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COVID-19 update: MTA demonstrates spray devices for transit system disinfection

June 29, 2020 Editorial Staff

An MTA employee demonstrates one of 16 spray devices that cleaning crews have deployed in recent months. Photo courtesy of MTA New York City Transit

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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.

MTA New York City Transit officials on Friday demonstrated the use of 16 spray devices that cleaning crews have deployed in recent months to more rapidly disinfect the transit system, including subways, buses and various employee facilities, while preserving maximum safety standards. “No amount of praise can do justice to how hard our employees and contractors are working,” said Interim New York City Transit President Sarah Feinberg. “They deserve the utmost respect and gratitude from all New Yorkers.”

NYC Health + Hospitals on Friday announced expanded, walk-in antibody testing for all New Yorkers. The health system will begin offering free COVID-19 antibody tests at its 11 acute-care hospitals and select Gotham sites. “As we venture outdoors to dine and enjoy the sunshine, we can’t forget that widespread testing is still the key to reopening our city safely,” said de Blasio. “Getting a test should be simple, fast, and convenient, which is why we are bringing antibody and swab tests to the doorstep of every New Yorker—especially those in communities hardest hit by the virus.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday announced that the state will decide on Wednesday whether to slow down the reopening of indoor dining in New York City as part of Phase Three of reopening. Indoor dining has been shown to pose risks in other states, and outdoor dining has been proceeding well. “We’re not going backwards, we’re going forwards … we want to study this issue primarily in New York City on indoor dining and we’ll have a final decision by Wednesday so people who operate those types of businesses will know what we’re doing,” said Cuomo.

The Legal Aid Society, New York State Sen. Brad Hoylman, New York State Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz, Coalition for the Homeless, impacted tenants and other advocates called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to enact the NYS Tenant Safe Harbor Act during a virtual press conference held Monday morning. The Governor has only a few days to sign the legislation, which would provide desperately needed rent relief to more than 100,000 tenants impacted by the COVID-19 crisis across New York. “With unemployment rates skyrocketing, we must protect the most vulnerable of tenants in New York who will not be able to pay rent during this crisis,” said Judith Goldiner attorney-in-charge of the Civil Law Reform Unit of The Legal Aid Society.

Sen. Chuck Schumer has called on the Trump administration to extend the nation’s public health emergency declaration first issued this past winter to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Schumer warned that the declaration will expire on July 25th unless the feds soon act, and reminded that executive branch delay on the emergency declaration this past winter set us back in the COVID fight. “If we have learned anything from COVID-19 it is that a ‘stitch in time saves nine,’ and the more we can do to be proactive, the better off the public will be,” Schumer said.