According to the latest tracking, Coronavirus cases on Roosevelt Island rose to near 7%. Infections jumped in all of New York City, but it centered heavily on Manhattan. Increases in tourism coupled with decreases in precautions like face masks and social distancing are likely causes.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Coronavirus Cases, April 2022

In the last month, positive reported tests jumped from 1.3% to 4.1%. Manhattan, though, including Roosevelt Island went much higher. Zip Codes on the West Side report as high as the low teens.
Roosevelt Island sits about in the middle, a problem because the community lacks the crowded restaurants, theatres and stores the rest of Manhattan has. Accounting for some of it are crowds flocking in to see the cherry blossoms ringing the Island, but most of those visitors are outdoors. Outdoor coronavirus transmission is minimal, if it exists at all.
As reported last week, that turns the light on RIOC’s ongoing failure with enforcement of mask mandates on the Tram and Red Buses.

Why RIOC’s Public Safety Fails…
Word leaked back to The Daily that PSD Chief Kevin Brown and Assistant Chief Anthony Amaroso dismissed our report as faked images. Although each is time, date and location stamped, if proof is necessary, other residents stepped up with their own photos:


Whether RIOC’s hapless and absentee leadership likes it or not, Tram cabins and Red Buses are the highest risk locations for spreading the virus. And dereliction of their responsibilities for protecting community is, once again, a factor in increasing illnesses.
More from the Roosevelt Island Daily News
- A Week Rooted in Community: Daily Life and Neighbor Connections on Roosevelt IslandThis week, daily life and neighbor connections on Roosevelt Island come into focus with stories of parks, transit, public safety, and community rhythms shaping the summer.
- Queens Community News and Events: How Local Stories Echo on Roosevelt IslandQueens community news and events shape daily life on Roosevelt Island and beyond. From park reopening and fundraisers to public safety and local transit, catch up on the stories echoing across both neighborhoods.
- How Roosevelt Island Connects with Queens This Week: Community, Safety, and Neighborhood CelebrationsHow Roosevelt Island connects with Queens is clear in this week’s stories of community, public safety, celebrations, and neighborhood life in both boroughs.
- Connecting Roosevelt Island Community Life with Local Transit, Safety, and Business InitiativesConnecting Roosevelt Island community life with local transit, safety, and business initiatives, this week’s Beat explores how citywide stories shape our days and routines.
- Everyday News Around Roosevelt Island and Queens: Community, Transit, and ChangeA warm look at everyday news around Roosevelt Island and Queens: transit updates, community programs, politics, and neighborly stories shaping city life.
“I Can Ask”
Chair Fay Christian opened the Operations Advisory Committee on February 12th, reading out member names from a prepared sheet that omitted Melissa Wade. It didn’t feel intentional, but it struck me as odd precisely because it came from something prepared. Lydia Tang gently corrected her, noting that Wade was, in fact, a member of the committee. Wade met the moment with grace, or perhaps she simply wasn’t bothered by it.











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