City Pledges Not To Reopen Roosevelt Island Coronavirus Hospital

ROOSEVELT ISLAND, NY — City health officials have pledged not to reopen an emergency coronavirus hospital at Roosevelt Island Medical Center, after residents of an adjoining nursing home complained that the facility could put them at risk.

This spring, the city opened 350 beds at NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler to help accommodate a surge in COVID-19 patients. Within weeks, however, dozens of residents of Coler's nursing home had contracted the virus themselves, leading to speculation that the emergency hospital was to blame.

In a rally Saturday outside the facility, elected officials including Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer asked the city not to reopen the hospital for COVID-19 patients, even as a second wave is causing cases to rise again in the city.

Nursing home residents pointed out that the facility shared hallways and elevators with the temporary hospital, and worried that staffers moving between the units could spread the disease.

"During the first pandemic wave, we were not successful in stopping those who have the disease from moving in. But darn right, we are going to make sure that does not happen a second time," said Brewer, who also penned a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio and Health + Hospitals CEO Dr. Mitchell Katz, asking them to avoid bringing virus patients there.

Katz responded Saturday afternoon, telling officials in an email which was shared with Patch: "I want to be clear that we are not planning on opening [Roosevelt Island Medical Center]."

In a statement, Brewer said she was "grateful" for the news, but pledged to "remain vigilant and watchful."