Today Assemblyman Charles D. Fall (D-Richmond) and Staten Island University Hospital partnered to hold a bench talk at the Mariners Harbor NYCHA to build trust in the community around the COVID-19 vaccine.

COVID-19 cases are high in zip code 10303 where the vaccination rate is 50.42%, lower than Staten Island’s vaccination rate of 55.54% and New York City’s vaccination rate of 60.22%.

The purpose of these bench talks is to address vaccine hesitancy in different communities on Staten Island. This series will take place at different NYCHAs on Staten Island where we will sit and listen to concerns and educate community members on health and wellness.

Assemblyman Charles D. Fall: “The only way we’re going to get more people vaccinated is if we meet with them one on one and have conversations about the importance of the vaccine. This series is a good step in that direction, and I am looking forward to continuing to engage in this conversation to ensure equity in our recovery from COVID-19.” 

Dr. Brahim Ardolic, Executive Director of Staten Island University Hospital: “The Staten Island University Hospital Bench Talk Series is an amazing opportunity to partner with our local elected officials andconnect directly with our community to share resources, listen to concerns, create access and remove barriers. We are looking forward to creating more healthcare opportunities throughout the borough and need to start at the source.” 

“Northwell’s Raise Health campaign is a key focus of the Community Health team at Staten Island University Hospital. The team is addressing the social determinants of health and our goal is to have listening tours in the neighborhoods most affected by healthcare disparities. We want to change the face of healthcare in these neighborhoods. The Community Health team’s motto at SIUH is stay healthy because we care” said Claudette Hill, Administrative Director of Community Health at Staten Island University Hospital.