March 31 Dean’s Daily COVID-19 Update

Message from the Dean

To: WCM Community

Subject: March 31 Dean’s Daily COVID-19 Update

Every day we witness the remarkable strength of our community.  Our committed physicians, researchers, educators, staff, trainees, and students are facing COVID-19 with ingenuity, camaraderie, and resolve—exemplifying the very best of Weill Cornell Medicine.

We are here to support you in your efforts.  Our healthcare workforce especially is confronting major challenges at this time.  Please know that we are doing everything we can to give you the resources you need to provide front-line care for COVID patients, to transition to new clinical roles, and to cope with rapidly changing circumstances. 

Today’s update contains the latest wellness and support resources that may be particularly useful to clinical faculty and staff who are working on-site.  Please see below for additional information on:

• The global situation
• New employee resources – urgent counseling program, expanded child and elder care, relaxation space
• Previously announced resources – recharge rooms, hotel discounts, free car rentals, discounted emergency parking, commuter busing, free Citi Bike memberships
• Primary and urgent medical care services
• Sick time and family leave
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Town Hall
• Universal mask policy

WCM Central is being continually updated with COVID-19 resources and information, and we are implementing changes to make it easier to navigate.  Please continue to visit it regularly.

Please be assured that we will provide you with information on new support programs and initiatives, as soon as we possibly can.

Sincerely,

Augustine M.K. Choi, M.D.

Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean
Weill Cornell Medicine
Provost for Medical Affairs
Cornell University

___________________________________________________

Global Situation

• Worldwide. As of March 30, more than 775,300 cases were reported globally in 178 countries and regions. The suspension of all non-essential business activity in India in response to the pandemic resulted in a mass exodus of migrant workers from the cities. 

• United States. Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia issued stay-at-home orders to control the spread of the coronavirus. Social distancing appears to have had some success in slowing the infections in Washington, one of the first states faced with a large COVID-19 outbreak. The number of cases in the U.S. surpassed 159,200 on March 30.

• Tri-State area. New Jersey reported more than 16,600 COVID-19 cases on March 30. The Connecticut National Guard erected tents in West Haven to provide facilities for overflow patients if needed.

• New York. An emergency field hospital was set up in Central Park to increase capacity in New York City as the number of hospitalized patients continues to rise. New York state has more than 66,500 confirmed cases of COVID-19, as of March 30. New York City has reported more than 36,200 cases as of the morning of March 30.

WCM Update

• Employee Urgent Counseling Program: CopeWCM. Our workforce community is facing sustained stress and anxiety as a result of the unprecedented challenges of the moment. In response, Weill Cornell Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry has launched an urgent counseling service that provides faculty and staff members quick and free access to confidential and supportive virtual counseling. 

• Child Care: Unlimited Bright Horizons Back-Up & Crisis Care. Back-up child and elder care is typically available for up to 10 days per employee per calendar year, but we are temporarily removing all limits.  You can utilize these services when you need to work and your regular arrangements for care are temporarily unavailable. Back-Up Care allows you to book in-home child or adult care through the Bright Horizons network, while Crisis Care can reimburse you up to $100 per day for an in-home caregiver from your personal network, such as a relative or friend. Learn more on WCM Central.  We hope to have additional childcare options to share soon.

• Relaxation Space. Dedicated relaxation space on the second floor of the Feil Family Student Center in the Meyer Building will be open beginning tomorrow, April 1.  Rooms are equipped with zero gravity chairs, aromatherapy, salt lights and yoga mats for meditation, exercise, and rest.  All facilities will use appropriate social distancing polices.  Free meals and snacks will be available in the café of the Archbold Commons from 7:30 am through 11:00 pm daily, Monday through Sunday.  The Office of Faculty Development and Integrative Health & Wellbeing have coordinated this effort, with support from student volunteers who will staff this effort.  All faculty and staff members are welcome.

• Employee Recharge Rooms. As part of the response to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, NYP has designated Employee Recharge Rooms across their hospital campuses.  These rooms are restorative spaces for employees to pause, decompress, and recharge.  A full list of rooms at NYP hospital campuses is available on WCM Central.

• Local Hotel Discounts. A number of hotels in Midtown East and Lower Manhattan are offering free or discounted rates for any WCM employee working on-site who needs temporary accommodations. Visit WCM Central for a list of hotels, rates, and booking details.

• Free Car Rentals: Hertz is offering healthcare workers in New York City a free, month-long vehicle rental through April 30.  You can book for as little as a week or up to a month.  To take advantage of this offer, you’ll need a valid medical ID, email address with a healthcare domain, and driver’s license.  To learn more and book, visit the Hertz website. 

• Discounted Emergency Parking. WCM has a limited number of parking spots available in the Weill Greenberg Center Garage (1305 York Avenue between E. 69th and E. 70th Streets) and Lasdon House Garage (430 E. 70th Street between 1st and York Avenues).  The cost for utilizing the emergency parking spaces will be $10/day for up to 24 hours, available on a first-come, first-served basis with a WCM ID.  Employees may seek reimbursement from their departments, at the department’s discretion. Please contact your supervisor or administrator to find out if this is possible.  

• Commuter Busing
  • NYP has deployed new, no-cost busing options that may be used by WCM employees who show their WCM ID.  Buses will operate at 50% capacity to accommodate social distancing, will be cleaned after each trip, and will have sanitizing wipes on board.  Schedules to the below locations are available on WCM Central:

§  NYP Allen

§  NYP Brooklyn Methodist 

§  NYP/Columbia

• NYP Lawrence

§  NYP Lower Manhattan

§  NYP Morgan Stanley

§  NYP Queens 

• NYP/Weill Cornell

• NYP Intercampus Shuttles will continue to operate on normal schedules.  NYP has also added a campus shuttle between NYP/Weill Cornell and the NYP Westchester Behavioral Health Center, which will complete five daily roundtrips. Please refer to the schedule available on WCM Central. 

• Free Citi Bike Membership. In conjunction with NYP, we have established a temporary partnership with Citi Bike and Lyft to offer all employees a free Citi Bike membership to help you get to and from work if you prefer not to use public transportation during this time. This free membership includes unlimited 45-minute rides on classic Citi Bikebicycles and ebikes for a 30-day period. Learn more on WCM Central.

• Free and Urgent Care Medical Services. According to the CDC, COVID-19 symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, and shortness of breath. Whether you have these or other symptoms, if you don’t feel well, please stay home. You should also contact your primary care physician or utilize one of our services below. Note that if you are covered under a WCM medical plan, Aetna is waiving copays for diagnostic testing related to COVID-19 and temporarily offering zero copay for in-network telemedicine visits.

o   If you have a Weill Cornell physician, use Weill Cornell Connect to message them online. Many Weill Cornell providers also offer video visits. Video visits are conducted through the Weill Cornell Medicine app, which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play.

o   If you don’t have a Weill Cornell physician, you can easily schedule a virtual visit with one of our Primary Care doctors by calling our new dedicated line for WCM employees: 646-962-9685.

o   NYP is temporarily expanding NYP OnDemand virtual urgent care services to all Weill Cornell Medicine employees, regardless of insurance coverage. This service offers a visit with a board-certified, emergency medicine physician from Columbia or Weill Cornell Medicine.

o   Download the NYP OnDemand App from the App Store or the Google Play store or start a visit from your computer.

o   Enter the WCM employee coupon code WCEDU20 to receive a visit for a $0 copay. You can use this coupon code two times through April 30, 2020.

• Sick Time. Weill Cornell Medicine’s non-academic staff accrue sick time every month.  While some employees may have a bank of sick time built up, we know that others do not.  If you are not feeling well, regardless of your current sick time balance, you should stay home until you feel better. HR will work with you and your manager to make sure you have the time you need to recover.  If you need to seek treatment from a physician, please refer to the primary and urgent care services for employees detailed on WCM Central.  


• Family Leave. If you need to take time off to care for a child who is under mandatory or precautionary quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19, this is now covered under NYS Paid Family Leave for non-academic employees. If you need to take time to care for a child, please contact the HR Solution Center for details.

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Town Hall. All NewYork-Presbyterian, Columbia, and Weill Cornell employees and medical staff are invited to join a PPE Town Hall on Tuesday, March 31, at 5.30 pm.  Dr. Yoko Furuya, Medical Director of Infection Prevention & Control (IP&C) and a member of her team will explain infection prevention and control, demonstrate PPE use and procedures, and answer any questions that you have.

• You may ask questions ahead of time or during the event by emailing them to PPEquestion@NYP.org. 

• The event will be recorded and available for viewing afterward on the NYP Infonet. (View Infonet access instructions for WCM employees.)

• To join, click from your mobile phone or computer: https://nyp.webex.com/nyp/onstage/g.php?MTID=efe0fbad2cec90834575cd721297fe77c; Password: March31

• Or one touch dial from your mobile phone: 1(415) 655-0001,,479846958#

• Or dial 1-415-655-0001; Access code: 479 846 958

• Universal Mask Policy. Surgical masks will be provided to all faculty and staff working on-site in our clinical departments, in our hospitals, or in our laboratories to wear at work.  This universal mask plan, which includes surgical/procedural masks (not N95 respirators), will help to protect healthcare workers, essential research personnel, staff, and patients.