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Masks

Even with Vaccines Widespread and Low Positivity Rates, Caution Over Covid Must not be Thrown to the Wind

June 9, 2021 by Gary Eddey

By Gary Eddey, M.D.

A year and a half into the Covid pandemic, residents of the United States have a lot to be grateful for.

By early January of 2020 researchers in China had sequenced and published the genetic code for the SARS – CoV 2, an RNA Coronavirus. The WHO quickly renamed it Covid 19. Before we recognized we were heading toward a monumental pandemic, companies around the world began developing vaccines. Within three months, Moderna, using two remarkable new vaccine technologies, began its first clinical trial. As everyone now knows, months later, the company garnered the coveted “emergency use” designation by our government. Pfizer and other companies were not far behind.

The speed of all this is mind boggling. Sequencing the RNA virus was followed by vaccine development within weeks! Vaccines often take decades to develop. For example, we still don’t have an established vaccine for another RNA vaccine, HIV. And how long did it take Jonas Salk and his labs to develop a vaccine for Polio, another RNA virus?

Fortunately, the mRNA vaccines, and others, are better at producing immunity in individuals than having the disease itself! And that is the reason why immunizing is essential, even for those who have recovered from Covid.

It is extremely important that the entire world have access to Covid vaccines that cover the variants, a process that is now underway. All this is great news.

So, what’s the bad news that demands continued caution, and is causing many scientists behind the scenes to worry, while politicians and lawmakers cave in to public or private pressures to ease restrictions?

First, there’s the death toll staring us in the face. This is a lethal virus, despite the odd fact that as many as 40% of people infected will not know they are infected. As of this writing the United States has 600,000 deaths, but countless more individuals will have to live with the residual effects of the infection, termed by the press as “long covid”. The chronic disability toll from Covid has yet to be determined (one report states this virus can change the function of cells in some organs.)

Second, we have the expected genetic mutations that occur in all RNA viruses. These mutations are called “variants” in the press. Genetic mutations are expected, but especially so in rapidly mutating RNA viruses. Why? Because RNA viruses are really good at following Darwin’s principles, too. The job of any organism is to develop a method to survive long term. Viruses follow survival of the fittest, and, by definition, genetic mutations, or variants, are hardier and more lethal. The only way they can survive is by mutating. (A current lethal variant circulating in India and now Great Britain is the Delta variant; current estimates suggest this mutation now constitutes 6% of all U.S. cases.)

How do we stop the virus in its tracks? The answer is to prevent infection with as many public health interventions as necessary, including vaccines.

This raises the question, “Will these genetic mutations require an annual booster?” Yes. “For how many years will we be dealing with this?” No one knows, but my guess is at least a decade, if not longer.

Here’s the important thing to remember: The longer that virus survives in the body–and the longer the virus circulates in the world– the more time the virus has to mutate. And that means more variants that will be more infectious and more lethal. Don’t get mad at Darwin: he simply understood that all organisms strive for evolutionary advantage. Here’s another issue to remember: When population immunity increases worldwide, that will, in and of itself, create more evolutionary pressure on Sars – 2 CoV to further mutate!

A question often asked, “Can a fully immunized individual get infected, let’s say from their own child?” Yes, its possible, and they can carry the virus for a short time before their body’s immune defense mechanisms rid the virus. The parents will not get sick, if properly immunized, but they will turn positive on testing and may need to isolate for an extended period of time. They will not become sick and it is highly unlikely they will be infectious to others. Wearing a mask in close quarters with strangers may be warranted.

How effective are they? Immunizations are never 100% effective, so there will always be some individuals in whom the vaccine doesn’t ‘take.’ It is not entirely known why we cannot reach 100% effectiveness, but the failure rate is reported to be between 5 to 15%, depending on the vaccine.

In the meantime, how do we deal with vaccine-hesitant folks? As a pediatrician, I’ve had to deal with this issue for decades. There are many good publications regarding  ‘anti vax’ populations, but the best answer I’ve seen so far was on Twitter, by Allen Frances, a thought leader in Medicine and Psychiatry. In response to a question from an individual hesitant about getting the vaccine who asked, “Please share articles and emotional reasons why I should get the shot. I am confused.” His response, “Getting the vaccine is among the easiest decisions in the history of the world: Unvaccinated = 600,000 dead – in the U.S.; Vaccinated = 0 deaths. I add to those statistics the worldwide mortality figures of millions dead, and countless with Long Covid.

Third, even in our society in the U.S., there are many individuals who do not appreciate the reach of this pandemic for any number of reasons. Some cannot understand or read about the pandemic, and are afraid. These are a few of the reasons I believe the suggestion that immunized folks no long wear a mask will be misunderstood, and those who need it may not wear one.

Bottom line: Even with public health measures, including vaccines, we cannot throw caution to the wind with any highly mutating RNA infectious virus.

(This discussion is not meant to provide medical advice; that must come from the reader’s personal physician. These are guidelines that the author follows.) 

Gary E. Eddey, MD, is a retired general academic pediatrician. He received his Medical Degree from Weill Cornell Medicine and holds a master’s degree (ScM Hyg) from the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh. Currently he is a volunteer physician for Boston Rare Connections, and the University of Pennsylvania Orphan Disease Program. Dr. Eddey received his vaccine as soon as New York decreased the age to 65; at which time he reported to his FQHC center, Ryan Health, and stood in line to receive the first of two shots. He wears his mask when leaving his home, as does most everyone in his neighborhood. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Inside Thoughts, Surviving COVID-19 Tagged With: Caution, COVID, Covid pandemic, Masks, Vaccines

What Area Restaurants Are Doing for the Holiday Season In Light of COVID

November 13, 2020 by Stacey Pfeffer

Editor’s Note: The challenges to restauranteurs continue as a new wave (and anticipated) spike in COVID strikes across the country, including New York, and here in Westchester County too. After we went to press with our editions with Stacey Pfeffer’s story which follows, Governor Cuomo issued a new order for statewide SLA, State Liquor Authority, licensed establishments (i.e. these are primarily bars and restaurants) to close their doors at 10 p.m.. “In theory, indoor dining, outdoor dining, you’re at a table, Cuomo stated, “You only take down the mask to eat or drink, but what happens is that setting is very hard to police; it’s very hard for people to maintain the discipline of sitting there eating and drinking and chatting and having a good time and laughing and keeping a mask on.” 

Will local restaurants be using yurts to keep worried diners eating outside as the weather turns cooler? Just as some New York City restaurants have done as the holiday season approaches, area restaurants are looking for ways to attract diners while keeping them safe and also offer enhanced catering/take-out options during the Thanksgiving-New Year period. The statistics for the restaurant industry have been grim since COVID hit with one in six restaurants nationwide shutting their doors according to the National Restaurant Association and more are expected in the coming months.

The restaurant industry in Westchester is under different guidelines than New York City with regards to indoor dining according to Natasha Caputo, Director of Westchester County’s Tourism & Film. While NYC restaurants cap indoor dining to 25 percent capacity, Westchester restaurants are allowed to host indoor diners at 50 percent capacity. But meeting that capacity is challenging even in times prior to COVID. The holiday season is traditionally a “win” or “loss” season with upscale dining establishments noticing as much as a 60 percent decline in profits during a holiday like Thanksgiving when many people choose to cook at home. In times of COVID, restaurants can also no longer rely on holiday office parties to boost revenue during the season.

So what’s a restaurant proprietor to do?

Beloved Chappaqua eatery Le Jardin du Roi has seen its share of challenges from construction downtown to devastating storms to COVID. Still they remain a popular restaurant with a loyal following and their outdoor patio area has always been a choice spot for dining during warmer weather. But as the weather was turning colder, General Manager Wendy Egan knew they had to act fast so they were lucky enough to secure a rental tent, which has been in short supply due to COVID. The tent has a special non-propane heater as well as two openings to ensure proper ventilation and the same rules for spacing out diners applies to the tent as it does to the indoor restaurant. We plan to have the tent out for as long as we can,” said Egan.

Tents do require town board approval which can be a timely process especially when your restaurant is housed in a historic stone train station like the Pleasantville restaurant, Pub Street. Chef/Co-owner Mogan Anthony is actively working to get a tent approved at Pub Street as of press time. He’s also busy planning special holiday menus for take-out that will be available to view online on the restaurant’s website at least ten days prior to the start of the holiday.

While restauranteurs have to cope with the additional costs of tents, sanitizer and heaters, indoors some have also had the extra expense of upgrading their HVAC systems to ensure customer safety. “We upgraded our system to include HEPA filters. Once more people realize that we have HEPA filters, we hope more customers will want to dine inside with us,” says Egan. In addition to dining on-site, Le Jardin du Roi has excellent catering capabilities to help customers get through the holidays including BBQ as well as seasonal favorites such as smoked turkey, cornbread stuffing and mashed potatoes. Menus are posted on their website.

Jay Patel, the owner of Indi-Q in Armonk, is used to a flurry of guests for office holiday parties with a location on Old Route 22 next to several office parks. A popular choice pre-COVID was their elegant lunch buffet but with COVID they have now created individualized lunch boxes which feature an entrée plus rice, a vegetable side and nan bread. They’ve also increased their catering and delivery options for groups and can provide medium or large platters for groups from 15 people to 50 people which can come in handy for holidays ranging from Diwali to Thanksgiving to Christmas.

The roomy outdoor space has heat lamps spaced throughout the entire area and Patel also reports that customers are now getting more comfortable eating indoors versus at the beginning of the pandemic as the restaurant follows stringent protocols set by the CDC, state and local governments.

No matter what restaurants do to entice customers, COVID has been the most challenging time for them. “Local support is so important,” acknowledges Egan. “We always give back to local charities like the Chappaqua School Foundation with gift cards and such.” And now and throughout the holidays is the perfect time to show your favorite restaurant a little local love back.

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: 10 p.m., 10 p.m. closing, Chappaqua School Foundation, COVID, diners, Governor Cuomo, guidelines, Masks, Restaurants, safe dining, safety measures, yurts

#CommunityStrong Inspirations

August 24, 2020 by Lauren Rosh

From embracing a social justice movement to volunteerism and businesses adapting in a pandemic, the many ways New Castle stayed strong!

At a rally in downtown Chappaqua in August. Photo by Grace Bennett/Inside Press

In June, New York protestors told NBC News that they were fighting two pandemics: the coronavirus and racism. During these difficult times, New Castle residents have banded together to stay #CommunityStrong.

At the foot of the Quaker Road Bridge, there have been local peaceful protests and “parades” in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. On June 13, over 100 people committed to sparking change in New Castle attended “A Rally for Change-Stand Up Against Racial Injustice,” an event held by New Castle Against Racism, a group of Horace Greeley students and alumni.

Members of the community created several Facebook pages to combat racism. One, for example, Chappaqua Anti-Racism Dialogue Group: Reconciling Privilege, provides a space for people to educate themselves, their friends and their families, according to the group’s page description.

Additionally, on Monday, August 3, dozens of community members congregated downtown for a peaceful Black Lives Matter march. People marched with such signs as “SAY THEIR NAMES,” “BLACK LIVES MATTER,” and “YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE BLACK TO BE OUTRAGED.”

Also looking to ignite change in New Castle are sisters and former Horace Greeley High School students, Bhavya and Divya Gopinath They collected video accounts from current students and alumni who shared stories about racism they faced within the school district.

They edited the stories into a compilation and sent the video to the Board of Education and Chappaqua Central School District administrators. Said the Gopinath sisters: “It’s easy to turn a blind eye to this and say that racism doesn’t exist in this privileged community, so we made this video, so the stories don’t go unnoticed.”

These efforts to combat racism in New Castle will continue to strengthen this community.

Chappaqua Central School District Superintendent Christine Ackerman sent an email to all members of the district that said, “The events described by our former students are appalling and illustrate why we must continue to take meaningful and deliberate action to effectuate change to address racism in our society. We understand there is a gap between our espoused values and current reality. We are committed to change.”

Bhavya and Divya Gopinath also received an email from Board of Education President Victoria Tipp on behalf of the Board of Education. The Board authorized the formation of a Community Advisory Committee on Anti-Racism, Equity and Social Justice to enact change in the district.

“We believe that these steps will make a significant and positive difference, and we are committed to seeing these actions through as we keep social justice at the center of our work moving forward,” said Ackerman.

Simultaneously, Chappaqua residents have been coping with the coronavirus pandemic and the challenges that the virus presents. However, throughout it, small businesses, families and individuals have found ways to stay strong.

Telehealth Sessions

“In over 13 years of business, we have never faced a more challenging and uncertain time as this past March. What kept us strong was the commitment and passion of our team and the loyalty of our patients. In a matter of days, we were able to pivot the practice to Telehealth,” said Matt Marucci of New Castle Physical Therapy & Personal Training. “This took persistence and ingenuity on the part of therapists and patients alike. We are up and running now with stringent COVID-19 precautions, but we continue to offer the Telehealth sessions we developed back in March. We are deeply grateful for all of the community support we have received during this challenging time.”

Safety First

Another local business trying to provide access to physical activity while also staying safe is Armonk Tennis Club/Armonk Indoor. They modified their protocols with the safety of their clients as their top priority.

“We at Armonk Tennis Club and Armonk Indoor Sports Center realized soon into the quarantine how important sports are to our physical and mental well-being. As summer approached, we knew that people would want to get active again but in a safe manner. The rules and guidelines we implemented showed our tennis players and campers that their safety is our top priority, and the result has been a great summer. We understand that procedures must be modified in the fall as people come indoors, but we’re still excited about providing a safe environment for the community to learn, play, and compete in,” said Armonk Indoor representative Beau Shea.

Ultimately staying safe is a priority for many businesses. Bill Flooks from Beecher Funeral Home said that despite all the special challenges, “We have managed to get this far with Covid-19.”  On behalf of the Flooks Family, he stated: “Keep up the good work, be smart, be prudent, be safe.”

Several area photographers including Donna Mueller, Carolyn Simpson and Randi Childs are still bringing smiles to families’ faces through the acclaimed #TheFrontPorchProject.

Local chambers throughout the area have been sharing news from the county regarding federal and regional grant and loan options, about available personal protective equipment (‘PPE’) and producing e-newsletters to the community in which businesses post their services. The Chappaqua Millwood Chamber most recently launched ‘New Castle Restart’ to fundraise for grants to small businesses impacted.

Reaching Out

Additionally, during the spike in the number of coronavirus cases in Westchester County, community members banded together and rose to the occasion. Individuals and groups made masks for essential workers, those on the frontlines and the immunocompromised. A series of articles for theinsidepress.com spotlighted these extraordinary efforts.

There was also never a shortage of pizza and other welcome meals distributed to front line health care workers at local hospitals and to first responders thanks to an extraordinary response to a Chappaqua Moms fundraiser.

The Food Pantry at the Community Center of Northern Westchester donated over 7,400 pounds of food and necessities to those in need since late March according to Reverend Martha Jacobs, Senior Minister at the First Congregational Church in Chappaqua.

To stay community strong during the thick of the coronavirus pandemic, people searched for ways to help.

“I am deeply grateful to serve such a caring and engaged community as ours.  While we clergy are used to checking in on our congregants, I have been humbled by the number of congregants who have turned the tables and reached out to inquire how we staff members are holding up,” said Senior Rabbi at Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester Jonathan Jaffe. “Similarly, we were overwhelmed with offers by individuals seeking to volunteer and help in any way possible.  Such moments underscore the sense of covenantal relationship within our community.”

Smart, Agile Community

New Castle Town Supervisor Ivy Pool is impressed by the leadership she has seen both at town hall and among the residents.

“New Castle is a smart, agile community that has time and again demonstrated our leadership in a range of areas. The coronavirus cluster that occurred at the HGHS graduation and related events was a wakeup call for all of us. To defeat the outbreak, we needed to come together as a community and double-down on our social distancing efforts and enforcement,” said Pool. “The outbreak didn’t happen just anywhere–it happened in New Castle, a community of leaders and achievers who were determined to do something.”

Determined to stop the spread, Pool and the rest of the town board passed the first local legislation in the state that required people to wear face masks whenever social distancing is not possible.

“With this new law in place, our police officers have a tool to enforce social distancing, and our community has responded beautifully to our calls to “mask up!” said Pool. “Coming together in the face of adversity is who we are; leading by example is what we do. We are #CommunityStrong.”

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: #CommunityStrong, Armonk Indoor Sports Center, Beecher Funeral Home, Bhavya and Divya Gopinath, Black Lives Matter, Community Strong, COVID-19, Food Pantry of Northern Westchester, Horace Greeley High School, leadership, Masked, Masks, Mental health, New Castle, New Castle Against Racism, New Castle Physical Therapy, Pandemic, Quarantine, Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe, Reverend Martha Jacobs, safety, sports, Supervisor Ivy Pool, Telehealth Sessions, Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester, Tennis, Town of New Castle

Heart to Heart with County Executive George Latimer

August 24, 2020 by Jennifer Sabin Poux

Successes to Applaud… but also: ‘What Keeps Him Up at Night’

Latimer at one of his many summer press briefings which have been both livestreamed on Facebook and available for viewing on YouTube. Visit WestchesterGov.com to keep up with County updates and initiatives.

There’s something reassuring about talking to George Latimer. When we spoke on the phone in late July, the Westchester County Executive’s responses to my questions about Covid-19 were intelligent and thoughtful, qualities that the federal response has been sorely lacking.

Latimer doesn’t wear rose-colored glasses, but he is encouraged by the county’s response to date. “You hate to use that phrase cautiously optimistic, but we are in fact cautiously optimistic because the basic sense we have is that we’re doing ok with the strategies we’re using.”

Those strategies were tested in June with the Chappaqua outbreak during high school graduation season. The Westchester County Executive says Chappaqua was a cautionary tale, but overall, the system worked. “We’re not cocky about it, but the Chappaqua situation appeared to be handled well and while there were bumps along the road, nobody died, nobody was hospitalized, and we did not have an outbreak that reached triple digits.”

The rallies and marches following the murder of George Floyd were also a success story–over 30 of them in the county–all peaceful. And Latimer says most people wore masks at those events. The upshot? “We saw no spike that we could trace back to the rallies.”

Latimer finds hope in statistics as the county’s positive Covid-19 numbers flatten out, and in the behavior of his constituents. “I know mask wearing is not universal, but it’s more the norm than not. And I know that social distancing depends on the group and the circumstances, but we’re seeing better implementation of that.”

What keeps the man who oversees a county of close to one million residents up at night? Knowing that we can’t conquer the virus until we have a vaccine and anti-viral treatments. Until then, it’s going to be a challenge.

“We’re managing it as best as you can, but it can morph out of control at the snap of our fingers.”

George Latimer with Westchester County Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler, MD   Photo by Grace Bennett/Inside Press

Failure from the Top

And he has little faith in the White House, which he says never took control of the pandemic.

Latimer says there are thousands of things President Trump could have done but didn’t. He says sure, he’s a Democrat and the president is Republican, so there will be differences in approaches. But he says it’s a matter of practical government.

He points out that the governors of Vermont, Massachusetts and Maryland–all Republicans–have done the right thing. But he says now, because President Trump didn’t lay out a comprehensive national plan, “we’re fighting a rearguard action, each state doing their own thing, and we’re trying to do our best. We’re trying to put this thing in our rearview mirror.”

That’s going to be difficult as long as some states are doing as poorly as they have been this summer, Latimer is concerned about how the divide in attitudes in the U.S., a divide that is often along political lines, is impacting the country, and could send Westchester moving in the wrong direction.

“You know that there’s a certain mindset in parts of the country that says, I’m not wearing a mask. I don’t want to do it, it’s restrictive, I don’t believe in it philosophically.” He adds, “When you start listening to that kind of rhetoric, I do get concerned because it flies in the face of our experience.”

School Concerns

And then of course, there are the concerns about school. As of this interview, the county’s schools were beginning to unveil their plans for the fall, but as every parent knows, it’s a frustratingly fluid situation and nothing is certain. Although the decision on whether schools can open rests with Governor Cuomo, the county is helping superintendents prepare for the fall and devising protocols for reopening. Latimer says the schools are counting on county government to provide certain services such as contact tracing, when needed.

I asked him what he’s been hearing from parents and teachers on the subject. He says there are two distinct lines of thinking.

“I think you’ve got a number of people who want to see the schools resume, kids back in class. They see the problems of kids who aren’t in structured learning situations, the disadvantages which that creates for poor kids or disabled children.”

On the other hand, he says, “We’re very concerned, the virus is not in control. It can spread through children and of course it could spread through every household or many households in Westchester because of the universality of K-12 education. Both of those things work against each other, and I don’t know if it’s 50-50 in the community, but those two points of view are expressed by different people all the time.”

Small Business Outlook

I asked the County Executive what he thinks the retail, restaurant and overall economic situation in Westchester will look like in the near future. He says we’ve lost businesses, and we will lose more. The county has put together a small grant loan program–$10,000 grants, $25,000 loans–as they understand that restaurants and other small businesses run on a very small profit margin and can’t afford to lose business for even a few months. And they have been giving out free PPE to businesses in the county. Latimer hopes that as more commerce can reopen, they will be able to save more restaurants, stores and other businesses from going under. That is a process that is not only going to affect businesses, but the county as well.

“We’re not going to fully reopen until we’re comfortable. And we’re going to suffer. We lose sales tax revenue, we lose hotel occupancy tax revenue, we don’t maximize the kind of parks revenue that we would normally get. So as a government, we have a big budget hole as many local towns and villages do, and the state does.”

One of the bigger challenges the country faces in light of Covid-19 is the upcoming election in November, and Latimer looks at it from two angles: what he and his staff have to do to make it all work in the county, and his concerns about what happens on the national level.

“In the county, we have our work cut out for us,” he says.

The county is working with the Board of Elections to make sure there is additional staff to mail out absentee ballots and increase the number of polling inspectors. He also says county workers will have off Election Day so they can increase staffing to open as many polls as possible.

“The number of people coming out for this election is going to be phenomenal. This is one of the most compelling elections of my lifetime. It may be the most compelling one.”

And this is where his concerns come into play about the national election. “I take for granted that the strategy should be that the greatest number of people vote in order to get the greatest inclusion in the final decision. But there are people who believe, for their political gain, that they don’t want the greatest number people to vote. They want to suppress the vote.”

Latimer says there are a thousand ways to make it hard for people to vote. He says the deployment of troops to Portland could be a tactic used in November across the country.

“Are they going to be deployed on Election Day? Are they going to show up in front of the polls in areas where the president’s opposition might be strong and their presence there is meant to dissuade people from voting?”

Never one to mince words, Latimer had a great deal to say on this subject. He insists that this is not an election anyone can afford to miss, and he encourages Westchester residents to vote early, in October.

“I don’t want to write a Stephen King novel, but the bottom line is I think that Americans are concerned that we don’t get a fair, free opportunity to express our opinion.” As for the result, he says every president in U.S. history has accepted election results. But now President Trump says he doesn’t know if he’ll accept the country’s decision.

“I don’t want to hear anybody, certainly not this guy, say I don’t know if I’ll accept it. That is an anti-American dictatorship-type of response and there is no place for it in a democracy.”

Does George Latimer think democracy will survive this period of our history? “What happens in the next six months,” he says, “will tell the tale.”

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: absentee ballots, Board of Elections, County Executive, COVID-19, Democracy, Democrat, Department of Health, Election Day, George Latimer, Health Commissioner, Interview, Masks, Rallies, Westchester, Westchester County Executive

Tri-State Mask Makers Seeking New Recruits

April 25, 2020 by Lauren Rosh

Second in a three-part series focusing on community efforts to provide healthcare personnel and individuals protective masks against the coronavirus.

Nurses at White Plains Hospital wearing masks from Tri-State Mask Makers

Cristina Lee of Chappaqua is the driving force behind the Tri-State Mask Makers. She started the group locally and Faina Tsipenyuk and Paty Bella joined her at the beginning. From the first day, people from New Jersey, Connecticut and other parts of New York joined the initiative.

Lee is originally from Taiwan and has access to news from Taiwan, China and Hong Kong. In January, her contacts informed her about the need to wear masks to stop the spread.

“I tried to tell people to wear masks but I was deemed panicking or alarmist because it was against CDC’s recommendation. So, when I saw healthcare workers crying that they cannot get N95, I jumped in and started our group on March 20th,” said Lee.

Originally, hospitals did not take the fabric masks. In order to make masks more acceptable, Lee created a slideshow with all the information to help people better understand the importance of these fabric masks. Soon, hospitals began taking them.

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The group has been continuing to develop different models of masks and covers and partnered with Sew-for-NY and Sew-for-CT, websites developed by Jeanhee Chung. These are organizations that people can contact if they would like to volunteer or are in need of masks. After signing up, the organization connects them to their local groups. All masks sewn by the members of Tri-State Mask Making Group are made by 100% cotton fabric, mostly new fabric.  The cost of these materials is high, so they are fundraising to get materials for local sewists and groups.

As of the morning of April 25, Tri-State Mask members reported sewing about 15,000 masks–bringing the total of masks made by groups locally to about 50,000.

The mask total includes about…
10,000 made by Larchmont/Mamaroneck Masks for New York
3,000 made by Neighbors For Refugees
7,000 made by Masks & More
6,000 made by Cotton Candy Fabrics (CT)
7,000 made by Croton Mask Makers
11,000 by Kim Mulcahy, Sew Happy Members and Rye Moms
1,560 by Project Face Masks in New York City
1,000 by Nita DV and her team
1,000 by Westchester County Mask Makers led by Ivy Eisenberg
2,200 masks and 350 caps by Pleasantville group, lead by Carolyn Ramsey
2,370 by Sew-for-CT
and still counting.

Tri-State Mask Making group members distribute their masks to hospitals, group homes, nursing homes and prisons. Some of these include the White Plains Hospital, Brookdale Hospital, the pediatric nursing division at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx, Cerebral Palsy of Westchester, Richmond Community Services, Bethel’s Nursing & Rehabilitation Center and Cedar Manor.

Lee publicized that she was looking for people who sew in the area to help out. That’s when Jane Sheinfeld jumped on board. Sheinfeld is the owner of The Pieced Palette, a gift store that sells fabric gifts and accessories.

Her strengths involve buying the fabrics, sewing prototypes and typing up instructions. Sheinfeld also has access to fabrics at a wholesale price.

The group is now moving in a new direction. They are planning on serving as a funnel for new recruits to connect them with local leaders or assigning them tasks, serving as a place for people to share new ideas and innovations, facilitating access to materials, purchasing in bulk to then donate to groups and fostering local groups.

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“Our sincere goal is to facilitate anyone who wants to volunteer, no matter their abilities. They can all help,” said Lee.

The motto with these initiatives is the more people involved the better. Sheinfeld said there is no pride in ownership in this community, it is all about helping others.

“If you want to start a group, start it. It’s very fluid as long as everyone has the goal in mind that people need masks and they should be made correctly,” said Sheinfeld.

This group is continuing to grow by pairing up with other people such as Lina Serpico who is offering pre-cut kits and guides to new sewers and Alexandra Rosenberg who has been working on spreading the word to the PTA.

All materials are donated so if you would like to contribute to the cause you can find their fundraiser link for supplies here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/7fu6e-mask-making-supplies

If you would like to get involved or would like a copy of mask making instructions please email: maskmakerstristate@gmail.com

If you would like to donate sewn masks, please bring them to Toni Magnotta at Chappaqua Cleaners & Tailors. Curbside pickup is available.

Filed Under: Surviving COVID-19 Tagged With: CDC, Chappaquya, community, Masks, Sew for New York, Tri-State Mask Makers, Volunteers

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Lumagica Enchanged Forest
Compass: Miller-Goldenberg Team
Compass: Natalia Wixom
Eye Designs of Armonk
Stacee Massoni
Club Fit
Beecher Flooks Funeral Home
Play Nice Together
Compass: Aurora Banaszek
NYOMIS – Dr. Andrew Horowitz
Houlihan Lawrence: Harriet Libov
Breathe Pilates and Yoga
Amy Singer – Houlihan Lawrence
Compass: Usha Subramaniam
Dr. Briones Medical Weight Loss Center

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