Yonkers Insider: Statement from Yonkers City Council Majority Leader Corazon Pineda Issac, 2nd District.

 

I hope you are all doing well this week and enjoying our many community events, even during this pandemic and its many restrictions. As you may recall, Yonkers was declared a yellow zone on November 16, 2020, as per Governor Cuomo's guidelines. This meant that schools were required to test 20% of in-person students, faculty and staff for the next two weeks. As of December 1, 2020, 841 people were given rapid tests and only 2 individuals tested positive. This is a rate well below that of the yellow zone area. This small sample size tells us and the Yonkers Board of Education that in-person learning is not a significant promoter of the virus, and that we can confidently continue safe in-person learning. Furthermore, the CDC has revised its guidelines for people who may have been exposed to coronavirus. Rather than requiring the standard 14-day isolation period after possible exposure, the CDC states that some conditions may justify a 10-day or even a seven day quarantine period. For instance, if a person is asymptomatic, they may only need 10 days, and if they are asymptomatic and test negatively, they may only need seven days. The CDC acknowledges that the 14-day quarantine remains the safest option, but this compromise has been made as to not place additional strains and demands on people. Please see the breakdown below of the active COVID cases in Yonkers this week both by raw numbers and by percentage change . The number of COVID cases has increased dramatically and it is incumbent on us to do our part to flatten the curve.

Lastly, please note that there will be a Legislation & Codes committee meeting next Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 4:30pm. The agenda is as follows: General Ordinance - amending various sections of the Zoning Code of the City of Yonkers in regard to the Use Regulations for Solar Energy Collectors General Ordinance - amending Chapter 91 of the Code of the City of Yonkers also known as "Garbage and Refuse" in regard to Commercial Garbage Collections Local Law - establishing a Community Choice Aggregation (Energy) program in the City of Yonkers A Resolution of the Council of the City of Yonkers Calling on the Charter Revision Commission to consider the creation of a "Public Advocate Office" Have an amazing weekend, and I will see you all soon! Best regards, Hon. Corazon Pineda-Isaac E-mail: corazon.pineda.isaac@yonkersny.gov Tel: (914) 377-6312