The incoming administration’s transition has proceeded normally, however, when Mayor-elect Eric Adams is sworn in at dawn on January 1, he will have to deal with an issue that arrived in New York City in March 2020. and now with the increase in COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant.
The average rate of positivity in the last week, one day before the end of the year, exceeds a little more than 20% and records figures of up to 43,985 people with positive results for that same date. A discouraging outlook, which is again causing closings of parties, Broadway shows, subway lines, and some other restrictions that affect the economy of the city.
To counter these numbers that are likely to rise after the year-end celebrations, Mayor-elect Eric Adams presented his plan of action to address the COVID-19 crisis and “ensure the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers,” a time you take office.
Eric Adams had not made a decision on this important issue, despite the fact that this week he appointed the specialists who will direct the city’s Health Department during his next administration.
In what was his last press conference of the year from Brooklyn Borough Hall, he addressed this growing concern by reporting on his strategic plans, some of which were laid out by his predecessor, outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio.
According to the Adams plan, his main goal is to save lives and keep New Yorkers safe, for that, he will follow the recommendations of science and public health professionals.
He assured that the rules and guidelines updated by the experts to combat COVID-19, such as the vaccination mandate for all sectors, will remain in force and thus achieve the long-awaited “herd immunity.”
“Our focus is vaccines and tests, vaccines and tests. We will say that over and over again. Someone should put that on a t-shirt, vaccine, and tests, “said Mayor-elect Adams.
He said vaccines, booster shots, and tests are the most effective weapon to win this battle against the virus, keeping New Yorkers safe and the city running.
During their address with Health Commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi and Dr. Ashwin Vasan, they stated that the vaccine mandate for private-sector employees will remain in effect but with a focus on compliance, not punishment.
The mayor-elect said that the plan to open schools this coming January 3 after students return from Christmas break and the end of the year, continues without any change despite the increase in hospitalizations in children, many of them not vaccinated, according to a statement from the state Department of Health. With this decision, remote learning is for now ruled out for the authorities
Among the strategies, Adams described working with small businesses, stakeholders, and the “corporate engagement committee to help implement the mandate, waiving penalties if employers commit to the city to help vaccinate their workers.”
Adams’ winter COVID-19 plan also focuses on ensuring that city hospitals have sufficient capacity to handle new hospitalizations caused by the highly dangerous Òmicron variant.
This plan also includes improving security in congregational settings, for example, prisons, shelters, nursing homes, and elsewhere, who will be given quick access to vaccination, testing, and support isolation.
After seeing the long lines and delays of almost 4 hours to get a COVID-19 test in recent weeks, Eric Adams assured that they will increase access to tests with more sites and more tests and, in general, create access massive to rapid tests.
To reduce the spread, the incoming mayor’s administration will distribute 2 million top-grade masks (KN95, KF94, and N95) in January, particularly through community organizations and Health Department sites.
The authorities will work according to the guidelines and standards of public health based on science. They will direct the work in a more timely manner by creating a color-coded system that shows the threat level of the virus and specifies exactly the security levels that are in effect.