<p><b>COVID-19 Community Conversations</b>: </p><p>The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is providing a free 60-minute virtual presentation entitled COVID-19 Community Conversations: Mental Health, Equity & Resilience. The COVID-19 Community Conversation presentation covers topics including grief, trauma, coping, resilience and mental health tips. <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fqueens_covidconvo.timetap.com%2F%3Femci%3D12a86834-bd59-eb11-a607-00155d43c992%26emdi%3Dde4607b0-5e5a-eb11-a607-00155d43c992%26ceid%3D4459915&data=04%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7C5f68454e2b214c65856708d8bf3ea416%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637469623079159883%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=mVggF2k3I7oEk1TUXnXj149hLxESNS%2F1wiElsccmnEQ%3D&reserved=0">Click here to register for an upcoming presentation!</a></p><p></p><p><b>New COVID-19 Variant</b></p><p><i>What we know</i> - Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time. Sometimes new variants emerge and disappear. Other times, new variants emerge and persist. Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been documented in the United States and globally during this pandemic. </p><p><i>What we do not know -</i> Scientists are working to learn more about these variants, and more studies are needed to understand: </p><ul><li>How widely these new variants have spread </li><li>How the new variants differ </li><li>How the disease caused by these new variants differs from the disease caused by other variants that are currently circulating </li></ul><p><i>What it means</i>- Public health officials are studying these variants quickly to learn more to control their spread. They want to understand whether the variants </p><ul><li>Spread more easily from person to person </li><li>Cause milder or more severe disease in people </li><li>Are detected by currently available viral tests </li><li>Respond to medicines currently being used to treat people for COVID-19 </li><li>Change the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. There is no evidence that this is occurring, and most experts believe this is unlikely to occur because of the nature of the immune response to the virus.</li></ul><p><b>COVID-19 Testing Sites</b></p><p>Walk-in testing is available at no cost to you at these NYC Health + Hospitals locations. </p><p>Click to access: <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww1.nyc.gov%2Fsite%2Fcoronavirus%2Fget-tested%2Fcovid-19-testing.page&data=04%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7C5f68454e2b214c65856708d8bf3ea416%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637469623079169879%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=B68Kr14scbdKCJQlF0OjWCKrLMoEKNziFIC9xsLsRRY%3D&reserved=0">NYC.gov/COVIDTEST</a>. Get a COVID-19 Test and an Antibody test to know if you have been exposed to the virus. – The tests are FREE, confidential and safe. More than 200 testing sites now open. <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nychealthandhospitals.org%2Ftest-and-trace%2Ftesting%2F%3Femci%3D12a86834-bd59-eb11-a607-00155d43c992%26emdi%3Dde4607b0-5e5a-eb11-a607-00155d43c992%26ceid%3D4459915&data=04%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7C5f68454e2b214c65856708d8bf3ea416%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637469623079169879%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=GmKC2dtlHuNewj%2FQbissWFedCRTv0APXxvrIAj7G0CE%3D&reserved=0">Learn more</a>.</p><p></p><p><b>COVID-19 Vaccine DOHMH has created a Vaccine web page to keep New Yorkers up to date.</b></p><p>Click to access: <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww1.nyc.gov%2Fsite%2Fdoh%2Fcovid%2Fcovid-19-vaccines.page&data=04%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7C5f68454e2b214c65856708d8bf3ea416%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637469623079179872%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=xJtssKs2SKAKMBroQx8nKLXjzm75qgatiGkH7RGX4BQ%3D&reserved=0">NYC.gov/COVIDVACCINE</a></p><p></p><p><b>COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility</b></p><p>The COVID-19 vaccine is now available to certain groups in NYC. The following groups have recently become eligible: </p><ul><li>People age 65 and older </li><li>Teachers and education workers </li><li>First responders </li><li>Public safety workers </li><li>Public transit workers </li></ul><p>Learn which groups are currently eligible for the vaccine, and which may be eligible next. </p><p>Click to access: <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww1.nyc.gov%2Fsite%2Fdoh%2Fcovid%2Fcovid-19-vaccine-eligibility.page&data=04%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7C5f68454e2b214c65856708d8bf3ea416%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637469623079179872%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=uvsntZDt%2F0oP70wrcy%2BaRjOgq3zGXIj3dwHrg77w6Bg%3D&reserved=0">NYC.gov/COVIDVACCINEDISTRIBUTION</a></p><p></p><p><b>COVID-19 Data</b></p><p>The data reflects the most recent information collected about people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in NYC. It is updated daily. Click to access <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww1.nyc.gov%2Fsite%2Fdoh%2Fcovid%2Fcovid-19-data.page&data=04%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7C5f68454e2b214c65856708d8bf3ea416%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637469623079189867%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=Uw1CjF2v6CBo%2B3Air5XRSOx9qFN0ZN1x6J9gsTBsYr0%3D&reserved=0">COVID-19 DATA</a></p><p></p><p><b>General Information on COVID-19</b></p><p>There is increasing transmission of COVID-19 in New York City and widespread transmission across the United States and in many other countries. Read about: <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww1.nyc.gov%2Fsite%2Fcoronavirus%2Findex.page&data=04%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7C5f68454e2b214c65856708d8bf3ea416%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637469623079189867%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=AvNZ1KqUQN7gORDpzvqZLZ82xL3PWSTuYYPN2nTMO9o%3D&reserved=0">www.nyc.gov/COVID-19</a></p>
