COVID-19 update: On the path to recovery: Maimonides discharges its 1,000th former coronavirus patient

May 20, 2020 Editorial Staff

Maimonides Medical Center has released its 1,000th COVID-19 recovered patient. Photo via Google street view

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On the front lines of the war on COVID-19, there are many civilian heroes going out of their way, as volunteers and contributors. Also, many who are elected to serve are going the extra mile. In this column the Eagle hopes to give our readers an ongoing update on those fighting in the front lines.

Maimonides Medical Center recently marked a special milestone — the discharge of its 1,000th COVID-19 recovered patient who headed home to his family after thanking the people who took care of him during his hospital stay. “The whole team has been amazing,” said Wilfredo Montez, and though his face was masked, his eyes were smiling as the crowd in the Maimonides lobby applauded enthusiastically. “I’d like to thank the doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and everyone on staff who helped me get through this scary time.” Wilfredo is a surgical technologist who has worked at Maimonides for 45 years.

U.S. Rep. Max Rose issued a statement on Tuesday against the Trump Administration’s order that National Guard deployments end on June 24, just one day before thousands of soldiers would qualify for education and retirement benefits. “Intentionally ending orders one day short of a deadline for National Guard soldiers to receive benefits for their heroic sacrifices is the definition of heartless,” said Rose. “This decision must be reversed not only because it is deeply unpatriotic, but also economically unsound and puts our gains against COVID-19 at risk for some short-term, foolish budgetary gimmick.”

Two local elected officials are teaming up with local philanthropists to make interest-free loans available to Brooklyn small business owners and independent contractors. Councilmember Brad Lander and Assemblymember Robert Carroll will partner with the Hebrew Free Loan Society and The Change Reaction to administer a new interest-free loan program to provide assistance to small businesses in their districts. “One of the heartbreaking parts of this crisis has been walking past the darkened doors of many beloved neighborhood businesses,” said Lander. “These loans will be invaluable to businesses that have been shutout of other government programs,” added Carroll.

The New York State Department of Labor on Monday announced that $9.2 billion in unemployment benefits had been paid to New Yorkers since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. “In just two and a half months, we have paid four years’ worth of benefits — and we will make sure everyone receives the benefits they are eligible for,” NYS Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said. “This back-certification initiative is an example of the creative and decisive actions we are taking to get money into New Yorkers’ hands, and so far, it has helped nearly one hundred and eighty thousand New Yorkers receive their benefits.”