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As we mark the two year anniversary of the pandemic and turn the corner on the Omicron wave, we are entering a new and confusing moment for making decisions about our individual and collective health risks.
In this next phase of the pandemic, our strategy must be grounded in public health data, with systems in place to protect vulnerable New Yorkers, to detect future variants early, and to respond quickly.
Last week, as our City lifted mask requirements and ended vaccine requirements, I spoke out with Public Advocate Jumaane Williams about how our city can take steps to protect vulnerable New Yorkers and be more ready to respond to future surges in cases. We called for:
*
Preserve
a
broad
surveillance
testing
program.
*
Make
clear
to
New
Yorkers
what
the
metrics
are
for
easing
and
imposing
new
restrictions
going
forward.
*
Prepare
now
to
rapidly
expand
our
testing
and
response
capacity
at
the
first
sign
of
the
next
variant
or
surge.
*
Maintain
adequate
public
health
infrastructure
and
personnel.
*
Keep
a
focus
on
vaccination
and
education
in
vulnerable
communities.
*
Announce
a
requirement
for
full
COVID
vaccination
for
students
to
return
to
school
next
fall
(with
appropriate
health
and
religious
exceptions).
*
Continue
the
in-school
COVID
testing
program.
*
Commit
to
ensuring
that
communications
of
school-related
COVID
policies
are
communicated
to
families
in
the
official
New
York
City
languages.
*
Develop
a
long-term
ventilation
and
air
quality
strategy
to
move
past
stop-gap
measures.
​​
*
Provide
every
school
and
contracted
PreK
and
3K
with
a
consistent
supply
of
high
quality
masks.
*
Offer
an
opt-in
approach
for
teachers
and
students
who
wish
to
remain
in
all
masked
classrooms.
Learn more about recommendations here. [[link removed]]
read more here [[link removed]]
While we cannot live our lives paralyzed by fear, it would be foolish and dangerous not to be prepared. We cannot go backwards in our fight to keep our neighbors safe and healthy. New York City has broadly done a strong job of vaccination, but recent school-by-school data shows how dramatically uneven that protection is. And so many New Yorkers remain at high risk for infection for one health reason or another. A compassionate city owes them the opportunity to live safe and full lives.
By investing smartly in our public health infrastructure, communicating clearly, and being prepared to scale up precautions as needed, we can keep ourselves and each other healthy.
With hope,
Brad
Brad Lander served in the New York City Council representing District 39 for 12 years—co-founding the Progressive Caucus and leading the way alongside advocates to win policies to support workers, protect tenants, and make government more transparent. Recently elected to citywide office, Brad will use the Office of the Comptroller to hold city government accountable to its promises to New Yorkers and secure a more sustainable future .
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