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Dear Neighbor,
This email focuses on health updates, upcoming
events, and useful resources.
Stay safe and healthy. As always, if you have any
questions or need assistance, please email or call my office at [email protected] or 212-490-9535. If you need assistance with an
unemployment issue, please click here to
complete an unemployment intake web form so that my office can provide assistance:
Best,
Liz Krueger
State Senator
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Save the Dates: Senator Krueger’s
Virtual Senior Resource Fair
October 25th, 26th and 27th
Tuesday, October 25th 2
pm – 3:30 pm
Reach Out Beyond
Loneliness: How to Build Networks and Find Community
Wednesday, October 26th
2pm – 3:30 pm
Essential Movement for
Older People: Keeping the Body Strong and Healthy
Thursday, October 27th
2 pm – 3:30 pm
Engage in the Arts:
Nurture Your Creative Spirit
You can attend one, two or all three events. For
more information or to RSVP, visit https://tinyurl.com/seniorfair2022.
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COVID-19 Vaccine Updates
·
New Bivalent COVID-19 Booster Shots:
The new Bivalent Moderna and Pfizer booster shots are now being
administered at community vaccine sites, including pharmacies and NYC
Health + Hospital vaccine sites. Individuals age 12+ who completed their
initial COVID-19 vaccine series or received their last booster shot at
least two months ago are eligible for the new booster shot. The Bivalent
Moderna vaccine has been approved for use with adults age 18+ and the
Bivalent Pfizer vaccine has been approved for use with individuals age 12+.
This
is an ideal time to get the new Bivalent COVID-19 booster shot, as well as
a flu shot, as the winter months are approaching and our COVID-19 case and
hospitalization rates are generally decreasing. To schedule an
appointment, please see the COVID-19 vaccination resources below.
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COVID-19 Updates
Since my last COVID-19 update, case,
hospitalization, and fatality rates have been gradually but steadily
decreasing. During the past week, transmission rates have started to level
off, but it is premature to say if this pattern reflects a changing trend. At
this time, we are experiencing some changes in variant activity in the U.S.
BA.5, which has been the dominant strain since July, is evidencing a slight
decline, while two new Omicron subvariants, BA.4.6 and
BA.2.75 have started to increase. As of
September 10, 75% of cases in NYS were caused by BA.5, 14% by BA.4.6, 3% by
BA.4, 1% by BA.2/BA.2.12, and 8% by “other.”
If you are uncertain what safety measures should
be followed to protect yourself, please visit this NYC
Health Department web page
to view prevention guidance. Staying up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations
and booster shots, wearing a mask in public indoor settings, testing for
the Coronavirus, maintaining good air ventilation, staying home if sick,
and hand washing continue to be important preventative measures.
· Federal
Trade Commission Update
Ø Free COVID test scam targets
people on Medicare
·
CDC Updates:
Ø Stay Up to Date with COVID-19
Vaccines Including Boosters
Ø COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Safety
Among Children Aged 6 Months–5 Years
— United States, June 18, 2022–August 21, 2022
·
FDA Updates
Ø COVID-19 Bivalent Vaccine
Boosters
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Monkeypox Updates
As of September 16, 3,454 cases of
Monkeypox were confirmed in New York City. The
good news is that the number of daily new cases continues to steadily
decline, and the supply of the JYNNEOS vaccine continues to increase. At
this time, vaccine eligibility has been expanded as follows:
·
Second dose appointments are now open
to anyone who received their first dose at least 28 days ago.
·
People under the age of
18 who meet all other eligibility criteria are eligible for the
JYNNEOS vaccine.
Minors
require consent for vaccination:
Ø Unless the minor is part of a group to whom the
law gives the right to consent to their own care, such as married minors,
minors who are parents or pregnant, and minors in the military.
Ø For people ages 16 or 17, such consent should be
provided either in person or by phone, at the time of the vaccine
appointment.
Ø For minors age 15 or younger, an adult caregiver
must accompany the minor. The parent or guardian must still provide consent
by phone at the time of the appointment or by written statement.
·
Eligibility for the JYNNEOS vaccine has
also expanded to people who meet all of the following conditions:
Ø
People who have had multiple or
anonymous sex partners in the last 14 days and identify as at least one of
the following:
o
Gay, bisexual, or other man
(cisgender or transgender) who has sex with cis or transgender men or
transgender women.
o
Transgender, gender non-conforming,
or gender non-binary (regardless of the gender of your sex partners).
o
Sex workers and anyone engaging in
survival sex or any other types of transactional sex (including sex in
exchange for money, food, shelter or other goods) of any sexual orientation
or gender identity.
To
make an appointment to get the JYNNEOS vaccine, you can schedule online using NYC Vaccine Finder or call 877-829-4692. Walk-ins for first
doses are welcome at City-run sites, however, the NYC Health Department
recommends making an appointment in advance. Visit the NYC Health
Department Monkeypox Vaccination
web page for additional details.
· NYC
Health Department Resources
Ø
Monkeypox Guidance and
Resources for Residential Congregate Settings
· NYS
Health Department Resources
Ø Monkeypox web pages
Ø
Monkeypox Guidance and
Resources for Residential Congregate Settings
· CDC
Updates
Ø
Monkeypox web pages
· FDA
Updates
Ø
FDA Monkeypox Response
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Poliovirus
Updates
On September 9, Governor Hochul issued an Executive
Order, declaring a
state disaster emergency in
order to help increase the percentage of New Yorkers vaccinated against
polio by expanding who can administer the vaccinations. This Executive
action was taken in response to detecting poliovirus in wastewater samples
from Rockland County, Orange County, Sullivan County, New York City, and
Nassau County. Click here to view the press release.
Due to this evidence of polio spreading in the
community, New Yorkers who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated against
poliovirus are urged to get vaccinated at this time.
·
The inactivated polio vaccine (IPV)
is the one vaccine that is available in the U.S. IPV contains no live
virus, and is safe and effective – it protects 99% - 100% of people who are
fully vaccinated against polio.
The
following is the IPV immunization schedule by age provided by the CDC:
Ø
All children: Children
should receive four doses of the IPV, one dose each at the age of 2 months,
4 months, 6-18 months, and 4-6 years of age. Vaccine Schedule for Parents
Ø
People starting the polio
immunization series after 4 years of age who are
unvaccinated or are unsure if they have been immunized should receive a
total of 3 doses. Catch-Up Guidance for Children
age 4 months – 17 years
Ø
Adults who have only had 1 or 2 doses
of the polio vaccine in the past should get the remaining
1 or 2 doses – it does not matter how long it has been since the earlier
doses.
Ø
In addition, adults who live or work
in the areas where poliovirus has been detected (Rockland County, Orange
County, New York City, Sullivan County, and Nassau County) and don't
believe they are vaccinated should get vaccinated.
·
All New Yorkers who are unvaccinated,
including children by 2 months of age, those who are pregnant, and people
who have not completed their polio vaccine series previously,
should get immunized right away. Unvaccinated New Yorkers or those not up
to date with immunizations who live, work, go to school in, or visit
Rockland County, Orange County, New York City, Sullivan County, and Nassau
County are at the highest risk of contracting paralytic disease.
·
At this time, the following New
Yorkers who have previously completed their polio vaccine series should
receive one lifetime booster dose of IPV:
Ø
Individuals who will or might have
close contact with a person known or suspected to be infected with
poliovirus or such person's household members or other close contacts.
Ø
Healthcare providers working in areas
where poliovirus has been detected (Rockland County, Orange County,
Sullivan County, New York City, or Nassau County) who might handle
specimens that might contain polioviruses or who treat patients who might
have polio (e.g., urgent care, emergency department, neurology, virology
laboratory workers).
Ø Individuals
with occupational exposure to wastewater can consider a booster.
If
you or your child have not received all four doses of the IPV, I urge you
to do so right away. Polio
symptoms range from mild to severe, including paralysis and death.
If
you have questions or need to get vaccinated, please contact your health
care provider or your child's Pediatrician. If you or your child do not
have a primary care physician, you can call 844-692-4692 for help finding one.
Make
an appointment for children age 4 and above here.
· NYC
Health Department Resources
Ø Polio web page
· NYS
Health Department Resources
Ø Polio web page
· CDC
Resources
Ø
Polio Vaccination: What
Everyone Should Know
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Online
& In-Person Meetings, Town Halls, and Webinars
· Rent
Stabilization 101 with Tenants and Neighbors on September 21 at 6PM. This training is designed to provide
participants with a basic understanding of the rent stabilization system in
New York:
o What is rent stabilization, and how do I know if
I’m living in a rent stabilized unit?
o How do rent increases work?
o What are my rights?
Ellen Davidson, staff attorney with the Legal
Aid Society, will be presenting and available to answer questions. Register
at: https://www.tandn.org/events/rent-stabilization-101
·
New
York City Redistricting Commission Meeting to Vote on Revised District
Lines September 22 at 11AM at 22 Reade Street. Following
the publication of a Preliminary Plan for the City Council in July, the
Commission held another round of public hearings in August and has received
a total of nearly 9,000 submissions of public testimony, via in-person,
Zoom, e-mail and mail. Based on the public testimony and the NYC Charter
criteria, the Commission has created a Revised Plan. Under the NYC Charter, the Commission
must submit this Revised Plan to the City Council. The Commission is
scheduled to vote to publish this Revised Plan and submit it to the City
Council on Sept. 22nd. For more information visit nyc.gov/districting.
I submitted testimony on the proposed district lines which is available
here: https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/articles/2022/liz-krueger/sen-krueger-submits-testimony-nyc-districting-commission.
·
Medicare Minute: Changing Part D
Plans, Thursday October 20th, 3:00-3:30: Your
prescription drug coverage can change from year to year and comparing Part
D plans yearly is shown to save people money. During this Medicare Minute,
you’ll learn how to choose and change Part D plans, both during Fall Open
Enrollment and beyond. Hosted by the Medicare Rights Center. To register,
visit https://www.medicareinteractive.org/medicare-minute-login.
If you do not already have a Medicare Interactive profile, you will need to
set one up in order to register.
·
East Sixties Neighborhood Association
Virtual Annual Meeting, Thursday October 20, 6:30 p.m.:
To view the event, go to www.facebook.com/esnanyc.
To attend by phone, call 212-755-1296 before noon on Tuesday October 18 for
call-in information.
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Physical
and Mental Health Care, Health Insurance, Public Health, Research
·
Do More, Feel Better – A Community Program Against Depression: People 60+ experiencing
depression can enroll in a nine-week research program to explore how
increasing participation in pleasurable and rewarding activities can lead
to improvement in depressive symptoms. The program is conducted by Weill Cornell Medicine, and individual sessions will be
completed via telephone or video chat. If you are eligible to participate,
you will receive compensation over the course of the program. For more
information, contact Kiana, Caroline, or the study team at 844-333-3579
ext. 720 / ext. 714 or [email protected].
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Food
·
Greenmarkets:
The 94th Street Greenmarket,
on 1st Avenue at 94th Street in Manhattan is now open
on Sundays from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. This is a temporary location due to
construction on 92nd Street.
The 82nd Street Greenmarket on East 82nd
Street between First and York is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
The Dag Hammarskjold Plaza Greenmarket at 2nd Avenue
and 47th Street is open Wednesdays from 8:00 a.m – 3:00 p.m.
The Union Square Greenmarket is open Mondays,
Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m – 6:00 p.m.
GrowNYC
farmers markets are a great chance for community members to access the
freshest, most nutritious locally-grown food the region has to offer.
Please
note that shoppers can use their SNAP/EBT/P-EBT benefits at the market!
When customers spend $2 in SNAP/EBT/P-EBT, they receive a bonus $2 Health
Buck (up to $10 per day) to purchase additional fruits and vegetables!
· NYC Neighborhood Food Resource Guides: Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center
has compiled these resource guides to help New Yorkers find free and
low-cost food resources in their community, as well as social services and
additional resources for New Yorkers.
o
NYC Food
Resource Guide: Upper East Side
o
NYC Food
Resource Guide: Midtown
o
NYC Food
Resource Guide: Stuyvesant Town/Turtle Bay
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Housing
·
Affordable
Housing Lotteries: You can view open affordable housing
lotteries on the NYC Housing Connect website here: https://housingconnect.nyc.gov/PublicWeb/search-lotteries
·
Tower
West Mitchell Lama Rental – Waiting List Opening: Tower
West, located at 65 West 96th Street, is accepting applications
for the waiting list for one-, two- and three bedroom apartments.
Households must meet income and family size requirements. Click
here for details and to apply.
·
Henry Phipps Plaza South – Waiting
List Opening: Henry Phipps Plaza South, located
in the Kips Bay area of Manhattan,
is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for studio,
one, two, three, and four-bedroom
apartments for the waiting list.
Households must meet the income and family size requirements. Click Here
to view occupancy and income guidelines, additional details, and to apply.
·
NYC Housing Recovery Office (HRO) – the deadline to apply for HRO's Hurricane Ida
Supplemental Funding Program has been extended to 10/3. More
information on the program can be found here: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/housingrecovery/downloads/pdf/Ida-Supplemental-Funding-Flyer.pdf. If you
have any questions call (212) 615-8329.
·
NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) hosts Buildings After Hours, their
in-person information session with DOB staff every Tuesday from 4 – 7 pm in
each local DOB borough office. (Manhattan’s DOB office is at 280 Broadway,
4th Floor). More details are available here: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/buildings/pdf/buildingsafterhours-sn.pdf.
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Volunteer
and Donation Opportunities
·
Donation Drive for Asylum Seekers: Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and the
New York Immigration Coalition are sponsoring a clothing and toiletry
donation drive for newly arrived asylum seekers, migrants and immigrants.
o
What to Donate: Toiletries (body wash, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant,
toothbrushes, toothpaste, shaving cream, nail clippers, menstrual products
(unopened), baby/body wipes, bath towels, face cloths, diapers). New and
Packaged Clothing (underwear, socks, t-shirts for men, women and
children).
o
Where
to Donate: 1 Centre Street, 19th
Foor, South Side, M-F 9am-5pm or 431 West 125th Street, M-F
10am-5pm.
For
questions or information, vitsit tinyurl.com/57bfye67, email [email protected] or call 212-669-8300.
·
Volunteer
Opportunities for those interested in helping Asylum Seekers:
o
NYC/Catholic Charities is looking for
people to volunteer at the asylum seeker navigation center: http://tinyurl.com/4n5h3nbu
o
NY Immigration Coalition: https://www.nyic.org/get-involved/volunteer/
o
Grannies Respond (one of the primary groups
greeting people at Port Authority): https://www.granniesrespond.org/volunteer
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Social
and Legal Services
·
The State Comptroller’s Office administers the NYS Achieving a Better Life Experience (NY ABLE) program which allows eligible New Yorkers with
disabilities to save for
qualified short-term and long-term disability-related expenses on a
tax-free basis while also keeping Medicaid, SSI and other government benefits.
Disability-related expenses are costly and can make it hard to save for
long-term financial security; NY ABLE can help. For details, visit https://www.mynyable.org/home.html.
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Resources for Older Adults & Caregivers
· Classes
for Seniors in New York City: If you’re
an older adult in New York, you can take part in live, in-person and online
classes to learn
new skills, discover ways to save money, and find a community where you can
get in shape and make new friends. Senior Planet offers courses, programs,
and activities that enhance the lives of older adults. Please join us! Got
questions? Call our Senior Planet in NYC hotline:(917) 936-4410
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In-Person & Virtual Community Activities
· Community Board 8 Manhattan Presents
the Fall Outdoor Art Show: On
October 15th at James Cagney Place, East 91st Street
(b/t 2nd and 3rd Avenues). The exhibition with
feature paintings, photography and crafts. If you would like to share your artwork, submit an image to [email protected]
by September 23rd with “Art Submission” in the subject line.
· City Parks Foundation Programs:
o Senior Fitness Classes for those 60+ at NYC parks. In Manhattan, they
offer yoga in Carl Schurz Park and tennis in Central Park, among many other
classes. View more classes and register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cityparks-seniors-fitness-program-fall-2022-registration-406442990927 or contact [email protected] or
call (718) 760-6999 with any questions.
o Partnerships for Parks, It’s My Park
Program: The It’s
My Park program provides opportunities to help care for parks across the
city by lending a hand to beautify a neighborhood green space. Volunteer
opportunities are available for individuals and groups year-round. Click
here for more information.
·
Lincoln
Center calendar of events
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