This past Thursday, April 15, the Queens Jewish Link joined State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo at the grand opening of a COVID testing site in Kew Gardens, where the mission remains to take care of the people of our community and make services available with ease. The Lefferts Boulevard location is on the border of Addabbo’s New York State District 15 border, and this gave the senator even more of a reason to join the opening, addressing the need to expand responsiveness for COVID-19 testing
“We think that we are out of the woods and out of the pandemic,” said Addabbo, “But we are not. Parts of my district still have a rising positivity rate, which is concerning me.” The senator advised his constituents to take advantage of vaccination options if they so choose, and noted that his office works with government agencies to trace the positivity rate to help concentrate research. “That is why sites and centers like this are so important to our community. It helps bring the services to the community instead of people traveling miles and miles.” Moshe Zidele, the Kāmin Health site manager, explained that the intake process is digitized and that patients meet a physician assistant in about five minutes.
Avi Cyperstein, a City Council candidate for District 29, arranged the opening program and provided for a PPE distribution throughout the evening. Healthcare and COVID-19 recovery are paramount for Cyperstein who has dedicated much of his adult life to providing healthcare services and responding to emergency calls as a volunteer Hatzolah member. “When addressing the health and safety of our district, we cannot even for a moment play the game of politics. We must double down to make sure we give those who live here the best treatment available.”