January 10, 2022 – Urban CNY

Health News

Governor Hochul Announces New Guidance On COVID-19 Booster Doses

by Urban CNY News
January 10, 2022

Booster Shots Now Recommended for 12-15 Year-Olds, Along with Previously Authorized 16+ Age Group Announces Plan to Require Health Care Workers Receive COVID-19 Booster Dose Within Two Weeks of Becoming Eligible New Nursing Home Visitation Rules to Protect Vulnerable New Yorkers – Negative Tests and Surgical Masks Required Governor Kathy Hochul on Friday Jan. 7th, announced new guidance recommending booster doses for all New Yorkers ages 12 and older. The guidance, following action by the CDC, recommends that people, including the newly authorized 12-15 year-old age group, who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine should receive a booster dose at least five months after their second dose; the previous recommended interval was at least six months. In addition, moderately to severely immunocompromised 5-11-year-olds can receive an additional primary dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine 28 days after their second dose. At this time, only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and recommended for children ages 5-11. Additionally, the CDC today recommended the same change to a five month booster interval for the Moderna vaccine, which is only authorized for people 18 years and older. “As we continue to battle this winter surge, I strongly recommend that all New Yorkers ages 12 and older get boosted as soon they are eligible,” Governor Hochul said. “With boosters now available for all adolescents, I especially urge parents and guardians to get their children in this age group a booster dose as soon as eligible. A booster dose will provide greater protection against severe outcomes from COVID-19 and help keep our kids healthy, protected, and safe.” Governor Hochul additionally announced her plan to require that all covered health care workers previously required to receive a COVID-19 vaccination under the Department’s August 26th Emergency regulation must also now receive a COVID-19 booster dose within two weeks of becoming eligible, absent a valid medical exemption. Consistent with the August 26th Emergency Regulation, there is no test-out option. Following review and approval by the Public Health and Health Planning Council at their emergency meeting on Tuesday, the emergency regulation will be filed with the Department of State (DOS). Regulations are effective upon the filing with DOS. The Governor also announced new rules for nursing home visitations. Starting Wednesday, all visitors must wear “surgical”-type masks and must present upon entry a COVID negative test taken within 24 hours of their visit. Governor Hochul further noted that 952,000 tests and 1.2 million masks are being delivered to nursing homes late this week into next. On January 5, 2022, the CDC endorsed the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice’s (ACIP) recommended expansion of booster dose eligibility for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 to individuals ages 12 through 15. CDC now recommends that all adolescents ages 12 through 17 should receive a booster dose five months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination series. This followed the CDC’s updated recommendations that severely immunocompromised 5-11 year-olds receive an additional primary dose of vaccine 28 days after their second dose, and that people who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine series should get a booster dose at least five month after the second dose, instead of six months. New York State Department of Health Acting Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said,” Booster doses are a critical tool in our continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and I am grateful that they are now available for all New Yorkers 12 years of age and older. Data show that people who are vaccinated and boosted are more protected against serious illness from COVID-19, and we continue to urge all those eligible to act now. Do what you can to stay healthy and out of the hospital by getting vaccinated and boosted and wear a mask. If you have questions, talk to your health care provider or vaccine administrator.” All state mass vaccination sites are now offering Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster doses for New Yorkers 12 years of age and older, as well as third doses for immunocompromised people 5 years and older. For more information on boosters and additional doses, see the State’s dedicated page here.

Cover Stories News Opportunities

Syracuse Build Pathways to Apprenticeship Seeks Applicants for Training Program

by Urban CNY News
January 10, 2022

Applications Open Jan. 7 for Third Cohort of that Program Helps Prepare City Residents for Careers in Construction Field City of Syracuse, Onondaga County, CenterState CEO and Central & Northern New York Building Trades Council Partnered to host program Syracuse, N.Y. – Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, CenterState CEO and other community partners are seeking applications from city residents for the third cohort of Syracuse Build’s Pathways to Apprenticeship program. Applications will be accepted from Jan. 7 to Feb. 24. Thirty city of Syracuse residents have graduated from the paid 11-week program to date. The comprehensive apprenticeship readiness training program focuses on preparing women, people of color and veterans to help them gain access to the Building Trades’ registered apprenticeship programs. “We are excited to continue the successful Pathways to Apprenticeship program,” said Chris Montgomery, director, Syracuse Build. “We have seen incredible interest from the community in this program and know that participants are becoming better prepared for well-paying careers. The success we have seen is the direct result of partners who have been engaged and focused on ensuring this program achieves its goals for both individuals and employers.” “We are looking forward to welcoming a new cohort into this program and continuing to grow the community of successful graduates that will go out into this community and find success in a variety of construction related careers,” said Ebony Farrow, Pathways to Apprenticeship program manager at CenterState CEO. “The significant interest we have seen in this program shows that there is high-quality talent that exists in this community and when we can connect them to the right training and resources they can be prepared for any opportunity.” All graduates are now in the process of applying to apprenticeship programs or jobs in the construction field. Throughout the Pathways to Apprenticeship program participants have gained physical and technical skills needed to be competitive and successfully apply to a registered union apprenticeship. Entering a union-sponsored registered apprenticeship can be highly competitive; throughout the program, participants received exclusive networking opportunities with local trade unions and coaching and preparation for the registered apprenticeship application process. Syracuse Build is a community initiative launched by Mayor Walsh to support local construction activity by connecting job seekers from Syracuse’s historically marginalized communities with career pathways in construction related fields. Syracuse Build’s goal is to align local government, unions, anchor institutions, and construction firms in a coordinated network of community, training and workforce partners. Work Train at CenterState CEO serves as an intermediary, bringing resources and partners to develop both the Syracuse Build initiative and the Pathways to Apprenticeship program. Funding for the Pathways program comes from a number of community partners recognizing the need to prepare the local workforce, including the City of Syracuse, Greater Syracuse HOPE, Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative, North America’s Building Trade Unions, Central New York Community Foundation, United Way of Central New York, NYS Department of Labor and the Alliance for Economic Inclusion. “The demand for this type of training remains strong because it is successful and provides participants with the skills, resources and support they need to meet any opportunity that comes,” said Dominic Robinson, vice president of Economic Inclusion at CenterState CEO. “As we have seen through the advancement of the first two cohorts of this program, the graduates of this program are in high-demand and can quickly advance to the next stages of their training. We look forward to continuing to connect people from diverse backgrounds to these opportunities and expand the impact of the program.” Information sessions for applicants to the Pathways to Apprenticeship program will be held virtually on Tues. and Thurs. Jan. 11 through the Feb. 24. Candidates will be notified April 15 if they are accepted to the program and will begin May 2. Applications can be found here. Acceptance into the Pathways program is competitive. To meet the minimum requirements, applicants must: Be 18 years or older; Live in the City of Syracuse; Desire a career in construction; Be authorized to work in the United States; Have a high school diploma or equivalent; Read, write, and to speak in English for training and safety purposes; and Be physically capable to do construction work. Image attached for media use. Credit: CenterState CEO. Caption: Sixteen city of Syracuse residents graduated in the second cohort of the program in December 2021. Syracuse Build is a mayoral initiative designed to support Syracuse’s construction industry by connecting capable job seekers from Syracuse’s historically marginalized communities with career pathways in construction related fields. The primary purpose of the initiative is to increase the number of low-income Syracuse residents — particularly people of color and women — working on public construction projects and successfully entering/advancing in union apprenticeship. Syracuse Build aligns local government, anchor institutions, union apprenticeship programs and construction firms into a coordinated network of community, training and workforce partners. Syracuse Build is led by a steering committee and managed and staffed by CNY Works. CenterState CEO/Work Train serves as the intermediary to align these partners, provide some of the funding, and develop a strong pipeline of workers for these opportunities. Central & Northern New York Building Trades (CNNYBT) represents approximately 5,000 construction workers and 17 member unions that are highly skilled in a wide array of crafts. These men and women are an intricate part of New York’s workforce, our region’s economy, and future economic prosperity. Since 1958, the CNNYBTC has been in existence in NY to bring the needs of unions from all building-related trades together in an effort to protect the welfare of workers and learn from one another. Together, we’ve been able to have a voice in the State Legislature, fighting for local jobs, fair wages, funding for major infrastructure projects and more. We continue to fight for our members and their families every day, which is evident in our apprenticeship programs. We have 150,000 square feet of training

Health News

Onondaga County Health Department Updated Guidance for COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine

by Urban CNY News
January 10, 2022

Adopted from guidance issued from New York State Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The Onondaga County Health Department released updated COVID-19 guidance for isolation and quarantine as a result of numerous updates to recommendations and guidance from the New York State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Isolation for the General Population Isolation keeps someone who is infected with COVID-19 away from others. Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 regardless of vaccination status must isolate. Isolate for 5 days (where day 0 is the day symptoms started, or day you test positive if asymptomatic). If you have remained symptom-free or if symptoms are resolving, you can end isolation after 5 days. (Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and should not delay the end of isolation). If you continue to have fever or your other symptoms have not improved after 5 days of isolation, you should wait to end your isolation until you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved. You should continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public for 5 additional days (day 6 through day 10) after the end of your 5-day isolation period. If you are moderately to severely immunocompromised, isolate for 10 days. Individuals not able to wear mask should isolate for 10 days. Quarantine for the General Population Quarantine keeps someone who was exposed to COVID-19 away from others. If you have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19, quarantine as follows, where day 0 is the last date of exposure: If not fully vaccinated* or fully vaccinated and eligible for a booster but not yet boosted, quarantine for 5 days and wear a well-fitting mask while around others for an additional 5 days. If fully vaccinated and boosted* (with the booster at least 2 weeks before the first date of exposure) or fully vaccinated and not yet eligible for a booster, no quarantine is required. If you have recovered from COVID-19 in the last 90 days, no quarantine is required. You should wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days from the date of your exposure. If possible, get tested at day 5. If you test positive, isolate according to the guidance above. If symptoms appear, quarantine and seek testing. In this situation, quarantine would end when the test is negative. If testing is not done, isolate according to the guidance above. Updated guidance is available at http://www.ongov.net/health/documents/IsolationQuarantineGuidance.pdf These update applies to all people currently in isolation and quarantine. The updated attestation forms for self-release from COVID-19 isolation and quarantine are available at: Isolation: http://www.ongov.net/health/documents/IsolationAffirmation.pdf Quarantine: http://www.ongov.net/health/documents/QuarantineAffirmation.pdf The Onondaga County COVID-19 website is being updated as quickly as possible to reflect the changes. Vaccination Definitions for Quarantine Determinations: Fully Vaccinated: You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or two weeks after a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and Are not yet eligible for a booster Fully Vaccinated and Boosted: You are fully vaccinated as defined above, and You received the booster dose at least 2 weeks before the first date of exposure Vaccine Eligibility: Ages 5-11: Two doses of Pfizer (21 days apart); these ages are not eligible for a booster. Ages 12-17: Two doses of Pfizer (21 days apart); booster 5 months after second dose. Ages 18+: Two doses of Pfizer (21 days apart); booster 5 months after second dose OR Two doses of Moderna (28 days apart); booster 6 months after second dose OR Single dose of Johnson & Johnson; booster 2 months after single dose Additional Dose for Some Immunocompromised People: Some moderately or severely immunocompromised people ages 5+ should get a third dose of vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated. If you are eligible, you should get this additional dose 28 days after your second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and before you get a booster shot. Consult with your healthcare provider for further guidance. Special Populations K-12 Schools Same isolation and quarantine guidelines as for the general population above. High-Risk Congregate Settings (correctional, cruise ships, shelters, etc.): CDC recommends a 10-day quarantine for residents, regardless of vaccination and booster status. During periods of critical staffing shortages, facilities may follow the NYSDOH guidance issued December 24, 2021 regarding staff returning to work to ensure continuity of operations. NYSDOH guidance issued December Healthcare Workers See NYSDOH Interim Advisory on Return-to-Work Protocols for Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in Healthcare Settings issued 1-4-22 Childcare Settings Staff and children in childcare settings who are infected or exposed should follow isolation and quarantine guidelines for the general population for their day-to-day activities in the community, but should not return to the childcare setting until after day 10 (where day 0 is the day of symptom onset day or positive test if asymptomatic, or last day of exposure to a positive case). In childcare settings that provide school-aged care, school-aged children may return to the school-age program when they meet requirements for release from isolation or quarantine outlined in the updated isolation and quarantine guidance ONLY if the childcare program provides a separate classroom for school-aged children that follows K-12 regulations (spacing, mask wearing, etc.) During a critical staffing shortage, infected or exposed staff may return to work based on duration of isolation and quarantine for the general population if they meet certain criteria.

Health Neighborhoods News Northside (north) Southwest (southwest) Syracuse - East Syracuse - North Syracuse - South Westcott (east)

City of Syracuse to Make Second Round of At-Home Covid-19 Test Kits Available at Neighborhood Centers and to Residents of Twenty-Two Large Senior, Family and Affordable Housing Properties

by Urban CNY News
January 10, 2022

Syracuse, N.Y. – City of Syracuse will distribute its second allocation of at home COVID-19 test kits through seven neighborhood community centers and to residents of twenty-two large senior, family and affordable housing communities in Syracuse. “As the Omicron variant continues to drive up cases, we are prioritizing getting these test kits out as quickly and efficiently as possible to vulnerable city residents who may have a difficult time accessing at-home test kits,” said Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh. “I thank our neighborhood center partners and the residential sites that are helping us make kits available to people in need across the city. As more kits become available, we will continue to work with the County and State to broaden and expand availability.” The neighborhood community centers are located throughout Syracuse and provide a wide range of services and support to city residents. The participating centers are: Syracuse Northeast Community Center, Westcott Community Center, Syracuse Community Connections at Southwest Community Center, Huntington Family Center, Syracuse Dunbar Center, La Liga: Spanish Action League – Onondaga, and North Side Learning Center. Neighborhood community centers will provide kits to their program participants and will conduct walk-up distributions for neighborhood residents on Monday, January 10 beginning at 10:00 a.m. Residents should bring identification for proof of residency at time of pick up. At-home test kits were also provided to twenty Christopher Community residential properties which serve families and seniors across the City of Syracuse. The large housing sites are Clinton Plaza and Parkside Commons. This is the second round of at-home COVID test kits distribution. Last week, the City distributed kits to Syracuse Housing Authority residents and City of Syracuse Parks community program participants. City government continues to receive updates from New York State and Onondaga County regarding additional shipments of at-home testing kits and masks, and will share information as it becomes available. Neighborhood community centers: Syracuse Northeast Community Center 716 Hawley Ave. Syracuse, NY 13203 Westcott Community Center 826 Euclid Ave. Syracuse, NY 13210 Syracuse Community Connections at Southwest Community Center 401-425 South Ave. Syracuse, NY 13204 Huntington Family Center 405 Gifford St. Syracuse, NY 13204 Syracuse Dunbar Center 1453 S State St. Syracuse, NY 13205 La Liga: Spanish Action League – Onondaga 700 Oswego St. Syracuse, NY 13204 Northside Learning Center 501 Park St. Syracuse, NY 13203

Education News

LeMoyne College Updates Spring Semester Opening Plans

by Urban CNY News
January 10, 2022

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Le Moyne College has made decisions regarding the health and safety of our community and the continuity of academic and co-curricular programming by combining scientific knowledge with our Jesuit tradition of cura personalis. Like many of you, we are monitoring public health conditions in the midst of the Omicron surge and gauging the impact this phase of the pandemic has on the College and surrounding community. To ensure the best possible start to the spring semester and the safest conditions under which to gather again as a learning community, we are making the following changes to the beginning of the semester. · Classes will be conducted virtually during the first two weeks of the semester, from Tuesday, Jan. 18 to Friday, Jan. 28. During these two weeks, classes will meet synchronously via Zoom at their normally scheduled meeting times. Note that Physician Assistant Studies Program classes, along with those MBA classes that were set to begin on Monday, Jan. 10, will still be held in person as originally scheduled. All other classes that were scheduled to start on Monday, Jan. 10 will be held virtually. · All residential students are able to return to campus housing beginning on Friday, Jan. 14. Facilities and services, including the library, recreation center, campus center and dining facilities, health and wellness center, and chapel will be open and accessible to all residential and commuter undergraduate and graduate students during this time. Those students who choose not to return on Jan. 14 will receive more information about move-in options soon. · Students who would benefit from the College’s technology infrastructure and services during the first two weeks of remote learning are encouraged to return to campus by the start of the semester. · All classes will begin in-person instruction and learning during the third week of the semester, beginning on Monday, Jan. 31. The only exception will be for classes originally scheduled to include remote instruction (e.g., some continuous education and graduate classes). As a reminder, students who are eligible to receive a booster shot are required to do so by the beginning of the semester or when they are eligible according to their vaccination schedule, as follows: Recipients of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are eligible five months after completing their primary vaccination series. Recipients of the Moderna vaccine are eligible six months after completing their primary vaccination series. Recipients of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are eligible two months after completing their vaccination series. We encourage all eligible students who have not yet received a booster shot to get one at our on-campus clinics, which will be held in the Event Center as follows: · Friday, Jan. 14, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. · Saturday, Jan. 15, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. · Wednesday, Jan. 19, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Please note that new Onondaga County Health Department guidance requires fully vaccinated individuals who are eligible for, but have not yet received, a booster dose to quarantine for five days if they are exposed to COVID-19. To minimize the risk of quarantine as well as serious illness, please get a booster shot as soon as possible. We value and believe in the importance of in-person teaching and learning as a foundational element of our Jesuit, liberal arts mission. We are committed to providing a safe and healthy campus experience and are implementing remote learning for this limited time as a way to address immediate operational challenges. Our COVID-19 mitigation efforts and protocols have served the Le Moyne community well since March 2020, and we are confident that we are well prepared to meet the present and coming challenges related to the pandemic. As many of you no doubt experienced during the recent holidays, the Omicron surge is forcing many of us to rearrange our plans to protect the health and safety of those we love. We appreciate your patience, understanding and cooperation as we make these changes to the beginning of the spring semester. We are excited for the return of students to campus and the beginning of classes, and we look forward to an enriching and engaging semester. Sincerely, Linda M. LeMura, Ph.D. President James P. Hannan, Ph.D. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

City Scuffle Neighborhoods News Urban CNY Money

It’s Not too Late: Heating Assistance Programs Still Available for Income Qualified Customers in Upstate New York

by Urban CNY News
January 10, 2022

Syracuse, N.Y. — Upstate New York remains under winter’s control and National Grid is reminding customers that there is still time to take advantage of energy programs that can help them pay and manage their winter energy bills. For example, the Home Energy Assistance Program provides financial assistance to make home heating costs more affordable for income-eligible customers as well as emergency funds for eligible households experiencing a heating or heat-related emergency. HEAP funding programs are limited and made available on a first-come, first-served basis. HEAP is not a loan; it’s a benefit available to customers who meet specific eligibility requirements. Customers are urged to apply as soon as possible, as program dates may be shortened or extended based on federal funding and demand. HEAP programs include: Regular HEAP, which is scheduled to run through March 15, 2022. Qualification is based on household size and income. Apply online for Regular HEAP at ny.gov or through your HEAP Local District Contact. Customers 60 or older can apply through their county’s Office for the Aging. Regular Arrears Supplements, one-time, limited-availability grants available to HEAP-eligible customers. These grants cover accumulated past-due utility payments up to $10,000. Qualification is based on household size and income, and customers must have past-due utility payments. To apply, contact your HEAP Local District Contact. Customers 60 years of age can apply through their county’s Office for the Aging. Emergency HEAP is scheduled to run through March 15, 2022. Qualification is based on household size and income. To apply, customers must be disconnected, disconnect-eligible or have a utility shut-off notice. National Grid customers requiring electricity to operate heating systems can apply for a Domestic Electric Emergency HEAP grant. Customers must apply by telephone or in person through your HEAP Local District Contact. Customers 60 or older can apply through their county’s Office for the Aging. Customers who receive HEAP funding are automatically enrolled in National Grid’s Energy Affordability Program. This program provides monthly bill credits above and beyond what the customer receives from HEAP. Customers may also qualify for EAP by participating in qualifying programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, qualifying veterans’ pensions, or Native American benefit programs administered by federal or tribal governments. To learn more about the program and eligibility, or to apply, call 1-866-305-1915 or email affordability@nationalgrid.com. National Grid’s Care and Share fuel fund is administered by HeartShare Human Services of New York. The program, which opens in February, provides an annual $200 grant to National Grid customers who meet HEAP guidelines and have exhausted their HEAP allocation for the year. For information on the program, call 1-855-852-2736 or visit the organization’s website at heartshare.org. Bill management plans from National Grid may also assist customers during the winter heating season. Customers may enroll in the company’s Budget Billing Plan, which spreads monthly payments out more evenly throughout a year to mitigate months of high energy usage. Additional payment options are also available. Visit www.ngrid.com/discount to learn more. National Grid Consumer Advocates work directly with income-eligible and vulnerable customers to meet their home energy needs. Call a Consumer Advocate at 1-800-642-4272 and ask for a consumer advocate, or email ConsumerAdvocatesUNY@nationalgrid.com.

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It’s Not too Late: Heating Assistance Programs Still Available for Income Qualified Customers in Upstate New York

Black Voices