Dear Neighbor,

I hope you are enjoying the end of the summer season. I would like to share several public health updates that are important for you to be aware of.

Tonight, the New York City Health Department will spray pesticides in parts of Manhattan to help reduce the risk of West Nile Virus. Hours, locations, and other details are provided below.

There are also a couple of COVID-19 updates, which is timely since we are currently experiencing an uptick in community transmission. I am pleased to share that the FDA has approved Moderna's and Pfizer's updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines for children and adults, and appointments are available starting next week at local CVS, Rite Aide, and Walgreens pharmacies. There is additional good news - the Biden-Harris administration has announced that households will be able to order 4 free at-home rapid COVID-19 test kits at the end of September, which is good timing, as it is just before respiratory virus season will be upon us. Additional details are provided below.

I hope that you have an enjoyable Labor Day weekend.



Best,

Liz Krueger

State Senator

The New York City Health Department has announced that trucks will spray pesticides in parts of Manhattan tonight, Monday, August 26th between the hours of 8:30 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. tomorrow morning in order to reduce the risk of West Nile Virus. In case of bad weather, application will be delayed until tomorrow, Tuesday, August 27th between the hours of 8:30 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. the following morning.

Trucks will spray in the following neighborhoods: parts of Carnegie Hill, Central Park, Upper East Side, East Harlem, Fort George, Hamilton Heights, Harlem, Inwood, Lenox Hill, Lincoln Square, Manhattan Village, Manhattanville, Morningside Heights, Sherman Creek, Sugar Hill, Upper West Side, Washington Heights, and Yorkville.

In order to stay safe during spraying, the Health Department advises:

• Stay indoors, whenever possible.
• Air conditioners can remain on. While unnecessary, you may wish to close air conditioner vents, or choose the recirculate function.

After spraying, wash skin and clothing exposed to pesticides with soap and water, and, as always, wash fruits and vegetables with water.

The Health Department states it will use very low concentrations of Anvil 10+10, Duet, or MERUS 3. The risks of pesticides applied by the Health Department are low to people and pets. Some people who are sensitive to spray ingredients may experience short-term eye or throat irritation, or a rash. People with respiratory conditions may also be affected.

A map of the areas that will be sprayed is below.

As you may be aware, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on August 22nd that it has authorized use of the updated 2024-2025 Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines.

The updated vaccines include a monovalent (single) component that is formulated to provide stronger protection against the KP.2 strain of the Coronavirus, which has been rapidly circulating. Even though COVID-19 does not pose the same extreme level of threat as before, individuals are still at risk for severe health outcomes, including hospitalization and death, as well as Long COVID. It is critical to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations.

The updated vaccines include Moderna's Spikevax and Pfizer's Comirnaty, both of which are approved for individuals age 12 and above, as well as Moderna's and Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines that have emergency use authorization for children age 6 months through 11 years. Individuals age 12 and above are eligible for the updated Comirnaty or Spikevax vaccine if at least two months have passed since their last dose of any COVID-19 vaccination. Please see the FDA announcement for additional dosing and eligibility details.

At this time, local pharmacies are getting ready to offer the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines. You can schedule an appointment at CVS, Rite Aide, and Walgreens locations to get the vaccine starting next week. You will also be able to search for vaccine providers on NYC Vaccine Finder once provider information has been updated.

If you have questions about which vaccine to select or whether to get the updated vaccine now or in the fall, please contact your health care provider to ask for guidance on what will give you the best protection.

The Biden-Harris administration has announced that U.S. households will be eligible to order 4 free COVID-19 tests at COVIDTests.gov at the end of September. The COVID-19 Tests will detect current COVID-19 variants and can be used through the end of the year.

This is welcome news, as we have experienced a wave of COVID-19 infections this summer and it can be expensive to purchase at-home rapid tests. At this time, wastewater sampling indicates a "high" or "very high" level of COVID-19 being detected in almost every state. I have seen more people wearing masks on public transportation and crowded indoor areas, which is an important layer of protection during times like this when community transmission levels are high.

Once we enter the colder months and respiratory virus season, it will be particularly important to have a supply of at-home rapid tests on hand. As we get closer to the end of September, be sure to check the COVIDTests.gov website for updates and order your 4 free COVID-19 at-home rapid tests!