Standing tall in the fight against COVID, Roosevelt Islanders lead the way forward into a promising New Year. Sticking together, lining up in the cold, calmly waiting for tests and vaccines, a community committed to a brighter future...
By David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
The Fight Against COVID Fills Good Shepherd Plaza

Meeting demand, on Tuesday, the city sent a third-party van to Roosevelt Island for testing as well as vaccinations.
Roosevelt Islanders did not disappoint. In the morning, the line for tests stretched the length of Good Shepherd Plaza, all the way to the East River.

Temperatures in the low 30s challenged anyone standing still for extended periods. And that included PSD officers braving the weather, maintaining lines and offering helpful advice.
Not as long but equally effective in the fight against COVID, the line for vaccinations parallelled the one for testing.

A Roosevelt Island only moment…
But then, in one of those Roosevelt Island only moments, Nisi’s owners came out with a rare gesture of generosity.
“While people waited to be tested by the church on Tuesday, the owner of NISI brought a large dispenser and distributed cups of hot chocolate to at least 100 people on the waiting lines, the testing-truck staff and RIOC Public Safety staff.”
Our thanks to our friend Sylvan Klein for the tip and especially to Nisi for investing in the community again.
More from the Roosevelt Island Daily News
- Roosevelt Island Weekly Recap: Community Life, Local News, and Everyday ConnectionsOur Roosevelt Island weekly recap covers local news, community events, and the threads of daily life connecting neighbors on and off the island.
- Queens News Highlights and Roosevelt Island Community ConnectionsExplore the week’s Queens news highlights and Roosevelt Island community connections, from public safety to housing, historic places, and local events.
- How Queens News Shapes Life on Roosevelt Island This WeekExplore how Queens news shapes life on Roosevelt Island, from major fire responses to local court cases and housing initiatives, reflecting the rhythms and routines of our shared city life.
- Queens Community Updates: Transit Projects, Public Safety, and Neighborhood EffortsQueens community updates including transit projects, public safety developments, and neighborhood efforts, with special relevance for Roosevelt Island residents.
- How Roosevelt Island Responds to Change and Challenge Across the East RiverExplore how Roosevelt Island responds to change and challenge across the East River, reflecting on community adaptation, safety, transit, civic life, and neighborhood rhythms.
As the Dust Settles
The way the wind cuts across the river this time of year. The way older buildings hold heat but never quite hold air. I told myself that was why my chest felt tight again on certain mornings. Age, perhaps.











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