A Vaccine Link Spiel

Vax denier - The vaccine search process for those eligible is daunting. After going online and getting the link for making phone calls and filling out outline forms, a woman eligible for the vaccine made no headway in getting or scheduling a vaccine. An Upper East Sider, she went to Mount Sinai Hospital to find out what to do. Started out promising enough on a Saturday morning at 11:30. Lobby was empty except for staffers sitting at tables ready to take temperatures and fill out forms. When the woman got to a table, a staffer proceeded to read and write out a link and phone number. The woman explained that she had been there/done that with no success. Understanding the plight, the staffer said she would find out if she could do something and advised the woman that she was making no promises, but if someone didn’t keep an appointment she may be able to get vaccinated. Grateful, the woman thanked her. As the staffer got up, she was stopped by a man with earbuds who had been sashaying across the room behind the tables. When the staffer explained, he motioned to the unvaccinated woman and asked what she wanted. He then gave her the link spiel and the woman repeated her spiel. In no uncertain terms, he told the woman she had to go to the link. In other words, too bad. My words, Like who is this guy? Why’s he there? Did he get a vaccine as a health care worker because he’s employed by Mount Sinai? He doesn’t care about anyone’s health. Not only that, but if the staffer had been able to find out that someone didn’t show up for a vaccine appointment, the woman could have gotten a vaccine. Otherwise, the unused vaccine would have had to be thrown away because there are time frames for use. I say to the earbud guy, Go to health.

Swearing in Seawright - It was no ordinary occasion. After a long and hard-fought fight, Rebecca Seawright was being virtually sworn in as Assembly Member for the 76th AD by Judge Jim Clynes. The ceremony was hosted by TV’s Carol Jenkins with Clynes intoning the words to be repeated by Seawright hand on the bible. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Borough President Gale Brewer, and Rabbi Joseph Potasnik were among those at the ceremony. And Senator Chuck Schumer got there in time to laud Seawright and tell of their work in bringing funding to NY for the arts. Brooklyn resident Schumer noted that Seawright represented the “UES,” he noted, “as it’s referred to in the press.” We’ll take it, Senator. Takes less ink. And proudly from the Majority Leader of the US Senate.

Feeding and feuding on the streets - If term limits has consequences, unintended or not, one of them doesn’t bode well for the city. Term-limited legislators get their name by, well, legislating. Hence we’re getting a law for every “there oughta be a law” - or not. After the City Council passed legislation to lift the cap on the number of vendors on the street, Eater NY reports that “New York City’s street food vendors could get another boost thanks to a new business expansion project” initiated by the Urban Justice Center’s Vendor Project (SVP) which was launched to help members “grow their business in the coming years.” As a New Yorker I can only envision the mayhem this will cause on the city streets - brick and mortars deciding to continue their outside structures for dining and maybe setting up mini markets outside their storefront. Street life? Who and what will be able to use the streets? Two legged pedestrians? Maybe. With a four-legged dog? Maybe not. A wheelchair ... a walker ... a biker ... a scooter’er? Not. A parent and a child or two? Probably not. I can’t bear to, and won’t, go on. Just picture it. Or Instagram. It’s happening.