Tag: COVID-19 Delta variant

Yonkers Board of Education Adopts COVID-19 Vaccine Protocol School District Employees Must Prove Vaccination by September 1, 2021 or Undergo Weekly COVID-19 Testing

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano announced that all municipal and school employees must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination by Labor Day or undergo weekly testing.

YONKERS, NY – (PressReleaseNewsCenter.com) — July 28, 2021 — Today, at the Special Meeting of the Yonkers Board of Education the Trustees adopted COVID-19 Protocol Resolution 4.1 in compliance with the City of Yonkers Workforce COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate issued today by Mayor Mike Spano. The resolution was adopted to protect the safety of students and employees by preventing the resurgence of COVID-19 cases and in particular the COVID-19 Delta variant.

“The health and safety of our students, employees and families was our primary concern in every decision and action taken by the Trustees throughout this pandemic,” stated Board of Education Vice President Dr. Rosalba Corrado Del Vecchio. “Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edwin M. Quezada successful implementation of the Board’s policies and strict adherence to CDC, New York State Departments of Education (NYSED) and Health (NYSDOH) guidelines, as well as Westchester County Department of Health (WCDOH) guidance enabled our schools to hold in-person instruction since October 2020.”

Dr. Edwin M. Quezada, Superintendent of Schools added, “the only way that all of our students can return to 5-days of in-person instruction is to follow the guidance of medical professionals that includes vaccination and testing. We will be relentless and continue to pursue opportunities for vaccines and testing as we did last school year. With our employees protected we can restore and renew our learning community, thereby providing our children and families hope for a brighter future.”

Yonkers Board of Education employees and students must continue to wear masks at all times regardless of vaccination status while at school. The resolution states, that on or before September 1, 2021, all employees of the Board of Education must be vaccinated or tested on a regular basis. All employees must provide proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test result based on a COVID-19 test administered within the prior seven-day period on a regular basis in accordance with the procedures and protocols implemented by the Superintendent of Schools and/or his designee.

Contact: Jerilynne Fierstein, Yonkers Public Schools

jfierstein@yonkerspublicschools.org

###

ALSO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mayor Mike Spano Announces That City and School District Employees Must Prove Vaccination by Labor Day or Undergo Weekly COVID-19 Testing

YONKERS, NY – (PressreleaseNewsCenter.com) July 28, 2021 – Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano today announced all municipal and Yonkers School District employees must provide one-time proof of COVID-19 vaccination by Labor Day or undergo weekly testing.

“We have fought long and hard to combat this pandemic and this is not the time to back down as this virus evolves,” said Mayor Spano. “Yonkers must continue on its road to recovery and that means ensuring that our workforce is protected and protects the residents we serve. We are in this together.”

The mandate comes as COVID-19 cases resurge across the nation along with the rise of the virus’ delta variant, particularly among those who have not been vaccinated. Prior to today’s announcement, the City of Yonkers did not require proof of vaccination or require frequent testing among employees.

Similar to the recent policy announced by New York City, Mayor Spano also said that all unvaccinated employees must wear a mask indoors at their workstation, while vaccinated employees who do not interact with the public are currently not required to wear masks at their workstations, though they may choose to continue to do so. City and Yonkers Board of Education workers who interact with the public including students and their families, must continue to wear masks at all times regardless of vaccination status. In addition, all employees must still wear a face covering when entering the buildings, travelling to their workspace, and in elevators. Face coverings are required for all visitors while in any city or school facility.

Yonkers’ 2,000 full-time municipal employees must show proof of vaccination or undergo routine testing by Labor Day, while the 3,500 full-time Yonkers Board of Education employees must do so by September 1, the start of the 2021-2022 school year.

Media Contact:

Christina Gilmartin

Communications Director, Office of the Mayor

City Hall: 914-377-6208

Christina.gilmartin@yonkersny.gov

County Executive George Latimer Gives Westchester Weekly Update/ Latimer Announces Westchester County Health Department Awarded Federal Grant

WHITE PLAINS, NY (PressReleaseNewsCenter.com) – July 26, 2021 — The Westchester County Health Department has been awarded a $3.76 million, 2-year grant by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health to reduce health disparities, improve vaccination rates and increase health literacy among residents most at risk of COVID-19.

Westchester County Commissioner of Health Sherlita Amler, MD, said: “I am grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with our trusted community partners to improve health equity in Westchester. With this grant, we plan to make a difference by improving COVID-19 health outcomes for residents who are sometimes left behind. This grant will help us better serve people of color, those living in poverty and people with limited English language proficiency.”

First Deputy Commissioner of Health Renee Recchia said: “With the COVID-19 Delta variant on the rise, this grant opportunity couldn’t come at a better time as we work diligently to reach our target communities about the importance of vaccination. While COVID-19 is the priority, the Health Department will also benefit by using the framework to be developed to strengthen our messaging on other vital public health topics going forward.”

The County Health Department will partner with Mercy College, community and faith-based organizations to develop an educational plan to share with residents in parts of New Rochelle Mount Vernon, Ossining, Peekskill, Port Chester, White Plains and Yonkers.

Together, these organizations will identify 160 trusted community members who will each share the lessons with hundreds of other residents. These lessons will offer current information on COVID-19 vaccines, identify barriers to vaccine acceptance as well as COVID-19 prevention, exposure and treatment guidelines. The community members will help residents learn how to identify reliable sources of health information and how to improve their confidence in navigating the health system. The Department also will team up with the County Department of Corrections to train Corrections staff members to provide similar outreach and education to hundreds of residents and Department of Correction staff members.

Mercy College President Tim Hall said: “Mercy College is proud to be a partner with the Westchester County Department of Health (WCDH) on the Advancing Health Literacy (AHL) to Enhance Equitable Community Responses to COVID-19 Initiative. This two-year grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will allow the WCDH to address health disparities surrounding COVID-19 and establish best practices for providing for the underserved populations in our community.”

Dr. Adrienne Wald, an associate professor at Mercy College, said: “My faculty colleagues, Dr. Marc Campo, Dr. Charis Davidson and I, in the School of Natural and Health Sciences, are excited about this opportunity to work with Dr. Dial Hewlett, MD, principal investigator, and the entire the team at the County Health Department, to serve our community by collaborating on this grant aimed to fight COVID-19 and improve health literacy among the most vulnerable members of Westchester County.”

Department of Correction Commissioner Joseph Spano said: “We look forward to partnering with the Health Department to add health education to the wide array of services we provide and to share accurate COVID-19 information with the population we serve. By improving health literacy in our jail, we can improve the health of our whole community and reduce the risk of spread.”

The County Health Department is one of just three health departments statewide to receive this award.

About Westchester County

Westchester County, located in the heart of the historic Hudson Valley, covers 500 square miles and has a population of just under a million. Originally home to Native Americans, who were members of the Lenape tribe, it is today a rich mix of many cultures and landscapes. The County is a blend of bustling cities, quaint villages and picturesque towns as well as open spaces and a network of beautiful parks. Westchester is made up of 6 cities, 19 towns and 20 villages. Westchester County is known for top-notch public schools, and a high quality of life. The County is also an intellectual capital, boasting a highly educated workforce, competitive colleges and universities, Fortune 500 companies, world changing non-profits, and cutting-edge research centers. Westchester is led by County Executive George Latimer, who took office in January 2018 as the ninth County Executive. Using inclusion and openness as a foreground, Latimer is fighting to make Westchester a destination for all people to live, work and enjoy. Learn more about Westchester County by visiting www.westchestergov.com

Joseph Sgammato, Esq.

Deputy Director of Communications

JSgammato@westchestergov.com

Office – (914) 995-2941