Assemblywoman for the 80th Assembly District in the Northwest Bronx, Nathalia Fernández, called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday, Feb. 24, to bring a mass COVID-19 vaccination site to the North Bronx. Despite the City providing free transportation for seniors to get vaccinated as well as efforts to deliver expanded access to the COVID-19 vaccine across those communities most at risk, vaccination rates are still relatively low, as reported earlier this week by the Norwood News, particularly in low-income and minority communities.

 

“If the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine is about protecting people who need the most protection, then it is clear that The Bronx is drastically underserved,” said Fernández, who is also a candidate for Bronx Borough President. “The Bronx is one of the places that bore the brunt of the coronavirus crisis, yet distribution efforts have focused on wealthy, white, Manhattan neighborhoods,” she said.

Data from the New York City Department of Health has shown that Black and Latinx New Yorkers are twice as likely as white New Yorkers to die from the coronavirus. In The Bronx, these ethnic groups make up more than half of the borough’s overall population.

Meanwhile, The Bronx ranks third highest, after Brooklyn and Queens, in the number of COVID-19 related deaths. Brooklyn and Queens are more populous.

Fernández said the City cannot continue to ignore the disproportionate response to the pandemic. “The North Bronx is in desperate need of a mass vaccination site,” she said. “I am calling on Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo to help Bronxites stay safe and healthy. Expanding access to the vaccine is the only way to revitalize our borough successfully.”

 

According to data from the New York State Department of Health, The Bronx ranks fourth out the City’s five boroughs in terms of administered vaccines, as the below table shows.

The assemblywoman spent some of Thursday in the Norwood section of the Bronx participating in a food giveaway, along with State. Sen. Jamaal Bailey. The event was hosted by Lexa Bar, with donations from NY Common Pantry.

 

According to her campaign, the assemblywoman has fought hard to unify the borough, and help working families get ahead. As borough president, she has committed to fighting for expanded access to the COVID-19 vaccine, seeking environmental justice, improving transportation access, prioritizing affordable housing development, and ensuring fair rezoning.

 

As recently reported by the Norwood News, Fernández, who is the youngest candidate in the race, was recently endorsed by assembly members, Chantel Jackson and Kenny Burgos. as well as by former assembly member, Michael Blake.

 

Other candidates in the race are City Councilman Fernando Cabrera who represents the 14th District, Councilmember for the 16^th District, Vanessa Gibson, State Sen. Luis Sepúlveda, representing the 32nd senatorial district, NYPD veteran, Sammy Ravelo, who was recently profiled by the Norwood News, and community activist, Victor H. Hernandez.

 

On Jan. 22, Councilman Rafael Salamanca, who represents the 17th City Council District and who chaired the City Council Land Use committee, abruptly withdrew his candidacy, having only announced his run in November 2020, saying that as the city begins to reemerge from the pandemic, he feels he can better serve the community, right now, by seeking re-election to the Council.

 

Financially, according to the latest data from the New York City Campaign Finance Board, Cabrera leads in campaign contributions with $155,535, followed by councilwoman for the 16^th District, Vanessa L. Gibson, with $89,526, Fernández with $48,781, Sepúlveda with $48,560, former NYPD veteran, Sammy Ravelo with $15,583 and community activist, Victor H. Hernandez, with $1,147.

Today @jamaaltbailey and I held food giveaway for the Norwood residents of the Bronx. We must continue to ensure that our communities are supported during these struggling times. Thank you for the donations @nycommonpantry and @lexabarthebronx for hosting with us! pic.twitter.com/9tUwdXZuJr

— Nathalia Fernández (@Fernandez4NY) February 25, 2021

 

If she wins the race, Fernández would be the first Latina elected to borough-wide office in New York City history.

To schedule a vaccine appointment, go to: https://vax4nyc.nyc.gov/patient/s/