The local paper for the Upper East Side SALUTE TO NURSES ◄ P.8
WEEK OF MAY
7-13 2020
SO MANY LAWSUITS, SO LITTLE TIME
POLITICS Brian Stokes Mitchell singing from his apartment. Photo: Stephan Russo
‘THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM’ COMES TO AN END VIEWPOINT
Brian Stokes Mitchell’s nightly singing kept the West Side’s spirits up - until the crowds got too big BY STEPHAN RUSSO
The days grow long as New Yorkers continue to stay in place awaiting the reopening of our city. If you walk outside, there is a sense of abandonment and despair. The streets are empty, stores are closed, the passing busses have few passengers, and the presence of masked walkers creates an eerie atmosphere. Yet since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the city full force, every night at 7 p.m. sharp, people peer out their
windows and scream, clap and cheer in honor of the doctors, nurses, grocery workers, delivery people, EMS paramedics and police who have been the heroes in responding to this crisis. Nowhere in the city has the celebration been more festive than on the West Side of Manhattan at 98th Street and Broadway. I know this because I have a bird’s eye view out my window facing Broadway. Around 6:45, people start to gather on the street, police cars appear, a Mt. Sinai ambulance parks in front of Lenny’s Bagels and the honking of passing cars begin. Because when the clock chimes 7, a window will open on the fifth floor of the building on the northwest
Assembly Members file legal challenges to determine candidates on June ballot BY EMILY HIGGINBOTHAM
Two incumbent New York State Assembly members representing the Upper East Side have taken legal challenges against the Board of Elections to the Manhattan Supreme Court — one attempting to reinstate their name on the ballot and the other attempting to disqualify their opponent from the race. On Tuesday, a judge will give a decision in each lawsuit being brought respectively by Assembly Members Dan Quart and Rebecca
No matter who you are, no matter the wealth or connections of your family, the law still applies to you.” Assembly Member Dan Quart
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
Seawright. The two cases involve separate legal issues, but both will determine who appears on the ballot come June. Quart, who is simultaneously running for reelection in the 73rd District and to become the next Manhattan District Attorney, is arguing that Cameron Koffman, his opponent, did not maintain residency in New York the five years prior to his candidacy, as the state’s law requires. Koffman, 22, the greatgrandson of real estate tycoon Samuel LeFrak, grew up on the Upper East Side and recently graduated from Yale University. Quart says that since Koffman registered to vote and voted in Connecticut during his college years, he essentially became a Connecticut resident. “As a simple matter of law, Mr. Koffman — who voted in four general elections in Connecticut, though not in the primaries because he wasn’t a Democrat in 2015, 2016, 2017, or 2018 — is ineligible to run for office,” said Quart about his suit. Additionally, Quart said the fact that Koffman registered to vote in New York in October 2017, and then voted in
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Assembly Member Dan Quart. Photo courtesy of Dan Quart
Connecticut one month later, amounted to voter fraud. He said Koffman shouldn’t be excused because of who is family is. “The bigger issue at play here is this: no matter who you are, no matter the wealth or connections of your family, the law still applies to you,” said Quart. “This may come as a surprise to Mr. Koffman but he can’t pick and choose which laws he wants to abide by. Any candidate for public office who doesn’t believe the law applies to them — like our lawless President, like Mr. Koffman — sets a dangerous precedent that undermines the rule of law and our constitution.”
“I Paid My Taxes Here” Koffman has rejected Quart’s argument outright, saying Quart’s suit is a “mani-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
ET TU, ANDREW? Cuomo omits the arts from New York State’s recovery plan. p. 6
BREWER DISTRIBUTES MASKS TO NEW YORKERS IN NEED On Friday, Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer received and distributed 50,000 face masks donated by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA). p. 2
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BREWER DISTRIBUTES MASKS TO NEW YORKERS IN NEED On Friday, Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer received and distributed 50,000 face masks donated by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA). The three-ply face masks were distributed by Brewer and her team to nursing homes, senior centers, and community organizations, including Isabella Geriatric Center, New Jewish Home, Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center, Union Settlement, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, ArchCare at Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center, Laundry Workers Center, Visiting Neighbors, Lifeforce in Later
Years, Project FIND, Riverton Houses, Lakeview Houses, and Gateway Plaza, as well as smaller organizations doing on the ground efforts like La Fonda in East Harlem, Vision Urbana and Father’s Heart Ministries. “These masks will help protect staff and patients at facilities throughout Manhattan, making a difference in saving lives and slowing the spread of the pandemic,” said Brewer. “I am grateful to GNYADA’s president, Mark Schienberg and his members for their generous donation to New Yorkers in need. On behalf of all Manhattanites, I’m thankful.”
Borough President Gale A. Brewer with Brian Miller (left), principal of Manhattan Motor Cars, and Mark Schienberg (right), President of GYNADA. Photo: GYNADA
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LAWSUITS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 festation of typical Albany politics.” “I’ve lived in this neighborhood my entire life,” said Koffman. “I served jury duty here. I paid my taxes here. I got my mail here. I had a driver’s license here. I have so many ties to this community.” On his first day at Yale, Koffman did indeed register to vote on campus, but he said he never viewed himself as a Connecticut resident and listed his New York address as his mailing address. Two voters have come to Koffman’s aid and have a filed a suit against Quart of their
Over 1,000 supporters signed my petitions, nearly eight times more than required, and they were all duly filed.” Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright
“Voters deserve a choice. That’s how our democracy should work,” said Koffman. “I’m going to be on the ballot on June 23. I’m looking forward to giving the voters their first choice since 2002.”
No Cover Sheets
Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright. Photo: Andre Beckles
own, claiming that the assembly member’s suit is impeding on their constitution rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments. In their suit, the plaintiff’s say that they “seek representation in Albany that is not beholden to the Democratic Party establishment and that will put the interests of district constituents first.” Koffman said that if a candidate goes about the process correctly and gets the correct number of signatures that they should be on the ballot.
Seawright is bringing her case to court after a blunder of her campaign’s own making. Last week, the Board of Elections voted to unanimously to remove Seawright off the Democratic and Working Families Party lines on after she failed to include cover sheets with her ballot petitions. Without Seawright on the ballots, Democrats will be without a candidate come November, giving the Republican candidate, Louis Puliafito, a 62-year-old doorman, a clear path to represent the 76th Assembly District. Seawright says that during the petitioning period in March, she was suffering from viral syndrome, a contagious and infectious virus, which she previously described as having “COVIDlike” symptoms. But despite
STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 19th precinct for the week ending Apr 26 Week to Date
Year to Date
2020
2019 % Change
2020
0 0
0 0
n/a n/a
1 3
0 11
n/a -72.7
3 2
3 3
0.0 -33.3
60 39
44 41
36.4 -4.9
Grand Larceny
7 7
1 31
600.0 -77.4
104 424
69 477
50.7 -11.1
Grand Larceny Auto
0
0
n/a
19
Murder Rape Robbery Felony Assault Burglary
this, she sent in the needed signatures, but left off the cover sheets to the petitions. “Over 1,000 supporters signed my petitions, nearly eight times more than required, and they were all duly filed,” said Seawright.
Independent Bid Puliafito, the Republican candidate, has also filed with the court to ensure Seawright remains off the ballot. But the assembly member is exploring every avenue open to her
to reinstate her name on the ballot, including as an independent candidate. However, due to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s executive order making signature gathering illegal during the stayat-home order, an independent bid might also prove fruitless. Nevertheless, Seawright is moving forward, saying it would be “unjust” if she was not allowed back on the ballot. “The prevention of my ac-
2019
3
% Change
533.3
cess to the election ballot would disenfranchise the voters of the Upper East Side, Yorkville, and Roosevelt Island. This is shameful. Pandemic politics must be resisted,” said Seawright. “We are pursuing Democratic, Working Family, and independent lines. We will be on the ballot in November.” The judge is expected to submit written opinions on both assembly members’ cases Tuesday.
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MAY 7-13, 2020
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STOP THE SPREAD OF COVID-19! LEARN HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND OTHERS AT HOME. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19? • The most common symptoms are fever, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath. Other symptoms include feeling achy, loss of taste or smell, headache, and diarrhea. • Most people with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) will have mild or moderate symptoms and can get better on their own.
WHO IS MOST AT RISK FOR SERIOUS ILLNESS? • People age 50 or older (people age 65 or older are at the highest risk) • People who have other health conditions, such as: Lung disease Kidney disease Asthma Liver disease Heart disease Cancer Obesity A weakened immune system Diabetes
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I GET SICK WITH COVID-19 SYMPTOMS? If you are sick with COVID-19 symptoms, assume you have it. When you are sick: • If you have trouble breathing, pain or pressure in your chest, are confused or cannot stay awake, or have bluish lips or face, call 911 immediately. • Call your doctor if you are age 50 or older or have a health condition that puts you at increased risk, or if you do not feel better after three days. • Always contact a doctor or go to the hospital if you have severe symptoms of COVID-19 or another serious health issue. • Do not leave your home except to get necessary medical care or essential food or supplies (if someone cannot get them for you). • If you must leave your home: Avoid crowded places. Stay at least 6 feet from others. Cover your nose and mouth with a bandana, scarf or other face covering. Wash your hands before you go out, and use alcohol-based hand sanitizer while outside. • Household members can go out for essential work and needs but should monitor their health closely. If you or someone in your home is sick: • Create physical distance: Do not have visitors.
Stay at least 6 feet from others. Sleep head-to-toe if you share a bed with someone who is sick, or sleep on the couch. Keep people who are sick separate from those at risk for serious illness. • Cover up: Cover your nose and mouth with a bandana, scarf or other face covering when you are within 6 feet of others. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or your inner elbow. • Keep it clean: Throw tissues into the garbage immediately after use. Wash your hands often with soap for 20 seconds, especially after you cough or sneeze. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if you are unable to wash your hands. Frequently clean surfaces you touch, such as doorknobs, light switches, faucets, phones, keys and remote controls. Wash towels, sheets and clothes at the warmest possible setting with your usual detergent, and dry completely. Do not share eating utensils with others, and wash them after every use.
WHEN CAN I LEAVE MY HOME AFTER BEING SICK? • If you have been sick, stay home until: You are fever-free for three days without Tylenol or other medication and It has been at least seven days since your symptoms started and Your symptoms have improved • Reminder: New York is on PAUSE. This means that even if you have been sick, you should only leave your home for essential work or errands, or to exercise, while staying at least 6 feet from others.
NEED HELP? • If you are having a medical emergency, call 911. • If you do not have a doctor but need one, call 844-NYC-4NYC (844-692-4692). New York City provides care, regardless of immigration status, insurance status or ability to pay. • For more information, call 311 or visit nyc.gov/coronavirus. The NYC Health Department may change recommendations as the situation evolves. 4.20
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ET TU, ANDREW? CULTURE
Governor Cuomo omits the arts from New York State’s recovery plan BY LEIDA SNOW
Google “Cuomo plan to reopen NYS” and you will find a well ordered design about phases of priority: Each region has to meet stated requirements. There is everything from hardening the healthcare system to developing testing and contact
‘IMPOSSIBLE DREAM’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 corner, clapping hands will appear from the window and Brian Stokes Mitchell will peek his head out to the cheers of the throngs below. Yes, that’s the Brian Stokes Mitchell, famous actor and singer – 2000 Tony award winner for “Kiss Me Kate” who also received Tony nominations for his performances in “Ragtime” and “Man of La Mancha.” Stokes, as he likes to be called, has also chaired the Actors Fund for the past fourteen years. The Fund has provided $4 million of emergency assistance so far to over 4,000 people who have been left jobless because of the pandemic. We often hear about the well-known actors who have been affected by the
tracing protocol. Firms will be considered more or less essential, their risk of infection spread taken into account. There will be regional coordination, and the re-imagining of telemedicine and tele-education. But help! Governor Andrew Cuomo seems to have left arts and culture out of his Phased Plan to Re-Open the state. Key to Cuomo’s plan is his NY Forward Advisory Board, 116 members when I counted. There are some apparent political appointments, many academics, foundation presidents, and heads of business,
darkened shows, but Stokes is quick to point out that it’s the carpenters, writers, stage managers, musicians and lesser performers who are suffering the most. It’s his penchant for those that make this city function for the rest of us that spurred him to give back by his singing. Stokes fell ill at the beginning of April. What began as a low-grade sinus infection and fever grew into a more serious fever that left him feeling “that he had been hit by a train.” He also complained of severe body aches, chills and a loss of sense and smell – all symptoms of the virus. He tested positive for COVID-19 and was “laid up” for nearly two weeks. When he recovered, he felt a sense of deep gratitude to the frontline workers who were treating thousands of sick New York-
hospitality and tourism associations. Banks and unions are represented, as is Verizon, Pfizer, and the New York Stock Exchange. And the NY Islanders, the NY Yankees, the NY Mets, and the NBA. There is little tech representation, even though Google, for example, has a major footprint in the city. There are real estate people on the list, but no Broadway theater owners. There is one name associated with film and television production, but I looked in vain for representation of the world-class cultural institu-
ers and helping the rest of us survive as we remain shut in. The idea to sing from his window happened spontaneously. Like others, every night at 7 p.m. Stokes leaned out his window and clapped and cheered. It hurt him to take a deep breath but he realized that he could still actually sing – and sing he did to the joys of his neighbors. One night Stokes sang the theme song from “Man of La Mancha” along with “The Impossible Dream.” “Singing both felt like a performance and I didn’t want to do that,” he said recently. “The Impossible Dream” is the perfect song for the moment. It gives people hope. It’s also a song about trying – just to hear the lyrics –“to fight the unbeatable foe, bear with unbearable sorrow, and to run where the brave dare not go.””
Governor Andrew Cuomo, May 1, 2020. Photo: Darren McGeeOffice of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
tions that are among the economic engines of the city and state. No museums, no dance,
“We Need Warmth and Support” When word got out that there was a live, nightly performance by Stokes, 98th and Broadway became the epicenter of the West Side’s show of appreciation. Tracy Sussman traveled 13 blocks north from her apartment on 85th Street to hear Stokes. “I teach kindergarten in the South Bronx and we are doing a project on how to make essential workers feel better, she said. “I’m going to video him and post it on my morning meeting.” Anne and Wade live at the building at the southwest corner of West 98th Street. “We would see the crowd every night but we couldn’t hear him from our window,“ they said. “We finally decided to come down to the street and see him firsthand.”
music or performing arts organizations. No theater companies or producers, and no Broadway. It’s unconscionable that the governor doesn’t seem to understand their importance. I can understand Cuomo’s hesitancy about opening up museums, concert halls and theaters until we know people can be safe. But that doesn’t explain why none of these will have a seat at the table as the state’s recovery is being mapped. I’m among those grateful for the governor’s daily Coronavirus briefings — a welcome voice of information and competence. At those sessions, Cuomo reminds us that we New Yorkers are tough. But it seems our governor doesn’t fully understand the state he governs. The Empire
“There is a tone of meanness in this country, and you think with something like this, people can start thinking differently about each other,” Wade commented. “We need warmth and support.” Anne concurred. “This 7 p.m. shout out is wonderful given what we are going through. Every day, I look forward to the cheering at night.” Unfortunately, Stokes’s singing was silenced last week. Maudette Brown, who lives on 95th Street and Columbus Avenue, was ecstatic at the prospect of hearing Stokes. “He is one of my favorite performers. I just needed to hear him. This is very uplifting. His singing keeps everyone in good spirits during this difficult time,” she said. “But don’t let the crowd get too large.” The crowds did become too
State is more than businesses with inherent low or higher risks of infection. Every region has its unique cultural centers and, at the core, is the Big Apple, filled with large and small arts organizations. Reports are that lockeddown folks are searching for live events online. Personally, I grieve for the loss of live performances and in-person experiences. For an advisory board that will plan our recovery, should you leave out the city’s performing arts? Its orchestras and museums? The creative artists and the world-class cultural life? Should you omit Broadway? If you do, you no longer have the gem that is New York City. What you’ve got is just another town.
Leida Snow is a journalist and critic.
large. The police were concerned that the crowd on the street had become too dangerous in this era of social distancing. “There was no way to keep people off the street and the idea is not to make their job more difficult,” Stokes said. So Stokes was forced to end his streak. Nevertheless, the sound of his voice bellowing from his fifth floor window “questing for the unreachable star” still brightens our neighborhood as we soldier on through this unprecedented lockdown. Stephan Russo is a West Side Spirit contributor, and an Upper West Side resident since 1975. He served as the Executive Director of Goddard Riverside Community Center from 1998-2017.
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A ‘FAR LIGHT’ SOLUTION? EXCLUSIVE
Scientists at Columbia Medical Center say a safer form of ultraviolet light could disrupt airborne coronavirus transmission BY MICHAEL ORESKES
In a sealed lab at Columbia University, researchers say they have found a way to destroy coronavirus in the air and thus make it safer to resume using public spaces like subways, theaters, stores, offices, airports, restaurants and even bars. If the scientists have it right, their invention would address one of the most daunting challenges to reopening businesses that depend on crowds of people or to workers getting to their jobs. Even with hand washing and social distancing, the virus is transmitted in at least some cases by floating in the air until someone breathes it in, scientists report. The urgency of this was underlined on Friday, May 1 in an article from a separate group of researchers. “The currently available evidence strongly suggests the immediate need to address the significance of Sars-CoV-2 aerosol transmission,” the researchers wrote in an overview for the journal Risk Analysis. Aerosol transmission, in which a pathogen hitches to a globule of water so tiny it can ride the air, is at the heart of the work of David J. Brenner at Columbia for the past six
We certainly see this approach as a potential game-changer as people start to get back to work, and we are inevitably going to be closer to each other, in trains, in planes, in offices, in restaurants, in grocery stores, etc.” David J. Brenner, Columbia Medical Center
years, long before Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID19, emerged in Wuhan, China. In 2018 Brenner and colleagues published a peer reviewed article reporting that they could destroy airborne flu virus, prompting a spate of news stories asking if this was a path to more moderate flu seasons. Having now demonstrated their system on coronaviruses similar to the type that causes COVID-19, Brenner, who is Higgins Professor of Radiation Biophysics at Columbia Medical Center in Washington Heights, says the next step is to deploy this to retard the pandemic. “We certainly see this approach as a potential gamechanger as people start to get back to work, and we are inevitably going to be closer to each other, in trains, in planes, in offices, in restaurants, in grocery stores, etc. etc,” Brenner wrote in an email on April 30. “Given this situation, we need some easy-to-use approaches for continuous disinfection of the air in occupied public places, to reduce the risk of person-to person viral transmission.”
Safety Concern Brenner’s invention is a modernization of the ultraviolet light techniques that have been in use for 100 years to disinfect hospitals and other facilities. Indeed, David Sliney, the chair of the task force on Germicidal Ultra Violet Light and Covid-19 created by the Illuminating Engineering Society, says UV light was far more widely used for disinfection until the 1960s, when concern about eye and skin damage of those exposed to it overwhelmed concerns about infection. Brenner says that his version of UV light, called Far UV, alleviates the safety concern. The key is that Brenner uses shorter wavelength UV, which can still destroy bacteria and viruses but can’t penetrate the top layers of skin or even the watery covering of the eyes. “It cannot reach living human cells in the skin or eyes,” Brenner and three colleagues
wrote in the journal NatureResearch, last week. “But because viruses (and bacteria) are extremely small, far-UVC light can still penetrate and kill them. Thus far-UVC light has about the same highly effective germicidal properties of UV light, but without the associated human health risks.” That paper described the success of Far UV Light in destroying two coronaviruses that cause the common cold. “The researchers are now testing the light against the SARS-CoV-2 virus in collaboration with Thomas Briese and W. Ian Lipkin of the Center for Infection and Immunity in a biosafety laboratory on Columbia’s medical center campus, with encouraging results,” according to an annoucnment from the university two weeks ago.
UV Light Fixture The pandemic has sparked a renewed interest in UV light, in general, as a tool to make shared spaces safer. Brenner is working with the New York City Transit Authority on a test of traditional UV light for disinfecting subway cars. “MTA’s (logical) plan is to start with conventional germicidal UV, then potentially move to far-UVC, which can be used in occupied trains and buses, when the far-UVC lamps are available and all the approvals are in place,“ Brenner said by email on Monday. Two Korean companies, for example, announced the other day that they had created a UV light fixture to disinfect the interior of a car. That could be a big help in expanding confidence in cabs and ride-hailing services. The only catch is the car interior has to be empty, for about ten minutes, because the UV light is of the higher bandwidth. At Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, researchers have been looking at a technique for inserting a UV light source down an intubation tube to kill coronavirus inside infected patients. This may have been the research President Trump had in mind when he talked at a recent press conference about insert-
David J. Brenner is working with the New York City Transit Authority on a test of traditional UV light for disinfecting subway cars. Photo: Steven Strasser
ing light into the body. The Medical Center says the technique has not yet been tried on any patients. The task force chaired by Sliney, who served as a radiation expert in the Army Medical Corps, reported last month that Germicidal UV light could be used more to control coronavirus. “More-widespread use of GUV is often limited by safety concerns, but these are manageable and minor compared to potential infection prevention,” the task force reported last month (April 15). “Most of the public are not aware of its unique value in disinfection of air and contaminated surfaces.” The biggest risk with Germicidal UV is improper placement of the lights, which can be addressed with training and labeling, Sliney said. One UV technique that Sli-
ney says could be expanded, is to shine UV light even of the higher wavelength type across the upper portions of large rooms and other public spaces above the heads of people. This technique takes advantage of the circulation of the air. As the air from below rises (remember people are warm and warm air rises) into the upper portions of the space it is disinfected. Pointing the UV up in this way is an effective disinfectant, Sliney said by phone from his home in Florida, although not as effective as pointing it down would be. In essence, Brenner says he has invented a UV light that can be pointed down safely. A couple of years ago, Sliney tried to convince his son, who owns a restaurant, to install an upper air UV system. It would have cost about
$1000, Sliney said. In the end, his son didn’t bother and Sliney said he now wishes he had pushed harder. He worried that the lights and fixtures would now be in such demand that they would be far more expensive or unattainable. With all the focus on speedier production of personal protective equipment, it isn’t clear who has even been looking at the question of production of UV lights. Most firms in the U.S. in this business are small “mom and pop” companies, Sliney said, because larger firms had withdrawn as the market shrank. When asked how soon Far UV light could be deployed, Brenner said: “That really depends on how fast the manufacturers can ramp up production into the hundreds of thousands. By the autumn they are telling us.”
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Salute to Nurses
PREPARING FOR A PANDEMIC EDUCATION
Columbia University professor training nurses and students caring for COVID-19 patients BY EMILY HIGGINBOTHAM
As the executive director of the simulation center at Columbia University’s School of Nursing, Kellie Bryant’s job has always been to prepare students for real life scenarios that play out in hospitals every day. During the coronavirus outbreak, Bryant’s job remains the same, but the scenarios she’s prepping these students to encounter represent a new and everchanging reality of working in the epicenter of a global pandemic. During this time, Bryant has been tasked with both prepping nurses who have been redeployed within their hospitals to care for COVID-19 patients as well as continue to find ways to run simulations for Columbia’s nursing students, many of whom have enlisted as nurse technicians to aid in the fight against the virus. As soon as the outbreak hit New York, Bryant and her colleagues wanted to ensure that her students had to information they needed to properly protect themselves. “The first thing we did was offer some online modules on COVID and how to put on [Personal Protective Equip-
From a month ago to now, things have changed; the things that we knew about the virus has changed.” Kellie Bryant
Kellie Bryant (right) with nursing students at the simulation center at Columbia University. Photo: Jorge Meyer
Kellie Bryant poses in personal protective equipment (PPE). She has created a simulation to show students how to properly suit up in the PPE. Photo courtesy of Kellie Bryant
ment] for students because we knew some students would be working in the hospital in their regular jobs,” said Bryant. “How do you put on the mask? How do you take it off? How do you put on a gown? What order does it go in? So we offered those classes about three times a week in the beginning.” At New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Bryant has been helping facilitate patient simulation sessions to assist operating room nurses prepare to be redeployed to COVID-19 units. “We would go in there and help them train the [operating room] nurses, for example, on health assessments, help them train on how to get medications and IVs because that wasn’t part of their normal job requirement,” said Bryant.
Through this work, Bryant also helped the hospital adapt certain procedures and protocols for COVID-19 patients. “When you have someone who has cardiac arrest and COVID, the way you resuscitate them is totally different. Our fear is that when you’re intubating, the procedure can cause the COVID to release in the air, and it puts the health care providers at a huge risk,” said Bryant. “So my first simulation was really working with the hospital and the rapid response team to figure out how can we safely do a code where we can help save their lives and minimize the risk of COVID to the people that are in the room?” Typically, Bryant said, when a patient is in cardiac arrest, an entire team of nurses and doctors rushes into the room with a crash
cart to resuscitate the patient. But now, nurses are keeping the crash cart outside of the room and passing the supplies like a defibrillator to a limited number of people inside working on the patient. Bryant and her team practiced the new protocol through simulation, made tweaks until they felt like it could be carried through in a real life scenario. “That was that was simulation at its best: taking a policy procedure and testing it out in simulation so that we make sure that it’s up to par and the best it could be before it’s really implemented in the hospital,” said Bryant. “So that was the first simulation I did once COVID came.”
Health Barriers and Racial Bias In addition to preparing students for the technical skills they need, Bryant said the school of nursing has been providing help with the emotional impact with a program called Circle of Care. “They’re seeing unfortunately a lot of patients die,” said Bryant. “[Educators] host these meetings where students can log in and they could just talk freely about how they’re feeling and kind of decompress about some of the things they’re seeing.” Bryant, who is African
American, has been tasked with leading a subgroup for students of color to talk about the health barriers and racial bias as the outbreak has disproportionately impacted communities of color. Another great challenge for Bryant in adapting simulations and teaching material to fit the coronavirus is the unpredictable nature of the virus and the various ways it manifests in patients. “The most important thing is that we as nursing educators putting scenarios together, we got to make sure that we have the latest information. From a month ago to now, things have changed; the things that we knew about the virus has changed,” said Bryant. She said she is part of a listserv of all simulation and medical providers throughout the country that is constantly being updated with new information, scenarios, videos and protocols. Bryant sifts through all of this to see what best fits Columbia’s policies. “We look at all that and then we put together the best simulation based on the most recent findings,” said Bryant.
Changes for the Future Bryant said that she has not been fully able to look to the future and think about how this
pandemic will change medical procedures in the future. “We’re still in the thrust of it,” she said. “We’re just trying to keep our heads afloat. But she noted that a day will come where she and other educators and medical professionals will debrief and figure out how to prepare if there is another pandemic of this scale. “It’s hard to mimic exactly what would happen. It would take such a grand scheme, but maybe on a smaller scale, would could kind of rehash it and see, what are we going to implement?” said Bryant. “What are those guidelines that we need in place? We’re going to have new rules because I don’t I don’t know if we’ll ever go back to normal. I think there’s always be, you know, for a while we’re gonna have to wear gloves. We might still have to limit how many students are in the room. The way that we clean our equipment and supplies will probably change.” In the meantime, Bryant said she and her fellow nurses will continue to answer the call to help patients, even though it puts them at tremendous risk. “Even though we’re stepping up to the front lines, trust me we’re scared,” she said. “I think my desire to help is more than my fear.”
MAY 7-13, 2020
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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
TREATING PATIENTS LIKE FAMILY
HOSPITALS
Deirdre Rogers at HSS went from working in the post anesthesia unit to a COVID19 ICU BY MOLLY COLGAN
When she’s done working a twelve-hour shift caring for ventilated COVID-19 patients at the Hospital for Special Surgery, RN Deirdre Rogers changes into a fresh pair scrubs before leaving the building, and carpools home to her apartment. When she gets in the door, she changes out of the clean scrubs, and gets straight into the shower before doing anything else. Afterwards, she has about an hour to hang out with her fiancé, have dinner, or watch some TV before it’s time to go to bed and start all over again the next day. “I think I’m doing okay, but who knows,” says Rogers, a Johns Hopkins graduate who’s been working as an RN for over four years now. “I think I feel as if I haven’t really had time to really process my emotions. When I come home — I know the right thing to do is talk about it and deal with your emotions, but you’ve had such a long, 12-and-a-half, 13 hour shift and you have to go back to work in less than 12
The most rewarding part of my job is being there for these patients at their most precious point in life. Being there for them when no one else can be there for them.” RN Deirdre Rogers, Hospital for Special Surgery
hours — it’s hard to kind of process all of your emotions. I’m sure once this is all truly over and we’re starting to go back to elective surgery I’ll start to really think about what has happened these past couple weeks.”
A Major Shift Her routine and work day are much different now than they were pre-pandemic. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, Rogers was working on the Hospital for Special Surgery’s PACU, post anesthesia care unit, which used to see about 85 patients daily, recovering from a variety of the orthopedic surgeries HSS is known for. “Some patients would go home the same day, some patients would have to stay in the recovery room for pain management, cardiac observation, medical observation,” explains Rogers. “Most of the time, because it is an elective surgery, you’re working with patients who don’t have a lot of comorbidities.” That all changed a month ago. The Hospital for Special Surgery proactively suspended all nonessential surgeries on March 17 to make bed capacity, supplies and staff available to help neighboring hospitals. As the strain on New York’s health care system grew, HSS enacted a surge plan to treat overflow patients from NewYork-Presbyterian, converting ORs into ICUs and training nurses while on the job to provide care to COVID patients.
“Life and Death Scenarios” The hospital started taking on overflow from NewYorkPresbyterian on April 1. As of April 28, HSS has taken in 260 patients, with over 80 being COVID-19 positive. Rogers is now treating patients on the 9th floor, which had been converted from op-
erating rooms to ICUs for COVID-19 patients on ventilators. She estimates she’s had about 20 thus far. “To go from dealing with a relatively healthy 50-year-old male waking up from a total knee replacement — to go from that to really sick, really a lot of comorbidity patients that are dealing with life and death scenarios was pretty extreme,” says Rogers. “But we had a lot of team members to make that transition really easy … it was really a huge shift as far as what our dayto-day tasks were, to working as a team with all of these new roles. It’s been amazing so far, the teamwork and everything I’ve witnessed among all of the different providers.” Rogers confirmed that she was fully trained, certified, and equipped to work with COVID patients. Prior to the pandemic, she had experience working with ventilated patients recovering from spine surgeries. Despite the stressful changes and work days, she describes herself as being lucky: lucky to live in Manhattan, and have a friend to carpool to and from the hospital with; lucky to be able to stay in her apartment with her fiancé when she knows health care workers who have had to separate themselves from their homes and children; lucky to have access to PPE. But it hasn’t been easy. “I have had to deal with my first patient death and that experience, and postmortem care,” says Rogers. It’s something she never thought she’d experience as a nurse whose job was mainly treating patients coming out of elective surgeries, such as joint replacements. “Now you have to deal with it at work. It’s your new normal.”
Calling Families Since her patients are all COVID-19 positive, they can’t
RN Deirdre Rogers at the Hospital for Special Surgery. Photo courtesy of Deirdre Rogers
have any family or support system visiting in-person, for the safety of patients, family, and hospital workers. “That’s hard too,” adds Rogers. She and her coworkers, despite incredibly busy schedules, do their best to coordinate zoom and FaceTime calls with families to keep them updated. “I’ve had experiences calling families and having such joy out of it, seeing that their family member is getting better,” she says. “And obviously, there are those calls to say their final goodbyes and their final wishes for their family members.” “You really have to be there for them because no one else can really be there for them physically.” One thing she wants nonhealthcare workers to know? “Even though you can see a decline in the numbers as of late, it’s super important to really adhere to all of the guidelines,” says Rogers. “Stay home, wear your face
covers.” She fears that the itch to get outside, combined with the thought that the worst is over, will lead to a new surge in COVID-19 patients. “Especially working in the ICU, you’re really working with life and death scenarios. I really don’t want to take care of more patients with this because it’s so sad,” she emphasized.
New and Old Normals For now, the OR-turnedICU is Roger’s new normal. She ignores the rumors circulating about when her hospital will be able to shift back to taking elective surgeries. “Every day it’s something different,” she says. “I try not to focus on when that will happen, otherwise I think I would drive myself crazy. I just take it week by week, day by day, because I truly don’t think anyone does know.” Until then, she’s dedicating herself to providing her patients with the best possible
care, and treating them like family. “The most rewarding part of my job is being there for these patients at their most precious point in life. Being there for them when no one else can be there for them. I often think about — if that was my mother, or my best friend’s aunt, or my cousin — what would I want for them?” says Rogers. “I find it really humbling … to have the opportunity to give people the best care possible when they’re in that stage of life.” On her days off, she’s been wrapping up grad school coursework for the semester. She began taking courses in NYU’s nurse practitioner program in January, right before the coronavirus pandemic hit. “I cannot wait until I’m off on a Tuesday and don’t have to do a paper or a test or a quiz,” she said. But most of all? “When I’m no longer working with COVID patients, I can’t wait to see my family.”
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MAY 7-13, 2020
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
‘MY HEART ACHES SO MUCH’ FRONT LINES
A recent nursing school grad was selected for a fellowship at a Queens hospital - just as the coronavirus hit BY LINDA SMITH HANCHARICK
“What does it look like behind the walls of the hospital you may wonder? It’s hard to explain. But, with every face covered by masks you see the look of anxiety, fear and stress in the eyes of everyone you walk by. The air is heavy and it is tense. Rapid responses can be heard overhead very frequently. A dreaded call that once used to be heard far and few in between is now heard nearly every 30 minutes. Rapid response to room — an-
esthesia stat to room — respiratory stat to room — and in that moment you shake your head in disbelief. Another one. And, another one after that and another one after that. When will this calm down? Nobody knows.” Those words are from Adara Abrahamsen, 28, who grew up in Warwick, NY and graduated from the Wagner College nursing program in December with a 4.0 average. She was selected from more than 400 applicants for a fellowship in surgical intensive care at a hospital in Queens. She began the career she dreamed of on Jan. 21. “Just a short while later,“ Abrahamsen said, “I found myself in the midst of a pandemic.” Abrahamsen put her thoughts into words and pub-
weren’t offering deals to hospital workers so I moved into an Airbnb studio apartment alone. I have not hugged the people I love in three weeks in order to protect them. At times, I feel just as isolated as these patients — alone in their rooms without any visitors. But, I know I am not alone in this struggle.”
A Pull Toward Nursing
Adara Abrahamsen. Photo courtesy of Adara Abrahamsen.
lished them on medium.com earlier this month. Her words tell of disbelief, panic, sorrow, longing, hope. “Home. I miss home so much. One minute I was sleeping next to the man I love. Suddenly, my schedule’s changed at 7 p.m. for the very next day. And, just like that, I was assigned to a COVID unit. I spent that night after work at a hotel room while I scrambled to find alternative living arrangements. At that time, hotels
Abrahamsen was always interested in science growing up in Warwick and thought she would enter the medical field someday, but that’s not what happened at first. In 2014, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Dominican College. But she knew right there at her graduation that this would not be her career path. “I remember sitting at my college graduation and it was the nursing students’ turn to walk the stage,” said Abrahamsen. “It was in that moment that I decided to pursue nursing.” She went on to work for four years as a patient care assistant at Northern Westchester, while taking the
accelerated nursing prerequisites. “I was accepted into Wagner College’s 15-month accelerated program,” she said. “I just graduated on Dec. 12, 2019. I had received an offer for a critical fellowship prior to graduating, which was contingent on passing the boards. Luckily I did on Jan. 7.” “My heart. It aches so much. I will never forget the time a patient was rushed to the unit and a group of nurses handed the patient a phone in their room to say goodbye to the person they love and have created a life with. Their oxygen was dropping and intubating was imminent. Can you imagine having to make a call like that?”
“We Stand Together” But among the day-to-day experiences Abrahamsen describes, there is also hope. “Camaraderie ... We are ALL fighting this battle and it’s a teamwork I have never seen before. Each patient as critical and heavy as the next, but each nurse volunteers themselves and their precious critical time to help a coworker in
need. ‘What can I get you?’ ‘What can I help you with’ is frequently heard among us. This is not just nurse to nurse. This is nurse to doctor, to respiratory therapist, to housekeeper. Everyone.” Abrahamsen’s mom, Patty Augusta, said her daughter first studied psychology, PTSD specifically, because of her uncle who died in Afghanistan. “She has a unique perspective on the world around her. She is a special person.” Abrahamsen has been asked “What can we do to help?” She said there are small and big ways to help. Small ways like sending protein bars or snacks to your local hospital. Donate materials to those sewing masks. “Do you wanna know what would be extremely helpful? Student loan forgiveness for healthcare workers ... The amount of money most of us owe could knock your breath away. I’m not kidding when I say it keeps me up at night. Please advocate to your local legislators. Help us.” “And, stay home. It’s really that simple, just stay home.”
How you move inspires us now more than ever. Hospital for Special Surgery proudly honors our outstanding and courageous nurses for their unwavering dedication to compassionate patient care, commitment to excellence, and service to the community.
hss.edu
MAY 7-13, 2020
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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
IN FOCUS ON THE FRONT LINE INTERVIEW
An ER nurse’s snapshots of her coworkers shed light on the pandemic BY ANGELA BARBUTI
Addie Egan proudly refers to herself as an “ER nurse at heart.” And it is that love she has for her profession that keeps her positive - and productive - during this uncertain time. The 24-year-old is taking her camera onto the front lines during her break at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center to give us a glimpse into the minds and hearts of her colleagues. This poignant photo collection became “Faces of the Frontlines," a series that now has its own website, Facebook page and Instagram account. “Now we have these photos and stories and through social media, we’ve been able to share them, which has helped our staff connect with their family and friends, who they’re not able to physically be close to right now,” said Egan, a Boston native-turnedMurray Hill resident. A graduate of Boston College, she wanted to become a nurse in order to be able to care for a whole person, mind, body and spirit. And it is through her treatment of COVID patients, where she said the approach can sometimes change from hour to hour, that she is constantly reminded of why she was called to this vocation.
How do you choose your subjects? It’s nice that you’re also including parts of the hospital staff which usually don’t get as recognized.
I wanted to be really intentional about making it known that this whole frontline operation includes so many different people. And we really can’t operate without any of those pieces missing, so that includes our transport staff, environmental services, unit clerks, registration. We hear about doctors and nurses all the time, but I wanted to highlight
In addition to caring for COVID patients, Addie Egan has been photographing her colleagues. Photo: Casey Fox how much bigger the picture is. And there’s been a really great response. A lot of people are excited to share their stories and feelings about this experience.
What are the typical symptoms you’re seeing patients coming in with?
I don’t know if I would say there is a typical symptom, and that’s what’s so interesting about COVID. Of course, there are people coming in with shortness of breath and they don’t have great oxygenation saturation in their blood, but there have also been people who present with a gastrointestinal bug or abdominal or chest pain. And it’s surprising sometimes to see the people who come in and are sickest, because based on their age and history, you wouldn’t expect them to be as sick as they are.
In what ways has the role of a nurse has changed now?
Because of the need to isolate patients, we’ve been having screeners, who are nurses placed at the front entrance who have to ask family members to leave their loved ones at the front door. I haven’t held that position, but have colleagues who have. It’s very challenging for them. That has definitely been tolling and taxing, having to ask that of families and then having to take on the role of accompanying patients in a capacity that’s a little more all-encompassing.
Do you have time to be scared of catching the virus yourself? Yeah, it’s definitely scary. I think this virus reminds us
that we’re really not invincible. We’ve had coworkers we’ve triaged and cared for in the ER and seen them go up to the ICUs. We’ve had colleagues throughout the hospital system who have passed. We’ve had and still have people upstairs who are sick. There’s a sense of fear that’s balanced by a sense of camaraderie. I think we see a lot of our own fears and uncertainties in the faces of our patients. I have a lot of admiration for my coworkers showing up day in and day out despite losing their own family members and seeing their own coworkers become sick.
How has the camaraderie among your fellow nurses been strengthened?
Everyone looks out for each other always, but in a different way now because I think a lot of us realize that we don’t have access to our families like we normally do, so we’re stepping up as family for one another as well. We know what it’s like to be working on these patients, feeling vulnerable about our own health, and having to distance from our families. Those are all common experiences we’re all having and we feel closer than ever.
What acts of kindness have been shown to you by others?
It’s been amazing. There have been donations every day of food, drinks, coffee. People have been bringing in headbands, handmade masks. A lot of my coworkers have kids who have made cards for us and videos thanking us.
How do you feel when you hear the nightly clapping?
It’s just so touching and moving to feel like the community is there with us and we’re not ever doing it alone. I’ve had people who are out on runs who just stop in their tracks and clap for me, or even patients coming out of the hospital on crutches who will stop and clap. This interview has been edited and condensed for space. To see more of Addie Egan’s frontline photography, visit her website, addieegan.wixsite.com/mysite or addieegan.photography on Instagram.
Heartfelt gratitude. Dear Neighbors, Over the past several weeks, we have all experienced how New York City has come together and remained strong under adverse conditions. We send our deep appreciation to our first responders, NYPD, FDNY, EMS and all the medical teams, for their selfless commitment and tireless service to our residents. We appreciate all the New York City employees who are keeping our infrastructure secure and operational. We appreciate the public transportation system, truck drivers and businesses that remain so essential, providing vital resources for our community. We appreciate all the federal, state, and local agencies and volunteers that have made New York City their temporary home so they can assist us. Lastly, we appreciate our local U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Naval Ship COMFORT and various military personnel who are here for us in our greatest time of need. We thank you all. The directors and staff at Frank E. Campbell – The Funeral Chapel have enhanced our services to balance the needs of our community while adhering to the current restrictions. We know that much of this can be very overwhelming. As a trusted community resource, we are available 24 hours a day, and are ready to answer all questions or concerns and to assist all New Yorkers at a moment’s notice. While assisting our community through these unprecedented times, we are also preparing for the future. When all restrictions are lifted and we can enjoy happier times with our families, our community and our neighbors, Frank E. Campbell – The Funeral Chapel will continue our commitment to culture and the arts. We will once again schedule art shows and concerts performed by world-class musicians. Until then, be well and stay safe.
Sincerely,
William Villanova President, Frank E. Campbell – The Funeral Chapel
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MAY 7-13, 2020
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Ruth Caballero, a nurse with The Visiting Nurse Service of New York, speaks with a patient’s doctor after a home visit as she makes her rounds in upper Manhattan, Thursday, April 23, 2020. Photo: John Minchillo / AP
‘YOU ARE A MIRACLE’
AGING
Home care is the new front in the virus fight BY JENNIFER PELTZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ruth Caballero paused outside an unfamiliar apartment door, preparing to meet her new patient. She covered the knob with a plastic bag. Put on a surgical gown, then a heavy-duty N95 mask, a lighter surgical mask on top. Cap, face shield, shoe covers. Hand sanitizer between each step of the process. Finally, the nurse donned two sets of gloves and knocked on the door with her elbow, ready to care for her first coronavirus patient. After about three weeks in a hospital, the man was home in his New York apartment but still so weak that sitting up in bed took some persuading. “You made it out of the hospital, so you are a miracle,“ Caballero told him. “Now let’s keep you out of the hospital.’’ Home health care is becoming a new front in the national fight against COVID-19 as
some patients come back from hospitals and others strive to stay out of them. Home care nurses, aides and attendants - who normally help an estimated 12 million Americans with everything from bathing to IV medications - are now taking on the difficult and potentially dangerous task of caring for coronavirus patients. While Americans are being told to keep to themselves, home health providers and their clients still largely have to engage in person, often intimately. Many agencies are ramping up phone or video visits but can’t always get paid for them, and even the smartest phone can’t physically dress a wound or get someone to the bathroom. Like their colleagues in hospitals and nursing homes, home care workers have faced a scarcity of protective equipment, but with a lower public profile. Some agencies have scoured for masks at nail salons, auto body shops and tattoo parlors, said William Dombi, president of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice, an industry group. The crisis is testing the industry, but it’s also a moment
of pride for workers who have often felt under-recognized. “It is a challenge to keep the business operational, but it’s an opportunity,‘’ Dombi said. “We’re getting a chance to establish what can be done.’’ Coronavirus care at home has expanded rapidly in the last few weeks. At least some agencies in most states are now taking COVID-19 patients referred after hospitalization or nursing home care or as an alternative to them, Dombi said. Still, some patients have struggled to get care. After being diagnosed with coronavirus-related pneumonia late last month, Penny Wittbrodt contacted multiple agencies around her home in Winchester, Kentucky. None was then accepting COVID-19 patients, she said, though her doctor was able to arrange home oxygen. Wittbrodt, who has asthma and a history of respiratory hospitalizations, is still not well, though she’s had some relief at times. A retired home health nurse, Wittbrodt feels such care is especially valuable in the pandemic. “Home health would ex-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
MAY 7-13, 2020
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
13
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WATER HEATER REPAIR
Ruth Caballero, a nurse with The Visiting Nurse Service of New York, suits up in protective equipment before treating a COVID-19 patient on her rounds in upper Manhattan in New York. Home care nurses, aides and attendants are now taking on the difficult and potentially dangerous task of caring for coronavirus patients. Photo: John Minchillo / AP
MIRACLE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 pose far less people to COVID than hospitalization,‘’ she said. New York-based Americare Inc. has taken about 100 COVID-19 patients released from hospitals, and over 200 of the agency’s other patients also have tested positive or shown symptoms, VP Bridget Gallagher said. Every corporate staffer including the CEO is calling protective gear suppliers, but the agency still counts its stock of N95 masks every day. “We’re doing what we can, but I have to be honest: None of it feels like enough,‘’ said
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Gallagher, who’s also on the board of the Home Care Association of New York State. For many agencies, chronic staff shortages are amplified by absences due to illness or quarantine. And workers are grappling with patients’ fears while reckoning with their own risk. For some people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause severe illness or be fatal. For most people, it carries mild symptoms or none at all, meaning some patients could have the virus and not know it. The Visiting Nurse Service of New York, one of the nation’s largest home health agencies, currently has nearly 400 COVID-19 patients, and another nearly 300 referrals await, Executive Vice President Dan Savitt said. Separately, about 80 confirmed and presumed coronavirus patients are getting hospice care. As an industry, “I do feel like we’ve risen to the challenge,‘’ he said. When the agency first told Caballero and other nurses in
late March that COVID-19 patients were coming, “I won’t say that I wasn’t nervous,‘’ Caballero says. She was relieved, though, to see the protective equipment the agency issued. And her first visit, to the man in the apartment, went well. When she called later that night, he was not only sitting up but had gotten into a chair. The person who would have been her next coronavirus patient died before visits began. Caballero is now caring for several COVID-19 patients. They came home debilitated and fearful, afraid that hospitals “sent them home to die,‘’ she says. She encourages them to take step after small step: to sit on the side of the bed, to walk to the bathroom, to have a meal at the kitchen table. “It is a challenge. This disease has taken so many lives,‘’ she says, but “I’m so blessed and so honored and so grateful that these patients are coming home.’’ “Think about it - there but for the grace. It could be I.’’
MAY 7-13, 2020
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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
Affordable Housing for Rent RIVERWALK PARK 313 NEWLY CONSTRUCTED UNITS AT 460 MAIN STREET ROOSEVELT ISLAND, NEW YORK Amenities: Attended lobby, onteen lounge*, bike storage*, package kiosks* (*additional fees apply). Transit: F Train, Tram, Ferry, Q102, RIOC Red Bus www.liveriverwalkpark.com No This building is being constructed through the M2 Mixed-Middle-Income Program of the New York City Housing Development Corporation and the Inclusionary Housing Program of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Who Should Apply?
Individuals or households who meet the income and household size requirements listed in the table below may apply. Qualified applicants will be required to meet additional selection criteria. Applicants who live in New York City receive a general preference for apartments.
A set-aside for a percentage of units goes to applicants with disabilities: Mobility (5%) Vision/Hearing (2%) Preference for a percentage of units goes to: Residents of Manhattan Community Board 8 (50%) Municipal employees (5%)
AVAILABLE UNITS AND INCOME REQUIREMENTS Unit Size
Monthly Rent1
Units Available
Studio
$506
3
1 Bedroom
2 Bedroom
3 Bedroom
$648
$791
$909
5
1
2
Household Size2 1 Person 2 People 1 Person 2 People 3 People 2 People 3 People 4 People 5 People 3 People 4 People 5 People 6 People 7 People
Unit Size
Monthly Rent1
Units Available
Studio
$1,492
14
1 Bedroom
2 Bedroom
3 Bedroom
Annual Household Income3
$1,881
$2,270
$2,618
Minimum Maximum4
Monthly Rent1
Units Available
$662
13
$20,298 - $31,840
Household Size2
Annual Household Income3 Minimum Maximum 4
Monthly Rent1
Units Available
$1,132
8
Household Size2
Maximum4
1 Person
$25,646 - $39,800
$20,298 - $36,400
2 People
$25,646 - $45,500
2 People
$41,760 - $72,800
$25,543 - $31,840
1 Person
$32,263 - $39,800
1 Person
$52,389 - $63,680
2 People
$32,263 - $45,500
2 People
$52,389 - $72,800
$25,543 - $36,400
$844
22
1 Person
Annual Household Income3 Minimum
$1,431
13
$41,760 - $63,680
$25,543 - $40,960
3 People
$32,263 - $51,200
3 People
$52,389 - $81,920
$31,269 - $36,400
2 People
$39,326 - $45,500
2 People
$63,463 - $72,800
$31,269 - $40,960
3 People
$39,326 - $51,200
3 People
$63,463 - $81,920
$31,269 - $45,480
4 People
$39,326 - $56,850
4 People
$63,463 - $90,960
$31,269 - $49,120
5 People
$39,326 - $61,400
5 People
$63,463 - $98,240
$36,172 - $40,960
3 People
$45,463 - $51,200
3 People
$73,372 - $81,920
$36,172 - $45,480
4 People
$45,463 - $56,850
4 People
$73,372 - $90,960
$1,026
$36,172 - $49,120
7
$1,730
3
5 People
$45,463 - $61,400
5 People
$73,372 - $98,240
$36,172 - $52,760
6 People
$45,463 - $65,950
6 People
$73,372 - $105,520
$36,172 - $56,400
7People
$45,463 - $70,500
7 People
$73,372 - $112,800
33
10
11
Household Size2
$1,180
6
Annual Household Income3 Minimum
Maximum4
Monthly Rent1
Units Available
$1,961
36
$1,994
4
Household Size2
Annual Household Income3 Minimum Maximum4
1 Person
$70,183 - $131,340
2 People
$70,183 - $150,150
1 Person
$87,943 - $131,340
2 People
$87,943 - $150,150
1 Person
$54,103 - $103,480
2 People
$54,103 - $118,300
1 Person
$67,818 - $103,480
2 People
$67,818 - $118,300
3 People
$67,818 - $133,120
3 People
$87,943 - $168,960
2 People
$81,978 - $118,300
2 People
$106,115 - $150,150
3 People
$81,978 - $133,120
3 People
$106,115 - $168,960
4 People
$81,978 - $147,810
4 People
$106,115 - $187,605
5 People
$81,978 - $159,640
5 People
$106,115 - $202,620
3 People
$94,766 - $133,120
3 People
$122,675 - $168,960
4 People
$94,766 - $147,810
4 People
$122,675 - $187,605
5 People
$94,766 - $159,640
5 People
$122,675 - $202,620
6 People
$94,766 - $171,470
6 People
$122,675 - $217,635
7 People
$94,766 - $183,300
7 People
$122,675 - $232,650
$2,468
$2,974
$3,432
78
27
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1
Rent includes gas for heating. Tenant is responsible for electricity and cooking gas. Household size includes everyone who will live with you, including parents and children. Subject to occupancy criteria. 3 Household earnings includes salary, hourly wages, tips, Social Security, child support, and other income. Income guidelines subject to change. 4 Minimum income listed may not apply to applicants with Section 8 or other qualifying rental subsidies. Asset limits also apply. 2
How Do You Apply? Apply online or through mail. To apply online, please go to nyc.gov/housingconnect. To request an application by mail, send a self-addressed envelope to: Riverwalk Park c/o Affordable Housing Group, 330 W 30TH Street, New York, NY 10001. Only send one application per development. Do not submit duplicate applications. Do not apply online and also send in a paper application. Applicants who submit more than one application may be disqualified. When is the Deadline? Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than July 6 th, 2020. Late applications will not be considered. What Happens After You Submit an Application? After the deadline, applications are selected for review through a lottery process. If yours is selected and you appear to qualify, you will be invited to an appointment of eligibility to continue the process of determining your eligibility. Appointments are usually scheduled from 2 to 10 months after the application deadline. You will be asked to bring documents that verify your household size, identity of members of your household, and your household income. Español
Presente una solicitud en línea en nyc.gov/housingconnect. Para recibir una traducción de español de este anuncio y la solicitud impresa, envíe un sobre con la dirección a: Riverwalk Park c/o Affordable Housing Group, 330 W 30TH Street, New York, NY 10001. sello postal antes de July 6th, 2020. nyc.gov/housingconnect Riverwalk Park c/o Affordable Housing Group, 330 W 30TH Street, New York, NY 10001. CHINESE July 6th, 2020 nyc.gov/housingconnect. Riverwalk Park c/o Affordable Housing Group, 330 W 30TH Street, New York, NY 10001.
July 6th, 2020 Riverwalk Park c/o Affordable Housing Group, 330 W 30TH
nyc.gov/housingconnect Street, New York, NY 10001.
July 6th, 2020.
Kreyòl Ayisyien Aplike sou entènèt sou sitwèb nyc.gov/housingconnect. Pou resevwa yon tradiksyon anons sa a nan lang Kreyòl Ayisyen ak aplikasyon an sou papye, voye anvlòp ki gen adrès pou retounen li nan: Riverwalk Park c/o Affordable Housing Group, 330 W 30TH Street, New York, NY 10001. sou entènèt oswa ou dwe tenbre yo anvan dat July 6th, 2020. nyc.gov/housingconnect. Riverwalk Park c/o Affordable Housing Group, 330 W 30TH Street, New York, NY 10001. July 6th, 2020.
: "ARABIC".
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MAY 7-13, 2020
Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
ST. FRANCIS AT THE FRICK PAINTINGS
The masterpiece by Giovanni Bellini launched the collection’s Friday digital offerings BY VIRGE RANDALL
Move over, Metropolitan Museum of Art: if you want to see what’s been called by many “the most important Renaissance painting in the US,” head for the Frick … at least virtually. It was also the very first work chosen for the Frick’s Friday “Cocktails with a Curator” digital offering. This is the esteemed masterpiece by Giovanni Bellini, “St. Francis in the Desert.” The Frick’s collection is basically Western civilization’s greatest hits, but this work is first among equals, at least for me.
Who is that guy anyway?
St. Francis, the most famous of all saints, renounced a life of wealth and embraced poverty as a preacher and religious reformer. He was particularly devoted to animals and nature. (Churches still hold Blessing of the Animals ceremonies on October 4, his feast day.) Besides the miracles attributed to him, he was a mystic who often fell into ecstasies in which he was in direct contact with God. In one case, he was graced with the stigmata - the wounds suffered by Christ on the cross - nail marks on his palms and insteps, and a wound near his heart. This event was a popular subject for art patrons and their artists. Caravaggio’s version in the Wadsworth Atheneum has a swooning St. Francis supported by a very hunky angel; the Metropoli-
Giovanni Bellini’s “St. Francis in the Desert” at the Frick Collection. Photo courtesy of the Frick Collection.
tan Museum of Art has a work by the Italian Baroque master, Barocci, that beautifully shows a man in reverent awe at the very moment of direct connection with God. In most paintings, it’s all about Francis with little or nothing else in the painting. But not this one.
Bellini’s take
“St. Francis in Ecstacy” at the Wadsworth Atheneum. The Ella Gallup Sumner and Mary Catlin Sumner Collection Fund. Photo via WadsworthAtheneum.org
Giovanni Bellini (14301560) a noted Venetian artist, took a different approach. He sets the saint and the miracle amid the ordinary details of daily life, as if it were a genre painting of a 13th century hermit. The saint is standing outside his humble hut, in a rocky hillside beside a stream near a town. His robe is patched and he is barefoot. His arms are outstretched and his mouth is agape as he stares upwards, his back bent slightly backwards. A faint light from the upper left give
scant illumination. The painting is rich in detail and soaked in vibrant colors in the landscape, the foliage and the wildlife.
What’s going on? Some think he is singing his Canticle of the Sun as it rises. He is bent backwards, with arms outstretched like he’s Tony Bennett belting out the finale at the Palace. A closer look indicates otherwise. This is a man suddenly and unexpectedly struck by the overwhelming call of the Divine. The force of the call takes him by surprise and pushes him backward. His mouth hangs open, his eyes are transfixed by something only suggested by the light from the upper left, reflected in the stone wall behind him. Even the tree in the upper left corner is bent by its force and power. He didn’t even have time to get his shoes or his
walking stick. This is a man in the throes of an extreme religious experience. Unlike other renderings, this St. Francis seems caught by surprise by the divine visitation, suggested only by the subtle cast of light from the upper left corner of the work as it filters through the tree and the landscape. For all the invisible force, the call is subtle. One can barely see the faintest traces of the stigmata on his hands. And this divine call is for him alone. The donkey is contentedly chewing grass undisturbed; farther on, a shepherd is tending his flocks. They don’t hear or see a thing. Centuries later W.H. Auden wrote “Musée des Beaux Arts,” describing the nonchalance of the rest of the world while terrible things happened. Here is the opposite: in the midst of this sacred moment,
life goes on. And what a rich life it is. This may well be among the earliest examples of a genre painting, those works celebrating ordinary life so loved by the Northern Europeans centuries later. The detail of the background with the walled town, is true to life, as is the shepherd and his flocks. Each strand of ivy, each leaf and flower is lovingly detailed, right down to the rabbit hiding in his hole, the kitchen garden nearby with its water jug, the trickle of water from the funnel that brings him water from the stream behind him. Bellini was a master of such painstaking detail thanks to his skill with oil paint, which allowed finer brush control and brilliant colors. A true Venetian painter, his canvas is soaked in shades of green, ochre and bursts of yellow. Bellini painted well into his 80’s, was hailed by Durer as a “master” and influenced Titian and Tintoretto. (And has a peach-infused Champagne cocktail named for him). This work has pride of place in the drawing room of the Frick, between two Titians and across from an El Greco and two Holbeins. One can imagine Henry Clay sitting with a cigar and a glass of cognac contemplating this work. It’s odd to think that a ruthless businessman (there was even an assassination attempt) of unimaginable wealth ($40 billion in today’s dollars) would take such pride in a work honoring a man who rejected wealth to live in utter poverty to serve God. For “Cocktails with a Curator,“ go to www.frick.org/interact/miniseries/cocktails_ c u r a t o r/c o c k t a i l s _ b e l linis_st_francis_desert
MAY 7-13, 2020
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Our Town|Eastsider ourtownny.com
YOUR 15 MINUTES
To read about other people who have had their “15 Minutes” go to our website.
A BROADWAY STAR SHINES THROUGH IT ALL
THEATER
Chad Kimball of “Come from Away” on recovering from COVID-19, what he’s learned, and how to give back BY ANGELA BARBUTI
“Come from Away” was set to celebrate its third anniversary on Broadway on March 12. That same day, Governor Cuomo ordered theaters to go dark in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus. To cope with the close, the cast immediately started a group text thread to share this unprecedented experience together. For actor Chad Kimball, who has been with the show since its beginning, that sense of unity was a glimmer of hope in a time of uncertainty. “It’s meant the world to be able to reach out in an instant and be able to express your fear and frustration,” he said. The Tony nominee looked to that source of support to get him through his COVID-19 diagnosis that followed. On March 16, he started to experience symptoms such as a low-grade fever, body aches and a cough. “The cough was
“Knowing that I was in a show that spoke the language of crisis really was a boon to my spirit.” Tony nominee Chad Kimball the thing that was different. I never really had a cough like that,” he explained. “It wasn’t major, but it was just incessant.” The next day, he took a test and three days later, learned that it came back positive. For two weeks, he quarantined in the Upper West Side apartment he shares with his wife, actress Emily Swallow. Throughout his illness, he relied on his strong Christian faith, explaining, “it doesn’t rest on things here, so the fear is not as palpable.” To ease his symptoms, he took over-thecounter medications like Tylenol, and credits rest and drinking a lot of fluids, like Diet Coke - and the caretaking abilities of his wife - with nursing him back to health. Kimball, a Seattle native who moved to New York in 1999, also found comfort in
The cast of “Come from Away” in February 2019. Photo: Matthew Murphy
being a part of a production that is centered around the theme of helping others in a time of emergency. Set amidst September 11, “Come from Away” tells the story of how the less than 10,000 townspeople in the Canadian
town of Gander, Newfoundland took in the 7,000 passengers from the 38 planes that were diverted there after American airspace closed. “Knowing that I was in a show that spoke the language of crisis really was a boon to my spirit,” he said.
“People Start to Open Up”
Tony nominee Chad Kimball. Photo: Matt Simpkins / Matt Simpkins Photography © 2019 www.mattsimpkinsphotography.com
For others who are suffering, the 43-year-old will be donating his blood so patients can use its antibodies, known as convalescent plasma, for treatment. Since blood banks have regulations regarding the length of time being symptom-free and off certain medications, he is currently on a roster, waiting for an opportunity. In preparation, he has been working with the National COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Project, and when he is able, will donate plasma at New York Blood Center as well as Mount Sinai. “One of the joys we do have as human beings is helping others,” he said. “It’s sad that it comes at this moment, but it’s usually in times of crisis that
people start to open up a little more.” As for how he may have contracted the virus, he said it’s normal to attempt to trace back to where one could have been exposed to it. “That’s totally inevitable, trying to figure out how you got it,” he said. The nature of Broadway actors’ work, he recognizes, does lend itself to possible contamination. “It could be that we’re constantly interacting with the public. Onstage not so much, but after the show, we go out the stage door and like to talk with people.” At his theater, there were some who were sick leading up to the shutdown. “We just don’t know, because there were several people in the building who had colds and nothing really came of it,” he explained. “We live in this huge city that’s so compact; it’s hard to imagine where it comes from and when.” When asked for his advice to those with COVID-19 symptoms, he urges them to be proactive and patient. “There’s no reason to stay at
home if you really feel like it’s an emergency situation. If your symptoms are mild, like mine, you’ll get through it.” He also stresses that for him, as well as others, the virus comes in waves. “It’s odd and there are some ominous components of it, but wait it out … I felt a little better and then the second wave hit.” Although away from his home on Broadway, Kimball has still been experiencing the power of the human spirit taking center stage. “It’s really shown, even being distant, how close we can be to one another, in some ways even more intimate.” With many asking how they can contribute, his answer is simple. “Do the thing that’s right in front of you. Help the neighbor who’s next door. That’s a really great place to start.”
Know somebody who deserves their 15 Minutes of fame? Go to our website and click on submit a press release or announcement.
CROSSWORD
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A M K A S G C C Q O W W I Z B
O X B B C T A E A K L Q B N L
15 words are listed below. They may go across, up and down or diagonally in the puzzle. Circle each one as you find it.
A H C Z Q T I Q S Q O C E N N
Accurate Alarm Clock Diamond Hands Horology Seconds Spring Stainless Steel Strap Swiss Time Watch Winder
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WORD SEARCH by Myles Mellor
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1
M C S A C P F E R K G T X W N
36
Level: Medium
5
Y D T Y P R R R K X O S P V B
35
8
B E N J E I H O R O L O G Y X
34
7
32
L M W O C N S T A I N L E S S
33
31
H O P F M G V W Q K S A R H A
30
A Z X W Y A S T A V T W C D F
29
1
2
N L E E T S I V I T J T I W A
28
4
27
D C O Q R Z U D V M A J L S K
26
25
S F C S A L A R M W E D E U S
24
P
23
8
4
A
22
T W O
21
S
20
5
1 9
45
19
3
8 4
3
3
48
18
1
S
17
7
2
R
16
4
E
15
8
S
14
13
Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9X9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3X3 squares. To solve the puzzle each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult.
E
12
10
S
11
9
T
8
U
7
44
6
47
5
A M
4
E M S
3
P
2
SUDOKU by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan
by Myles Mellor
43
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