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APRIL 08 - APRIL 14, 2020 • VOL. 21 • NO. 15 WASHINGTON HEIGHTS • INWOOD • HARLEM • EAST HARLEM NORTHERN MANHATTAN’S BILINGUAL NEWSPAPER EL PERIODICO BILINGUE DEL NORTE DE MANHATTAN NOW EVERY WEDNESDAY TODOS LOS MIERCOLES LIVE IN NYC? YES, you fill out the census. The more New Yorkers who fill out the census, the more money we get for our: • Schools • Senior Centers • Roads & Bridges • Housing • Jobs • Hospitals THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT IMMIGRATION OR CITIZENSHIP THE CENSUS IS EASY AND SAFE Fill it out now at My2020census.gov or call 1-844-330-2020. JUST 10 QUESTIONS: NO QUESTIONS ABOUT: BY LAW, YOUR RESPONSES CANNOT BE SHARED: • Fill out online • Immigration • Your job • Not with ICE • Not with your landlord • By phone • Citizenship • Social Security number • Not with the police • Not with anyone • By mail #GetCountedNYC 2 APRIL 08, 2020 • MANHATTAN TIMES • www.manhattantimesnews.com All state employees are putting in overtime during the crisis, particularly the Department of Health and the Office of Safeguarding Aging. “Department of Labor is working triple overtime to get the technology retrofitted to be able to accept millions and millions of calls that are coming,” she said. Then staff members even volunteer to rights, remotely take calls for the State’s COVID-19 hotline which averages about 12,000 calls a day. By Sherry Mazzocchi essential people from her team to come in and Because of the pandemic, Fernández said print out all of the necessary documents. She their number one priority is working from ot everything can be done signed all of the orders and personally stuffed home. But the checks can’t wait. On her way online. the checks into the envelopes so they could be to the office, Fernández covers her face and N quickly mailed out. ensures other employees keep a minimum Before being appointed to DHR, of six to 18 feet apart. She is impressed by When people settle discrimination cases, Fernández was the Executive Director of checks are mailed. A small skeleton crew of the dedication of her staff who know how Northern Manhattan Coalition for Human important it was to mail out checks in a time state officials ensured people got the money Rights (NMCIR) for 10 years and is still a they deserved when they needed it most. of desperate economic need. Washington Heights resident. At the Bronx- New York State has the oldest human The New York State Division of Human based state agency, she oversees a team of A suited-up Angela Fernández, Rights (DHR) mailed out 16 checks totaling the state’s Human Rights rights laws and the oldest anti-discriminatory about 130 people in twelve offices across law in the entire country. $174,000 right after Governor Cuomo New York. The agency Commissioner, mobilizes. issued the pause. The checks As stated, under the Human Rights Law is tasked with enforcing in New York, every citizen has an “equal were awarded to people the State’s discrimination award directly to the state in the name of who settled employment opportunity to enjoy a full and productive laws. It investigates complainant. The state sends a formal letter life.” and housing related and prosecutes housing, to the complainant detailing the agreement discrimination cases. The “We’re celebrating this year,” she noted. employment and sexual along with the check. “[It is], exactly, our 75th anniversary of the checks ranged from $1,500 discrimination claims. The State’s attorneys have always to $32,000. creation of the human rights agency and the Once a case has performed prehearing settlement conferences human rights law.” “We’ve been working gone through a hearing, by phone. “So we are continuing with that on these cases and then the administrative judges work,” she said. The first week after the order If someone feels they have been executive order happened,” said Angela recommend an order. If the judge finds for all non-essential workers to stay inside, discriminated against they can file a Fernández, the state’s Human Rights misdeeds, the guilty party is compelled to their agency ensured that everyone had the complaint with the Division of Human Commissioner. “And so my first thought comply with the law and often pay monetary ability to work from home. “That’s not an Rights. Once a complaint is filed, the was there are people who agreed to a damages. Once the order is recommended, easy feat to do across an entire state with 130 Division of Human Rights will investigate settlement; when are they going to receive Fernández can either agree or not. “I have the employees.” and may present the case in a public their monetary award? These same people final say,” she said. Employees log into a secure state managed hearing. For more, including any may very well be losing their jobs.” When a complainant settles a discrimination system. “But one of the things you can’t do is inquiries, please visit dhr.ny.gov or call Fernández summoned three other case, the responder mails the monetary print,” she said. 888.392.3644. All students will receive a Chromebook. Criterios de Chrome La Academia de Liderazgo de Inwood estudiantes restantes también reciban distribuyó nuevos Chromebooks a 585 Chromebooks. estudiantes para equiparlos para el aprendizaje remoto. El objetivo es garantizar que cada estudiante tenga un Chromebook Para más información, visite en casa. Se asegurará de que los 360 inwoodacademy.org. Chrome Criteria The Inwood Academy for Leadership Staffers distributed new Chromebooks to 585 wore students in order to equip them for remote protective learning. The goal is to ensure that every masks. student has a Chromebook at home, so next up are ensuring the remaining 360 students also receive Chromebooks. For more, please visit El personal practicó el inwoodacademy.org. distanciamiento social. APRIL 08, 2020 • MANHATTAN TIMES • www.manhattantimesnews.com 3 Home Disinfection Tips By Bryan Gibb certain conditions. I personally consider the risk of contracting COVID-19 like this s COVID-19 remains rather low for a few reasons. Many of the tests used to detect Atop of mind, more people coronavirus look for viral RNA. These are turning to scientists and tests are very sensitive, but the presence researchers to understand how of viral RNA is not the same as measuring infectious virus. It’s like if you find a they can prevent the spread of the dinosaur fossil one day while walking virus at home. in the park, this does not mean there are living dinosaurs-it means Microbiologist Bryan that you found evidence Gibb, Ph.D. has been that it was there at one following the spread of time. So I think many SARS-CoV-2, the virus of these measurements responsible for COVID-19. saying coronavirus can be He shares thoughts here detected on surface X for Y about the likelihood of days need to be interpreted picking up the virus from cautiously. Microbiologist Bryan Gibb, Ph.D. in the classroom. surfaces, the best way to We also disinfect your home, and do not currently have much What should I do as possible (i.e., they live in a bedroom what to do if someone in your household evidence supporting the if a member of my by themselves) for a period of 14 days tests positive. transmission of COVID-19 household tests positive post-exposure, or several days following from inanimate objects. It’s for COVID-19, or the last fever (this depends on whose In your opinion, how likely is certainly possible, but so far suspects they may have recommendation is being followed). someone to contract COVID-19 from it appears that this virus is been infected? During this time, food should be packages or items from the grocery primarily transmitted from In such a situation, the delivered to the isolated individual, and store? person to person. We still have infected individual may all materials in and out of the room should Many people are concerned that they much to learn about this virus, be shedding the virus, so be treated as if they are contaminated could contract COVID-19 from packages, and it’s possible we will find viral loads on surfaces with the virus and handled appropriately food from the grocery store, or doorknobs out that indirect transmission will likely be higher, (clothes washed, surfaces disinfected, and such. This fear stems from studies is more common, but, at the and therefore the risk of etc.). indicating that coronaviruses can survive moment, it appears that these risks are low transmission is higher. The best practice on surfaces for as long as a week under for most people. is to isolate the infected person as much See DISINFECTION p18 Consejos de desinfección en el hogar Por Bryan Gibb en este momento, parece que estos riesgos son bajos para la mayoría de las personas. ado que el COVID-19 sigue siendo una prioridad, más personas ¿Qué debo hacer si un miembro D de mi hogar da positivo a COVID-19 recurren a científicos e investigadores o si sospecho que puede estar para comprender cómo pueden prevenir infectado? la propagación del virus en el hogar. En tal situación, el individuo infectado puede contagiar el virus, por lo que las cargas El microbiólogo Bryan Gibb, Ph. D., ha virales en las superficies probablemente serán estado siguiendo la propagación del SARS- mayores y, por lo tanto, el riesgo de transmisión CoV-2, el virus responsable del COVID-19. es mayor. La mejor práctica es aislar a la Aquí comparte sus pensamientos sobre persona infectada tanto como sea posible la probabilidad de contraer el virus de las (es decir, que viva en una sola habitación) superficies, la mejor manera de desinfectar su durante un período de 14 días después de la hogar y qué hacer si alguien en su hogar da Lave adecuadamente sus alimentos.