NYC Working To Strengthen Community Health Clinics 'Now And For The Future,' Mayor Says
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio says New York City's coronavirus indicators continue to show "much better news" and "much bigger progress."
"New Yorkers are taking shelter in place so seriously, social distancing so seriously, face coverings so seriously, and it's making a difference," the mayor said Monday.
The number of hospitalizations dropped to 55, compared to 69 as of May 8. The number of ICU patients dipped from 540 to 537, and the percentage of people testing positive decreased from 17% to 13%.
WATCH: Mayor De Blasio Delivers Monday's Coronavirus Briefing
De Blasio laid out a plan to strengthen community-based health providers, specifically focusing on more than 1,000 facilities in 26 neighborhoods.
He said the city will help distribute personal protective equipment to the clinics, add staff from the medical reserve corpse, offer training on telemedicine, implement testing and tracing, and help them make the most of their federal aid.
"The goal will be to right now maximize the use of these community-based facilities – the providers, the clinics that have such a big impact on their communities – help them right now to be in the forefront of our efforts to fight back the coronavirus, get them right now more deeply into things like telemedicine and the test and trace initiative, and leave them in stronger shape for the future, as well," he said. "Serving the communities that have been hardest hit during this crisis – the low income communities, immigrant communities, the communities of color that have really taken it on the chin during this crisis.
"We want to strengthen these community-based providers now and for the future," he added.
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The mayor also announced a new position - Senior Advisor for Small Business Related to COVID-19 - to help small businesses navigate the recovery process.
"Small business makes New York, New York. When you really think about so much of what we emotionally identify with, so much of what we care about about our city, it comes back to our small businesses," he said. "So we're going to have to do a lot to help them back."
CORONAVIRUS: NY Health Dept. | NY Call 1-(888)-364-3065 | NYC Health Dept. | NYC Call 311, Text COVID to 692692 | NJ COVID-19 Info Hub | NJ Call 1-(800)-222-1222 or 211, Text NJCOVID to 898211 | CT Health Dept. | CT Call 211 | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
De Blasio tapped Gregg Bishop for the role, adding that Jonnel Doris will replace Bishop as Commissioner of Small Business Services.
"We've got to help each and every small business come back. I know it will be a huge challenge," he said. "But I want small businesses all over the city to know the city government is here for them, and we're going to find new resources and new ways to help, and that we can weather this storm together."
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