COVID-19 Vaccine Latest

Dear Neighbor,

Some good news: the latest information we have is the rate of COVID-19 infections in New York State is finally trending downward. That is because we have all taken seriously - and must continue to take seriously - mask wearing, social distancing, hand washing and limited gatherings indoor and out. 

The vaccine situation continues to frustrate all of us. While New York has a list of sites that pre-registered to receive the vaccine, the reality is, this is a slow process. President Biden has indicated state allocations will increase by 16 percent per week, but we still anticipate supply to be extremely limited. 

Appointment information:

If you are a health care worker, you need to contact one of our local hospitals. The Westchester County Department of Health is offering the vaccine to essential workers and working directly with the agencies that employ these individuals to arrange vaccination of these workers. 

If you are 65 and older, there are local providers you can call who receive the vaccines each week, depending on availability. Providers in our area include: Rite Aid in Hartsdale, LeMac Pharmacy in Yonkers, ValuePlus Pharmacy in Yonkers, and Grassy Sprain Pharmacy in Yonkers. For a full list of Westchester County providers, please click here. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that these providers will have the vaccine when you call and calling does not guarantee an appointment. I am hopeful that with an increase in supply of vaccines from the federal government, the process will ultimately improve. 

As always, please feel free to email me at scousins@nysenate.gov or call my office at (914) 423-4031, if you have any questions or issues of concern.

Until next time,

Andrea Stewart-Cousins
New York State Senator, 35th District
President Pro Tem, Majority Leader
 

 

New Yorkers can now utilize sick leave benefits under the state's nation-leading paid sick leave law. 

The Senate Majority passed legislation that protects New Yorkers who are recovering from an illness, caring for a sick family member, or addressing safety needs, by guaranteeing paid sick leave benefits.

For more information, please visit: https://www.ny.gov/programs/new-york-paid-sick-leave.
 

The Senate is now back in session, and we have been very productive. Under my leadership, the Senate Majority passed the COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act, which will help renters by enacting a temporary stay on evictions and residential mortgage foreclosures until May 1, 2021 for those who can prove financial hardship by completing a form. Click here for the link to the form: http://www.nycourts.gov/covid-eefpa.shtml.

Landlords will also be given a reprieve from foreclosure or tax lien sales, if they own properties with 10 or fewer units and can declare that financial hardship has prevented them from paying their mortgage or property taxes.

The bill also prohibits negative credit reporting and discrimination if granted a stay on foreclosure proceedings or tax lien sales, or if the person has fallen behind on mortgage payments.

Further, property tax exemptions will be automatically renewed for seniors and people with disabilities so they do not need to go to their local assessor's office to fill out any paperwork.

Counties in the Hudson Valley, including Westchester, have authorized higher-risk sports to begin on February 1st at the discretion of the governing school district or non-scholastic athletic organization. 

These sports include, but are not limited to, football, wrestling, ice hockey, rugby, basketball, contact lacrosse, volleyball, martial arts, and competitive cheer/dance. There will be protective protocols and additional precautions in place to protect athletes. 

The State has tasked County Health officials with monitoring for COVID-19 variants and increased transmission rates.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Senate Democratic Majority has committed to addressing the needs of struggling New York small businesses and workers.

The legislative package passed will help keep our storefronts and restaurants open, cut business costs, and help workers keep their jobs. 

The Westchester Senate Delegation will host two virtual Budget Forums on Thursday, February 11th from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Tuesday, February 16th from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Both will be broadcast on my Facebook page for residents to listen in and learn more about the 2021-2022 proposed New York State Budget. 

If you would like to testify at the hearing, please register here: bit.ly/2021BudgetForum to submit testimony. Each speaker will have up to two minutes to speak. If you would like to submit testimony ahead of or after the event, please email it to: WestchesterDelegation@nysenate.gov.