More Testing, Vaccine Sites Coming To Washington Heights: Mayor

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke Friday morning about the coronavirus situation in Washington Heights and future vaccine efforts in Upper Manhattan.

A reporter from Telemundo started off his question during the mayor's news conference by summarizing Dr. Anthony Fauci's recent comments about how the new coronavirus variant seen in New York City might have started in Washington Heights.

He followed up with, "Do you have a message for the residents in this area (Washington Heights), especially the Latinos?"

De Blasio kept his answer centered around coming together.

"My message is that we are all in this together, we do all need to participate in defeating the virus," the mayor said. "It is our obligation as the city to ensure that vaccination and testing is provided with special emphasis in the communities hardest hit by COVID, like Washington Heights — so we will be expanding vaccination efforts in Washington Heights."

De Blasio added that he was just part of a recent conference call about bringing additional testing and vaccination sites to Washington Heights.

"That's one of the places we were talking about that we need additional locations," he said.

New York City Health Commissioner Dr. David Chokshi also chimed into the conversation about coronavirus and the Washington Heights neighborhood.

"We know in many ways that Latino New Yorkers have born so much suffering and the brunt of the pandemic over the past few months, so the message I would add is that this is such an important time to make sure we take all the public health precautions we know work," Chokshi said.

Neither the mayor nor the health commissioner gave a specific date or location about where or when a new testing or vaccination site would be placed in Upper Manhattan, but Chokshi did say that they were "very actively" looking at Washington Heights and Inwood, and to "stay tuned for more about when and exactly where those sites will be."