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Dear neighbor, 

I hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy. First, I want to extend my sympathy and support to anyone who was impacted by the recent power outages at Co-op City. Our office is working to ensure safety and reliable energy for Co-Op City and our district, and we will keep you updated on our progress.

I am writing today with an exciting update on local COVID-19 vaccine distribution. With vaccine distribution underway, it is more important than ever for us to ensure that the COVID-19 vaccines reach the communities who need it most urgently. That is why I am grateful to let you know that our office has worked with our federal, state, and local partners to bring more vaccines to Co-op City residents and neighboring communities in the Northern Bronx.

Expanding vaccine access in the Northern Bronx has been a major priority for me since my swearing in. One out of every thirteen residents in the Co-op City/Edenwald/Wakefield area had been diagnosed with COVID-19 over the last year, and a staggering 411 people living there have lost their lives to this deadly virus. Yet only 4 percent of Wakefield residents and 7 percent of Co-op City/Edenwald residents have received a vaccine, compared to 13 percent statewide. Constituents have informed our office that transportation barriers and internet issues create immense barriers to reaching preexisting vaccine sites. In an area where one in four residents are elderly and thousands live with a disability, this limited access is unacceptable. That’s why, in a letter with Senator Schumer, I outlined these concerns and asked President Biden to increase the number of vaccines available to residents of Co-op City, Edenwald, and Wakefield. This advocacy has resulted in a new vaccination center in Co-op City, which will administer 250 vaccines daily. You can read more about this site in the Bronx Times and Gothamist. 

The site is open and located at:

177 Dreiser Loop (in the Auditorium)

Bronx, NY 10475

To make appointments, please visit:  https://vax4nyc.nyc.gov/patient/s/ or call 877-829-4692 

Also, New York City is now administering in-home vaccinations for fully home-bound seniors living in Co-op City. To sign up for an in-home vaccine appointment, please visit: https://forms.cityofnewyork.us/f/homebound.

I recently joined local officials to visit this new vaccination site, and am immensely grateful for all the work that the nurses, volunteers, and staff are doing to ensure the site runs smoothly. They serve as yet another example of the strength and hope of community during these troubling times.

I am hopeful that a vaccine can help bring an end to this terrible pandemic. While we work to ensure everyone can be vaccinated, please continue to follow all guidelines from the state and federal government to protect yourselves until we have all been vaccinated, including wearing a mask and social distancing. If you have been vaccinated, please follow the Center for Disease Control’s new guidelines for vaccinated individuals.

Thank you for all you are doing to protect yourselves and your families. For any questions and/or concerns, please feel free to contact my offices at the phone numbers listed below.

Warm regards, 

Congressman Jamaal Bowman (NY-16)