, just before 7:30 p.m. NYPD confirmed that the FDNY suppressed a fire on the 6th floor of the building in apartment #603, where it had started. “Two females from inside apartment #601 and two females from apartment #602 were transported to BronxCare Health System, where they were pronounced deceased,” the NYPD statement

By Síle Moloney

Mount Sinai researchers are tracking COVID-19 across New York City through a program called STOP COVID NYC. The public’s participation in the program survey will help healthcare workers and government officials advise the community on how to slow COVID-19 transmission in New York City. Public participation in the ongoing survey could also help predict smaller outbreaks within neighborhoods of New York City and enable Mount Sinai to alert medical professionals in those affected areas and allocate resources accordingly. Who Can Participate? Everyone. Mount Sinai is collecting information and tracking symptom development from all New York City residents and workers. The

By Síle Moloney

New measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus were announced on April 2. NYC Parks’ playgrounds and the amenities contained within, such as basketball courts, handball courts and restrooms, are closed until further notice. The citywide enforcement effort to encourage social distancing among park-goers remains in place, involving multiple City agencies, including NYPD, OSE, the Sheriff’s Office, DEP, DSNY, DOB, and FDNY. The City will continue to monitor conditions and determine if more severe restrictions are necessary. As it stands, violators of social distancing requirements will be fined between $250-$500 per violation. The new penalties are needed

By Síle Moloney

NYC Regional Emergency Medical Advisory Committee (REMAC) is requesting the public to adhere to new protocol when it comes to minor illness or injury. A press release issued on April 2 contained the following information. “In an effort to protect our residents and our Essential First Responders, specifically our EMTs and Paramedics, the NYC Regional Emergency Medical Advisory Committee (REMAC), has revised several regional protocols. The following refers to the most recent: 1. To maintain a functioning EMS System the staffing requirements have been relaxed to allow 911 ALS units to operate with 1 paramedic and 1 EMT,

By Síle Moloney

New York State retains its status as the epicenter of the coronavirus in the United States. During his daily press briefing on April 2, Gov. Andrew Cuomo confirmed the latest number of COVID-19 positive cases in New York State as 92,381. As of April 2, the City had lost 1,562 New Yorkers from the virus. The Bronx still has the third highest number of positive cases per borough after Queens and Brooklyn, with 9,343 recorded cases, representing 19 percent of the City’s total case numbers. Meanwhile the citywide count of positive cases stood at 49,707 as of April 2, according

An unnamed female committee chair on Bronx Community Board 7 has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently in quarantine. The news was confirmed during a virtual board meeting on March 24. One meeting participant requested confirmation of whether all people who had been in recent contact with the affected board member had been notified. The question was noted for follow-up action by the board. With all Community Board 7 voting currently on hold, the primary purpose of the virtual meeting was to inform those in attendance about the various federal, state, city and community responses to the unfolding

By Síle Moloney

With the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic severely affecting many small business owners in the local community, the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Bronx business improvement districts, is assisting Bronx businesses interested in applying to the Paycheck Protection Program, a forgivable loan program launched under the recently enacted CARES Act 2020. While regulations from the Small Business Administration and United States Department of Treasury are being developed, Bronx business organizations are working to ensure preliminary borrower information and relevant documents are being gathered ahead of time to expedite the loan packaging process and relieve pressure on Preferred

As New York State remains the epicenter in the United States in the battle against the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic, the Center for Disease Control provides the following guidelines on how to prevent the spread.