As Of March 12, No Roosevelt Island Residents Test Positive For Coronavirus - Roosevelt Island Senior Center & Public Library Closing Due To The Health Emergency

Coronavirus update.

Roosevelt Island's NYC Council Member Ben Kallos reports today:

... As of this morning, there are currently 95 cases of COVID-19 in New York City with 25 in Manhattan, 24 in Brooklyn, 17 in Queens, 10 in the Bronx, and 5 on Staten Island...

I asked Council Member Kallos:

Are any of the Manhattan Coronavirus cases in Roosevelt Island?

Mr. Kallos replied:

Zero on Roosevelt Island as of yesterday

As of 2 PM today, the NYC Health Department adds:

 According to Carter Burden Network Roosevelt Island Senior Center Director Lisa Fernandez:

CBN suspending all on-site programs effective Monday, March 16th

We were notified late in the day. We will continue to distribute a meal, for take away only, beginning at 12:00 daily. On Friday we will continue to distribute the frozen week end meal. Home delivered meals will continue as well.

Yesterday, I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal:

Roosevelt Island community members are asking if there are any cases of residents or workers who have tested positive for Coronavirus to date.

Part of reason for asking is an attempt to help those who may be in self quarantine to get food and other necessities.

Does RIOC know of any residents or workers testing positive for Coronavirus?

Would RIOC be told by NYC or NY State if there were?

Late this afternoon, RIOC sent out this Advisory:

RIOC Information and Measures for COVID-19

As you are aware, the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has officially been named a pandemic and there is a lot of information making the rounds. Sharing accurate information during a time of heightened concern is one of the best things we can do to keep rumors and misinformation from spreading.

RIOC receives daily updates from Albany and NYC with the most current guidelines and suggestions. RIOC will be vigilant about disseminating where the public can get up to date information and will take every cautionary recommendation provided by New York State officials on how to make Roosevelt Island safer through this pandemic.

Please read the attached info from the NY State Department of Health on 5 Steps to Prepare for COVID-19,

For further information, be sure to visit: New York State Department of Health’s COVID-19 Webpage: or call the DOH Coronavirus Hotline (1-888-364-3065) where the New Yorkers with questions about the virus can speak with public health experts in their preferred language.

In addition, RIOC is taking the following measures:

• Cleaning all offices and RIOC spaces daily- Our Facilities Department and third-party cleaning staff have stepped up their efforts to make sure our public areas are disinfected, using bleach when and where it is safe to use it. We are also distributing Clorox wipes and Lysol Spray to be used at all of our facilities and offices to reduce possible contamination.
• Tram- POMA, the company that runs our tram service, is treating the tram cars and waiting areas with bleach and other disinfectants every eight hours. Includes handrails, cabin poles, hand strips, and floors. The poles and benches are cleaned at the beginning of each rush hour shift, daily. The interior floors and glass walls will be sanitized at least once every 8 hours. The turnstiles and handrails at the stations will be sanitized at least once every 72-hour period by POMA, in addition to MTA’s daily disinfecting protocols, for turnstiles, MetroCard machines, and handrails.
• Buses- disinfecting our Red Buses twice a day. Our staff is focusing their efforts on cleaning the buses, the grab rails, the stanchions, the door handles and the steering wheels.

Thank you for your patience.

Also, Roosevelt Island library is closed thru at least March 31.

As a precaution to help limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and ensure the health and safety of our patrons and staff, all @nypl locations will be closed starting March 14 through at least March 31. Please visit our website for more updates: https://t.co/Fx0wz8GSr4

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 13, 2020

and:

Have not seen a Roosevelt Island supermarket as crowded as @FoodtownStores is today pic.twitter.com/MMleYUnTLX

— Roosevelt Islander (@Rooseveltisland) March 13, 2020

Mayor de Blasio adds:

We need everyone to do their part to stop COVID-19. Work from home if you can. Stagger work hours so your team can take the subway at off-peak hours. If you feel sick, don’t go out. Call a doctor if you don’t get better in 24-48 hours.

Visit https://t.co/0BYxDIh4uE for more. pic.twitter.com/jDIiAChKbM

— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) March 13, 2020

More info from NYC to Stop The Spread of Coronaavirus