Supporting the Veterans of COVID-19
Our city has gone through a lot in the last year. While society at large was forced into their homes, many in our neighborhood were on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19. I know firsthand working in the ICU of North Central Bronx Hospital at the start of the pandemic and now managing NYC Health & Hospital's Covid-19 Testing Sites.
Everyday, I saw not just nurses and doctors, all hospital works from assistants in the ICU to the men and women who worked almost round the clock to try to make sure that we comfort our ailing patients and provide a superior level of safety and cleanliness. It was people with college degree to people who weren’t even documented.
And that’s not even getting to everyone in the neighborhood who actually caught COVID. I know. I got it twice. Hundreds of loved ones died. Even as we survived, our life was forever changed.
Now that the pandemic looks to be contained and restrictions are being relaxed, there is a temptation to put everything and anything related to the last year in the past. But I say we have to resist that temptation and not forget these community stories, especially those of our essential workers. We have to support them as we would any veteran returning from battle.
As a Member of the City Council, I would move to:
Our city has gone through a lot in the last year. While society at large was forced into their homes, many in our neighborhood were on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19. I know firsthand working in the ICU of North Central Bronx Hospital at the start of the pandemic and now managing NYC Health & Hospital's Covid-19 Testing Sites.
Everyday, I saw not just nurses and doctors, all hospital works from assistants in the ICU to the men and women who worked almost round the clock to try to make sure that we comfort our ailing patients and provide a superior level of safety and cleanliness. It was people with college degree to people who weren’t even documented.
And that’s not even getting to everyone in the neighborhood who actually caught COVID. I know. I got it twice. Hundreds of loved ones died. Even as we survived, our life was forever changed.
Now that the pandemic looks to be contained and restrictions are being relaxed, there is a temptation to put everything and anything related to the last year in the past. But I say we have to resist that temptation and not forget these community stories, especially those of our essential workers. We have to support them as we would any veteran returning from battle.
As a Member of the City Council, I would move to:
- Establish Special Recovery Services for Essential Workers – Let’s show our appreciation to those who served on the frontlines of the pandemic with deeds, not just words. Let’s provide them with special benefits, including housing, food assistance, employment resources, financial assistance and caregiver support. Let’s have it coordinated by the city’s Department of Veteran affairs coordinate the effort, since they have the experience doing the same for our city’s veterans.
- Provide resources in the community to residents who are still recovery from the pandemic – The impact of COVID-19 is going to be felt for years to come, just like huge city crisises like September 11 or Hurricane Sandy. Recovery services should be tailed to neighborhoods, provided in multiple languages and nearby so that people can easily access them.