Staff Emails and Town Halls

To keep our employees up to date on the ever-changing COVID-19 situation, Mount Sinai provides a variety of communications daily. We offer updates on our health system’s response to the virus in numerous ways including emails and town halls.

Broadcast Emails

Mount Sinai distributes daily updates on our response to COVID-19. Below is a listing of our daily broadcasts.

October 13, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Our vaccine pods continue to be busy this month, giving out booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine to qualifying individuals, as well as first and second doses to people who’ve newly decided to get vaccinated.
September 29, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
A lot of things happened in the last few weeks, and now it feels like we finally have a chance to catch our breath.
September 24, 2021
A Note of Gratitude
It is our privilege as leaders of the Mount Sinai Health System to work with a team of talented and accomplished individuals—all of you—and our pleasure to thank you from time to time for your outstanding work.
September 22, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
So many of you worked for so long on our employee vaccination drive over the last few months. I want to start by thanking you, again and again, for that effort. It was truly successful. The vast majority of our Mount Sinai family got vaccinated by the deadline, which was great to see.
September 15, 2021
Court Case About Vaccine Mandate
As you know, New York State has issued a broad COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all health care workers. That mandate is still in place. The state also prohibited hospitals from exempting their employees from the mandate for religious reasons. Yesterday, a federal judge in upstate New York issued a ruling that could ultimately lead to the availability of religious exemptions.
September 15, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
The response to the vaccine mandate deadline on Monday has been just outstanding. My colleagues and I are all so grateful for the cooperation so many of you have shown in getting vaccinated and protected against COVID-19. I would also like to thank all those who have been working in the vaccine pods to help ensure our colleagues get vaccinated.
September 10, 2021
Three Important Statements About Vaccine Mandate
As the deadline for all Mount Sinai Health System employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 approaches, we want to bring to your attention three important statements from leaders regarding our industry.
Joint Letter From Dr. Davis and 1199 President George Gresham
September 8, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
I hope you all had a good Labor Day weekend, and to all who celebrate, I wish you Shanah Tovah - a good year- and a happy and healthy 5782.
September 2, 2021
Next Steps for Unvaccinated Employees After Mandate
So that we can comply with New York State’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers, all Mount Sinai Health System faculty and staff must have received at least their first dose of vaccine, and must have reported it to Employee Health Services (EHS), by Monday, September 13, or be placed into immediate job jeopardy. Today we want to explain what “immediate job jeopardy” means.
September 1, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Today is the first day of September. It was a really busy summer for most of us, but I hope you were able to take some time off or will be soon.
August 31, 2021
Pregnant and Breastfeeding People Should Get Vaccinated
We have been hearing a lot of questions about the COVID-19 vaccines and pregnancy. There are a number of harmful myths and misconceptions that are not based on science or what is known about these vaccines.
August 25, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Among the many disturbing things about COVID-19 is what it is doing to people who are pregnant. We are seeing more and more reports in the news like that from one hospital in Alabama that is seeing “extraordinary” numbers of mostly unvaccinated pregnant COVID-19 patients in their ICUs and on ventilators. While our region’s higher vaccination rates mean we’re not as overwhelmed as they are, we have been seeing some of these cases in our own hospitals too.
August 20, 2021
Updates on Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination
We know it has been a long week, with news about the Delta variant, the New York State Department of Health vaccine mandate, and booster vaccines, and we want to again thank everyone for their resilience and commitment. We are grateful and, perhaps more importantly, your patients and community thank you.
August 18, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
There has been a lot of vaccine-related news this week, and I want to take a moment to go through it and tell you what it means for us here at Mount Sinai.
COVID-19 Vaccination Is Mandatory Flyer
August 12, 2021
Mount Sinai Health System to Require COVID-19 Vaccination
Over the past weeks and months, we have worked hard to encourage every member of our Mount Sinai family to get vaccinated against COVID-19, to protect you, your patients, your coworkers, your families, and your communities. We are grateful for those of you who got the vaccine.
August 11, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
We’ve been seeing continued steady increases in our COVID-19 caseloads over the past week. Most of these patients are unvaccinated, and those who are vaccinated typically are either immunocompromised or quite elderly, or have some other comorbidity. Everything we’ve seen to this point confirms the finding that the vaccines are highly effective at preventing hospitalization and death from COVID-19.
August 2, 2021
Universal Masking Across Mount Sinai Effective Today
As of today, in line with recent CDC recommendations for areas currently identified as having substantial COVID-19 transmission, which include New York City and Long Island, we are restoring universal masking across all Mount Sinai campuses. Effective immediately, everyone must be masked at all times, regardless of vaccination status.
July 21, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
I hope all of you saw the note yesterday from Dr. Davis and Dr. Charney about the importance of vaccination against COVID-19. It is critical that each of us—and especially health care workers—protect ourselves and our patients against this deadly disease with a vaccine.
Vaccine Video Challenge Flyer
July 14, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Sometimes a cold is just a cold. But if we’ve learned anything during the 2020s, it’s that things are rarely that simple.
July 7, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend. This week was supposed to be a joyous week, and for the most part it is, but we are seeing a small uptick in some of the numbers. While we don’t yet know much about why we are seeing this, I promised I would always be candid and transparent with you, so here are the latest numbers.
June 30, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
More than 20,000 of you have now registered for COVID-19 vaccine stickers, meaning that you can now take your mask off in break rooms and nonclinical office spaces and spend time with your Mount Sinai family without social distancing.
Vaccine Stickers Are Available for Your Employee ID Badge
June 23, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
I am so happy to see so many of you with vaccination stickers on your ID badges this week. I hope you're finding your commute to work smoother now that you don't have to fill out the screening attestation every day.
June 16, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Our region passed an important milestone yesterday when Governor Cuomo announced that more than 70 percent of New York adults have now received at least their first dose of vaccine. He said the state was lifting most COVID-19-related restrictions on restaurants, bars, and other commercial businesses.
May 19, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
The big news late last week was the announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that people who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 don’t have to wear masks in most situations. Governor Cuomo announced on Monday that the state would adopt those guidelines effective today.
May 12, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
As you probably know, the Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization on Monday to allow the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to be given to children between 12 and 15 years old. The data submitted by Pfizer showed that the vaccine was 100 percent effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in that age group.
May 5, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Today, Wednesday, May 5, is World Hand Hygiene Day. This is an especially important event to observe during the COVID-19 pandemic; now more than ever, we want everyone washing their hands regularly.
April 30, 2021
COVID-19 Surge in India
Many of you have seen the dire news from India, which is struggling with the largest COVID-19 surge the world has yet seen. Hospitals and crematoria have been overwhelmed as daily reported new infections have topped 350,000, substantially more than the United States saw at the highest point of the pandemic here. Supplies of everything from vaccines to ventilators, oxygen, and medicines are dangerously short. The human anguish is heartbreaking.
April 28, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Across the country and here at Mount Sinai, we are moving into a new phase of the COVID-19 vaccine drive. For us, this means a few things.
April 21, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
If the COVID-19 surge we just went through felt different to you than the one last spring, you’re not alone. Today I want to give you two numbers that show just how different it was.
April 14, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
As you've probably heard, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended yesterday that use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine be paused while reports about a few, extremely rare blood clotting events are investigated. The New York State Department of Health has endorsed that recommendation, and we have paused all use of this vaccine until further notice.
April 7, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Spring is in the air. We can feel it as we leave for work, or come home after a long day, or night, of caring for our patients, and hopefully as we take restorative and safe breaks with friends and family. With the gradual change in the weather, it is also a time of cautious optimism.
April 2, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccination Update
We know that many of you are observing Passover, or Holy Week and Easter, or are preparing for Ramadan. Whatever your faith or traditions, we hope you are able to get some rest and spend some time with your loved ones, whether virtually or safely in person.
March 31, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
This week began with some good news: a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are highly effective in real-world settings.
March 24, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Vaccine eligibility in New York State continues to expand, and I’m pleased to tell you that we are now able to accept requests from employees who work remotely—if they live in New York State, and are 50 and over, or have one of the medical conditions listed by the state—in addition to those who work onsite.
March 19, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccination Update
Before we give you the weekly vaccination update, we want to express yet again our solidarity with, and support of, our Asian and Asian American family, friends, colleagues, patients, and community members.
March 17, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
I have good news for those of you who are working remotely and want to get vaccinated. Starting today, if you live in New York State and are eligible for vaccination based on your age or health condition, you can put your name on a waiting list for vaccination at one of our Mount Sinai sites.
March 11, 2021
COVID-19 Moment of Reflection: Today
On this day last year, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. This was almost two weeks after we evaluated our first COVID-19 patient at Mount Sinai and just days before our beloved region went into lockdown, changing our world as we knew it.
March 10, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
There is mixed news again this week, as there has been so often during this pandemic—frustrating trends along with good ones, reasons for hope and reasons for concern. We’ve learned to live with these dueling narratives, but that doesn’t make them easier to accept and process.
March 5, 2021
Acknowledging What We’ve Been Through in the Past Year
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. This was almost two weeks after we evaluated our first COVID-19 patient at Mount Sinai and just days before our beloved region went into lockdown, changing our world as we knew it.
March 3, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
As Dr. Davis and Dr. Charney mentioned last Friday, it has now been a year since we saw our first patient with confirmed COVID-19. And this second surge in COVID-19 cases feels as if it has gone on even longer. Many of you are tired. You've been working long hours, without the opportunity to take much time off, for months. You've given everything you have, and you may feel there's nothing more to give.
March 2, 2021
COVID-19 Town Hall Update
Tomorrow, Wednesday, March 3, at 2 pm, we will be hosting a town hall focused on COVID-19.
February 26, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccination Update
This weekend marks a somber anniversary. It was roughly one year ago, on February 29, 2020, that the first patient with COVID-19 presented at a Mount Sinai Health System hospital.
February 24, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccination Update
I have good news to report this week. We have received new supplies of COVID-19 vaccine, which will allow us to resume vaccinating patients and eligible staff.
February 19, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccination Update
The challenges we have faced in providing COVID-19 vaccines, from changing supply patterns to fierce winter weather, are real, but today we want to look beyond them to focus on what you have achieved so far this year.
February 17, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
I want to start by wishing everyone a happy Lunar New Year, and a good Year of the Ox to those who observe it. Today is, of course, Ash Wednesday, and as I mentioned last week, we have set up COVID-19-compliant procedures for our Catholic colleagues to observe today’s rites.
February, 12, 2021
Covid-19 Vaccination Update
Many of your colleagues have worked long hours this week to get ready for the significant changes in New York State vaccine eligibility guidance that take effect on Monday, February 15. Here is what you need to know, and what we still do not know, about these changes.
February 10, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
The biggest news this week is the latest update to New York State’s vaccine distribution guidelines. As of Monday, February 15, people under 65 years of age with certain comorbidities that put them at risk for severe COVID-19 will also be eligible to be vaccinated. The full list is available on the state website and includes types of pulmonary and heart disease, cancer, diabetes, immunocompromised states, and obesity, among others.
February 9, 2021
Vaccination Deadline Next Week
On Friday, Governor Cuomo announced a change in strategy for COVID-19 vaccination that has important effects for us here at Mount Sinai, and at all the state’s other hospitals and health systems.
February 5, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccination Update
Johnson & Johnson applied last night for emergency use authorization (EUA) for their COVID-19 vaccine. The data they released contain more truly hopeful signs.
February 3, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
It has already been a long and frustrating winter, and that snowstorm we just had didn’t help. But we are now at the midpoint, with Groundhog Day yesterday and the Super Bowl coming up on Sunday. I’m sure that many of you want to get together with family and friends for the big game.
February 3, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
The Mount Sinai Plasma Collection Center is seeking individuals who previously recovered from COVID-19. Recovered individuals who have also received the COVID-19 vaccine are exceptional candidates for plasma donation.
January 29, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccination Update
We are now in a new phase of the vaccination effort: one that focuses increasingly on second doses. In the last week, we have nearly doubled the number of employees and affiliated providers who have received both doses of vaccine, and begun ramping up to give second doses to the patients who began coming to us a month ago for their first doses.
January 27, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
I’m glad to report that we continue to see bits of good news on both the COVID-19 case count and vaccination fronts. We are still not out of the woods, and the path to get there zigzags a bit, but on balance we are going in the right direction.
January 22, 2021
Covid-19 Vaccination Update, January 22
It was a week to look back and look forward. We commemorated the life and teachings of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, and observed the transfer of power to a new administration on Wednesday. We saw the highest COVID-19 inpatient numbers since May even as we resumed giving our patients the vaccinations that will eventually bring this pandemic to an end.
January 20, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccination Update, January 20
I hope you had a good long weekend and were able to take time to reflect on the life, legacy, and teachings of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And I hope you were able to get some rest. Over the weekend, we got a small bit of good news: we have resumed getting some COVID-19 vaccines that we can offer to our patients.
January 15, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccination Update, January 15
These past few weeks, we saw yet again what the Mount Sinai Health System is capable of.
January 14, 2021
#HowWeHeal: National Day of Racial Healing
The Mount Sinai Health System acknowledges the fifth annual National Day of Racial Healing, recognized as the Tuesday following Martin Luther King, Jr Day.
January 14, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Because of sudden changes in the amount of COVID-19 vaccine being supplied to us, we must unfortunately cancel all non-employee vaccinations that were scheduled from Friday, January 15, through Tuesday, January 19. We are contacting those patients by phone, email, text message, and/or MyChart message to let them know. We are all deeply disappointed to have to do this.
January 13, 2021
Notice on High Call Volume
Due to vaccine-related high call volume, employees may be unable to reach an operator by dialing “0.”
January 13, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
We are now in phase 1B of the COVID-19 vaccination project, and the list of who is eligible for vaccination continues to grow rapidly. Yesterday, Governor Cuomo authorized people between 65 and 74 years old to receive the vaccine, just a couple of days after authorizing those 75 and over and certain categories of essential workers. And we expect that the state will issue additional guidance shortly on the eligibility of those who are immunocompromised and younger than 65.
January 8, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccination Update
Before we give you the weekly update on COVID-19 vaccination, we want to say a few words about events in Washington this week.
January 7, 2021
Vaccine Distribution Updates (Mount Sinai Hospital and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)
Effective immediately, and in accordance with New York State guidance, the Mount Sinai Health System is prepared to vaccinate all Mount Sinai employees who are required to be onsite in all facilities including those expected to assist with our COVID-19 surge response. We continue to welcome individuals who work in patient-facing roles in FQHC’s, private medical practices, ambulatory surgical centers, and ambulatory endoscopy centers.
January 6, 2021
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Since receiving our first doses of COVID-19 vaccine on December 15, we have been able to vaccinate so many of members of our Mount Sinai family. We have been following the New York State Department of Health eligibility guidelines closely. Recently those guidelines allowed for expansion of eligibility to include ambulatory care sites. So, as of Monday, January 4, ALL patient-facing employed and voluntary physicians, staff, students, and trainees throughout the Mount Sinai Health System, and those who work with potentially infectious materials, are eligible for vaccination. This means clinical and nonclinical faculty and staff in any patient-facing role, including receptionists and other people who greet or interact with patients, in both Mount Sinai-owned and voluntary/affiliated practices.
December 30, 2020
Update on COVID-19 Vaccination
At this time, a question looms for many of us: When can I get a COVID-19 vaccine? We know that our patients are asking; your friends and family are asking; and you are asking, as well.
December 30, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
It was two weeks ago yesterday when our Health System hospitals received the very first shipments of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. We had been preparing for that day and had assembled a scheduling and distribution system, in accordance with the New York State Department of Health guidelines, to start vaccinating our front-line hospital-based caregivers at significant risk of exposure to patients with COVID-19 infection. Your colleagues, who comprise that herculean scheduling and distribution system, are now vaccinating nearly 1,000 members of the Mount Sinai family each day. What an extraordinary accomplishment.
December 23, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
When it comes to COVID-19 vaccination, we have never done anything like this before. Our experience with the annual flu vaccine is different, because flu vaccine is generally not in short supply. And while we’ve had plenty of experience in quickly mobilizing to set up new types of operations and services, the vaccination project is unique in its complexity.
December 23, 2020
COVID-19 Ambulatory Update - Patient Communications about Covid-19 Vaccine
We understand patients are contacting practices and providers about the vaccine. Please review the below communication streams and implement as needed in your departments. These communications are meant to be informational for our patients and help minimize calls and messages to the offices and providers. We will also be sending a one page series of informational talking points for use when speaking or meeting with our patients.
December 21, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
We continue to administer COVID-19 vaccine according to New York State Department of Health guidelines. The initial group included those assigned to and regularly working in the Emergency Department, and intensive care units (ICUs) and patient floors dedicated to COVID-19 care. That group was labeled as our “1A1” group.
December 16, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
It is probably the most complicated week of this latest surge, at least so far.We started offering COVID-19 vaccinations to some of our faculty and staff yesterday, yet at the same time, we—including many of the very people who are getting vaccinated—were taking care of the largest number of COVID-19 patients we have seen since the end of May.
December 14, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
We are writing to follow up on the broadcast email earlier today from Drs. Davis and Charney about the rollout of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. The New York State Department of Health (DOH) has provided detailed guidance that the highest-risk health care workers must be offered the vaccine first.
December 14, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
We are extremely pleased to note—as many of you know already—that the Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. This means that Mount Sinai and other health care institutions can start offering the vaccine to certain groups of employees as soon as it arrives at our hospitals, which should be as soon as today.
December 9, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Hanukkah starts tomorrow night. To those of you who celebrate, have a happy holiday, and I hope you take some time to enjoy latkes or sufganiyot during the week ahead. My update this week won’t be a surprise. We are now in the period when the COVID-19 transmissions that occurred over Thanksgiving will be causing symptoms serious enough to send some people to the hospital. And indeed, our COVID-19 patient counts continue to rise steadily, as do the city and state numbers. We expected this, and are ready for it.
December 3, 2020
SARS-CoV-2 Viral Test Result Delays
The Mount Sinai Hospital Center for Clinical Laboratories is experiencing delays in resulting of SARS-CoV-2 viral tests due to overwhelming system-wide demands for testing and national shortages of test kits and plastics.
December 2, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving and were able to rest and refresh yourselves a bit. As we've expected, December is bringing more increases in COVID-19 patient numbers and in the work we must do to care for those patients. We should all expect the numbers to rise further as people who contracted COVID-19 over the holiday start to become symptomatic and need treatment.
November 30, 2020
EUA Antibody Therapy
In the last three weeks, two antibody therapies for non-hospitalized patients age 12 and older with mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 have received emergency use authorization (EUA). Bamlanivimab and casirivimab/imdevimab are single and combination monoclonal antibody therapies directed toward the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Both of these agents received an EUA based on limited clinical trial data. These data show potential decrease in progression to severe disease, but only when administered early in the course of the disease. Neither agent is considered standard of care.
November 30, 2020
Influenza Vaccination in the Age of COVID-19
It is not too late to get your flu shot. This year, influenza vaccination is especially important, as COVID-19 illness along with influenza is being increasingly reported in New York City. Co-infection with both diseases could have serious complications, including death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that all individuals more than 6 months of age receive the influenza vaccination as soon as possible.
November 25, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
I hope you all saw the Thanksgiving message that Dr. Davis and Dr. Charney sent out earlier this week. They thanked you—as I want to thank you—for a truly outstanding effort this year against COVID-19.
November 18, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
After a few weeks of relative stability, this week we saw an increase in COVID-19 inpatient admissions. We have been prepared for this for a long time, and in fact, we’re prepared to care for significantly more COVID-19 patients should that need grow.
November 13, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
With renewed uncertainty about school closings in the region as COVID-19 rebounds, I want to remind you about a new program that is designed to give Mount Sinai Health System employees extra flexibility in maintaining your work-life balance.
November 11, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
If you've been watching or reading the news about COVID-19 over the past week, it can feel as if we're at a crossroads. Some of the news is good; some is concerning. New York's test positivity rate is one of the lowest in the nation, but it is rising. Infections in the region are on the upswing, but hospitalizations haven't gone up by as much. There's potential good news about a vaccine, but concern about what the winter might bring before the vaccine can be rolled out.
November 4, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Here at Mount Sinai, our COVID-19 caseloads continue to decline as compared to last week. But as you probably know, it's a different story in much of the rest of the country, with cases reaching record levels in many states.
October 28, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
We’re coming up to what should be a happy time: the start of the fall holiday season. From now through New Year’s Day, the holidays give us opportunities to recharge, relax, and reconnect with our loved ones. Although the COVID-19 pandemic is still with us, we should still do our best to enjoy the holidays—in a safe way. Here are some tips.
October 27, 2020
Special Fall 2020 COVID-19 Issue of Mount Sinai Science & Medicine
Throughout our storied history, Mount Sinai has overcome obstacles that would have been insurmountable for other medical institutions. Because of our strength, talent, and resilience, we have continually emerged as a survivor, a leader, and a champion of innovative scientific research and compassionate patient care for the diverse communities we serve. This year, we rose to yet another formidable challenge in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic.
October 26, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Please join us in celebrating National Respiratory Care Week, observed from Monday, October 26, through Friday, October 30. We recognize and honor the contributions that respiratory therapists throughout the Mount Sinai Health System make every day for our patients and their families.
October 21, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
As our region works its way into further into autumn, COVID-19 cases continue to be elevated compared with the past summer. However, in our own hospitals, the growth in the number of COVID-19 patients has flattened. And in the Brooklyn and Queens hot spots, test positivity rates are decreasing.
October 16, 2020
Frequently Asked Questions on the Employee Screening Process
During this week's town hall, we received a few questions relating to the new process.
October 14, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Our uptick in COVID-19 cases continues this week. The numbers remain well short of where they were from March through May, and we still don't expect things to get anywhere near as bad as they were then.
Mount Sinai Employee COVID-19 Self-Screening Instructions
October 12, 2020
Upcoming Town Hall
Tomorrow, October 13 at 9 am, we will be hosting a town hall focused on COVID-19. The Town Hall will be livestreamed via Zoom.
October 7, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
As you are likely aware, we are seeing some increases in COVID-19 case numbers, both in the community and in some of our hospitals. To put this into proper context, today we have about 4 percent of the total number of COVID-19-positive inpatients that we had in our hospitals at the peak back in April.
September 29, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
As you may have read or heard, the New York metropolitan region is currently seeing a modest uptick in COVID-19 cases. In our own Health System hospitals, we currently have about 50 inpatients with COVID-19 infection. This is up from our low of about 25 cases a few weeks ago.
September 25, 2020
Yom Kippur in Time of COVID-19
Yom Kippur, the culmination of the Jewish New Year and the holiest day of the year, will soon be observed, from sunset on Sunday, September 27, to nightfall on Monday, September 28. This is a solemn and sacred time to fast, reflect, and gather with family and friends. However, because we are still in the time of COVID-19, we must always be aware of safety and health concerns.
September 16, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Friday night is Rosh haShanah, the Jewish New Year and the start of High Holidays celebrations that will continue into October with Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah. I want to start by wishing all who celebrate a Shanah Tovah—a good year—and a happy and healthy 5781. May you be inscribed in the Book of Life for another year.
September 14, 2020
Annual Influenza Vaccine Is Available
It is especially important to get your flu shot this year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that all individuals six months of age or older be vaccinated by the end of October or earlier. One reason is that the flu can mimic signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Additionally, the flu vaccine will help prevent co-infection with both influenza and the COVID-19 virus, which can lead to worse outcomes. By getting vaccinated, you protect yourself, your family, and your patients.
September 10, 2020
Participate in the Census
As you probably know, the United States is conducting its decennial census this year. Many of you have already filled out your census forms, and we are grateful to you for that.
September 10, 2020
The Mount Sinai Health System is proud to launch the “Get Moving, Get Better” campaign to support ongoing efforts at all sites to improve patient mobility
It is well established that increased mobility optimizes outcomes by minimizing the
harmful effects of prolonged bed rest. With this priority initiative, we aim to create
a “culture of mobility” throughout Mount Sinai that keeps all of our patients
moving towards better health.
September 10, 2020
Pain Management Month
The World Health Assembly has designated 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. Alleviating pain is an integral component of the care that nurses and all members of the health care team deliver. As we celebrate Pain Awareness Month in September, the Pain Management Committee will be hosting a Grand Rounds dedicated to pain management.
September 8, 2020
Reminder: Voluntary Unpaid Furlough Program
As summer draws closer to an end, I am pleased to remind you about a new program that is designed to give Mount Sinai Health System employees extra flexibility in maintaining your work-life balance.
September 1, 2020
New, Voluntary Unpaid Furlough Plan
With the COVID-19 pandemic causing continued uncertainty for many of us around child care and similar issues, the Mount Sinai Health System is creating a voluntary furlough system to offer full-time employees who need it—additional flexibility in their schedules this fall.
August 28, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
With the COVID-19 pandemic causing continued uncertainty for many of us around child care and similar issues, the Mount Sinai Health System is creating a voluntary furlough system to offer full-time employees who need it—additional flexibility in their schedules this fall.
August 19, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
In my last couple of updates to you, I’ve talked about the importance of masking and social distancing for all staff in stopping the spread of COVID-19. We need to take care of each other by masking up. But we also want to continue to show the city, the country, and the world that we can be trusted to do the right thing for our patients, visitors, and staff.
August 5, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
I am pleased to let you know that COVID-19 cases continue to be low in our hospitals and our region. But as we’ve seen recently in New Jersey, it’s easy for case counts to start climbing again if all of us don’t strictly follow the three main methods of stopping the spread: masking, social distancing, and hand hygiene.
August 4, 2020
Mount Sinai Plasma Collection Center Seeking New Donors
In partnership with ImmunoTek Bio Centers, the Mount Sinai Health System has opened a COVID-19 convalescent plasma collection facility at 1440 Madison Avenue, near 99th Street.
July 28, 2020
Please Join a Virtual Memorial Service for Members of the Mount Sinai Community Lost to COVID-19
As part of our healing process and to honor members of our Mount Sinai community who were lost to COVID-19, a non-denominational virtual memorial service will be held today at noon.
July 27, 2020
Community-wide Town Hall Series on COVID-19 and Racism
Racism has informed the detrimental outcomes seen in nearly every aspect of life—including economics, education, health and health care, the justice system, and more—for people of color, and Black people in particular. We are facing an unprecedented moment in history.
July 27, 2020
Please Join Us for A Virtual Memorial Service for Members of the Mount Sinai Community Lost to COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a tremendous amount of strain on the Mount Sinai Health System community. As part of the healing process, we are hosting events and creating memorials to members of the Mount Sinai community whom we have lost to COVID-19.
July 22, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Thank you to everyone who responded to my note two weeks ago about masking. It is heartening to see so many of you properly wearing your masks every day. As a reminder, you can and should obtain masks from your units or from your supervisors. We are working on additional access points for nonclinical staff to obtain masks; stay tuned for the details.
July 20, 2020
Please Join Us for A Virtual Memorial Service for Members of the Mount Sinai Community Lost to COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a tremendous amount of strain on the Mount Sinai Health System community. Despite this, we have collectively fought against the virus and are working to heal the damage done.
July 15, 2020
U.S. Rescinds New Restrictions on Student Visas
We are pleased to report that the federal government has rescinded a policy that would have stripped international students of their U.S. visas if their coursework was entirely online.
July 10, 2020
New Regulatory Requirement for Mount Sinai Health System Employees Working Onsite
Beginning Monday, July 13, all Mount Sinai Health System employees working onsite are required to complete a self-assessment and attest that they are free of COVID-19 symptoms at the beginning of each shift. This is a regulatory requirement and all staff must comply.
July 8, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
As we head into the heart of the summer, I want us all to take a timeout and talk about masks.
I know you’ve already heard a lot about them, from me and others. You know that it is Mount Sinai Health System policy that you must fully cover your mouth and nose with a Mount Sinai-issued surgical mask when you enter and leave our campuses, and when you are in our public areas, corridors, and elevators.
July 8, 2020
Opening of Plasma Collection Center
On Monday, July 13, we will be opening a Plasma Collection Center at The Mount Sinai Hospital at 1440 Madison Avenue to collect convalescent plasma from individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.
July 3, 2020
New York State Quarantine Exemption for Patients
New York State has announced that it will make an exception from its new quarantine rules for patients traveling here for necessary medical care and their companions.
June 30, 2020
Eye Protection and Masking
Please review the Mount Sinai Health System policy on eye protection, which requires all health care workers with direct patient contact to wear face shields, safety glasses, or goggles. Public health authorities including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the use of eye protection in addition to universal masking for all direct patient contact. The addition of eye protection may further reduce the risk of unprotected exposures to COVID-19 from patients who are unable to reliably wear masks.
June 29, 2020
Travel to High-Risk States
Last week, the governors of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut announced that travelers from states with significant community spread of COVID-19 would be required to quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival in the tri-state area.
June 29, 2020
Guidelines to Prevent Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace
In our ongoing effort to ensure the safety of our staff, patients, and community, we want to remind everyone to take the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
June 25, 2020
Mount Sinai Health System Commemorates Pride Month
As recent events have so clearly brought home, the quest for full social, economic, and political equality in this country is ongoing and far from complete. Nevertheless, it is important and appropriate to commemorate individual events within that larger struggle.
June 24, 2020
Proper Use of Face Coverings
To provide the best protection for yourself and others, please remember to comply with these masking guidelines.
June 24, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
This Monday was a major milestone for our region, as we entered Phase 2 of our reopening.
June 19, 2020
Juneteenth
We want to thank you all for participating today in remembering the history and celebrating the meaning of Juneteenth.
June 10, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
These recent months have been unlike any others in our lifetime. For months, the COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed our city. Then, the senseless murders of Black Americans, caught in images for the world to witness, shocked our collective conscience. Now, protests against bigotry, brutality, and racism have inspired a search for our nation’s soul. One transformational moment has intersected with another—this once-in-a-century public health crisis overlapping with a nationwide movement aimed at eliminating a pervasive social ill that has infected America since its founding: racism.
June 8, 2020
Resumption of Office-Based Procedures
I am extremely pleased to announce that Governor Cuomo has now approved the resumption of all elective surgeries and ambulatory care everywhere in New York City, including office-based (non-Article 28) procedures and ambulatory surgery centers.
June 5, 2020
Updates to Working Onsite, PTO, and Travel Policies
As you may know, New York City is expected to move into phase one of reopening on Monday, June 8.
June 3, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
We are no doubt living through a unique time in human history. A once-in-a-century pandemic, economic challenges that may rival those of the Great Depression, and a critical national spotlight on systemic racism across society—all seem to be converging into this single moment, just as New York City is on the precipice of beginning to reopen.
May 28, 2020
Bonus COVID Pay
The challenges we have faced in the past few months have been enormous. In response to the greatest humanitarian health care crisis in our lifetimes, we rose to meet the challenge. And, despite the nearly unthinkable obstacles along the way, we have succeeded.
May 27, 2020
Fit for the Front Line
From the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, Mount Sinai has been at the forefront of patient care and scientific discovery. Now we are leading yet another initiative: a nationwide event called #FitfortheFrontline.
May 27, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
This past weekend brought more good news. Governor Cuomo announced that active hospitalizations for COVID-19 are now less than one-tenth of their level during the peak in early April. This is an incredible sign of progress.
May 22, 2020
A Time of Reflection and Gratitude
As we close in on our third month of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York, we want to take a moment to reflect on the challenges that we have all faced, but also to recognize the successes we have achieved in this humanitarian mission. While this is not the first crisis we have faced, it is without a doubt the most challenging in recent history, and it tested us like never before. As the situation evolved, time and again we were able to pivot, adjust, learn, and do better. This resiliency is at the heart of who we are as a health system. When challenged, we adapt, improve, and overcome.
May 22, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
The Memorial Day weekend is upon us. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many of us usually observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings, and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season. While Memorial Day weekend this year, like so many things, will be different because of the pandemic, I hope that each of us is able to find opportunities to strengthen connections with our loved ones, our support networks, and our communities. These connections are so important to our own well-being as we continue on this journey together.
May 20, 2020
An Update on Our Finances
Many of you have asked how Mount Sinai is holding up financially during this pandemic. We have all read stories from across the United States about hospitals and health systems taking significant actions to address COVID-19-related budget challenges. Because of our long history of careful financial stewardship, we are better positioned than many to weather this crisis. However, there is no doubt that the pandemic is taking an unprecedented financial toll on us as well. And, while we know that the Mount Sinai Health System will ultimately recover and continue to be the beacon of excellence and innovation for generations to come, we will be forced to go through many changes as a result.
May 20, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
This week is the 46th annual National EMS Week. EMS Week brings together local communities and medical personnel to honor the dedication of those who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services of medicine's "front line." EMS providers around the country, and especially in New York, responded to record 911 call volumes during the COVID-19 pandemic—at the peak, New York City’s 911 system, the nation’s busiest, handled more than 6,000 calls a day, 50 percent more than the normal daily average.
May 18, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
As I wrote at the end of last week, after a dizzying March and April, May has brought us to a less intense state of affairs. We enter a new week, with our Health System and region continuing to see a promising downward trend in new cases of COVID-19. We are now carefully adjusting our focus so that we can attend to our COVID-19 duties as well as to all the patients with other conditions who need us.
May 15, 2020
Preparing for the Future
This was a week of renewal and regeneration: this afternoon, we celebrated student graduations as we collectively continued working our way forward in this next phase of the recovery. Today, we have fewer than 500 COVID-19-positive patients in our hospitals. That is about one-quarter as many as we had at the peak. And, together, we have saved more than 5,000 lives.
May 15, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
After the dizzying pace of March and April, May has brought us to a much less intense state of affairs. And we now look to the summer with not quite an expectation, but perhaps a reasonably well-grounded hope, that our region’s COVID-19 numbers will keep moving in the right direction. Mixed in with that hope is speculation and fear about the possibility of a second wave of COVID-19. The bottom line is that we can’t say for certain what the future holds.
May 14, 2020
Announcing the Center for Post-COVID Care
We are excited to launch the Center for Post-COVID Care, a comprehensive destination for patients recovering from the novel coronavirus. Located at Mount Sinai-Union Square, the Center will serve patients from across the Mount Sinai Health System and beyond, and will provide multi-specialty care and systematic evaluation of the long-term impact of COVID-19.
May 14, 2020
Cyber Attacks Targeting COVID-19 Research
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.K. National Cyber Security Center have recently issued alerts warning that nation-state actors are conducting intensive, ongoing campaigns aimed at organizations conducting COVID-19 research and development efforts.
May 13, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Under the Governor’s plan to reopen New York, each region of the state must meet seven different metrics to be considered ready for reopening. According to the most recent data, which can be found at this helpful dashboard, New York City has met four out of those seven benchmarks and Long Island and Westchester have met five of those seven. Within New York City, hospital and ICU bed capacity, as well as daily new hospitalizations, are not quite hitting the target yet. But the trends in those areas are moving in the right direction.
May 11, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Just one month ago, our inpatient census of patients with COVID-19 infection was about 2,000. Just two weeks ago, that number was closer to 1,100. And now, that number is closer to 550. When we stop even for a brief moment and turn and look back at the mountain we just climbed, it is almost impossible to fathom how we did it. And yet here we are. Step by step, we are working our way down the mountainside.
May 8, 2020
Our Path Forward, Together
Another week of progress brings us closer to our new normal. In recent weeks, we cautiously watched as we overcame the peak of the COVID-19 crisis and continued to see the rate of new infections and hospitalizations slow. Now, the number of COVID-19 patients in our hospitals is less than one-third of what it was at the peak—an enormous improvement. You have literally saved more lives, in a shorter amount of time, than at any other point in our history. And while the region has been focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear that many patients with non-COVID-19 illnesses need us too.
May 8, 2020
Mount Sinai Honors Mother’s Day
It is our pleasure to celebrate Mount Sinai mothers on the front line who help make Mount Sinai great. Many mothers and caregivers among us were already stretched thin, balancing their work and home lives. During these trying and unprecedented times, moms continued to care for loved ones, facing new challenges every day, yet managed to take on significantly more responsibility by also caring for patients, conducting research, and keeping our Health System running. Mothers who made the difficult decision to separate from their families while on the front line weaned their babies early, read their toddlers books over video, and had virtual dance parties, game nights, and holiday dinners with their families. Others of us helped Mount Sinai moms by tutoring their children, running their errands, and providing emotional support.
May 8, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Here is an interesting finding. Governor Cuomo announced COVID-19 antibody testing results from a survey of 27,000 health care workers conducted across 25 health care facilities in our region of the state. The percentage of health care workers who tested positive was substantially lower than the percentage of people in the general population who tested positive. For example, in New York City 12.2 percent of health care workers tested positive, compared with 19.9 percent of people in the general population who tested positive.
May 7, 2020
Returning Toward a New Normal
The work that you all have put in over the last two months to battle the COVID-19 pandemic has been awe-inspiring. Now, with COVID-19 cases declining, we are turning our focus toward safely rebuilding our practices and our patient base. Our patients need us. And we need them.
May 7, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
I have received many questions about how Mount Sinai is holding up financially during this pandemic as we read stories from all over the United States about hospitals and health systems taking drastic actions to stay afloat. There is no doubt that the pandemic is taking a financial toll on us as well.
May 6, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
National Nurses Week officially begins today, and I’d like to acknowledge just how grateful we are for our incredible community of nurses. Today, and every day, we are in awe of you and your dedication to your patients and colleagues.
May 5, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
National Nurses Week officially launches tomorrow. What perfect timing. To our nurses, long before there was such a thing as COVID-19, yours was the most trusted profession in America.
May 4, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Update
The overall trends continue to move in the right direction, and our COVID-19 hospitalizations are well under half of what they were at the peak. We continue to be in good shape on PPE and other supplies. It is such a relief to see our care ratios returning to pre-COVID levels.
May 1, 2020
Caring for Caregivers
In Governor Cuomo’s daily briefing today, he had a message for front-line health care workers. He said, “We want them to know that we not only appreciate what they’re doing, but we’re there to support them."
May 1, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Update
As we work our way step by step down the COVID-19 mountain it is important that we recognize everyone's contributions to this mission. Never before have our Health System and School been more united in addressing a challenge of this magnitude.
April 30, 2020
Creation of a Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal Growth
All of us at Mount Sinai have enormous pride in and gratitude for the remarkable, selfless care that Mount Sinai Health System clinicians have provided to COVID-19 patients. To recognize and support these very special workers, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is establishing a Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal Growth.
April 30, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Day over day, and week over week, our inpatient COVID-19 census continues to drop. We are now at about half of the volume compared with our peak. And yesterday, we had the lowest number of patient deaths due to COVID-19 in more than a month.
April 29, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
A colleague sent me this note highlighting the painstaking and tireless work behind the scenes of members of our Mount Sinai family who make sure that we always have enough of the personal protective equipment (PPE) and other vital supplies to keep you and your patients safe.
April 28, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Yesterday marked the beginning of Patient Experience Week—a nationally recognized annual event to celebrate health care workers who impact the patient experience every day. While this is an important week for us every year, it is especially important this year as we reflect on your herculean efforts in these incredibly trying times.
April 27, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Update
As the number of patients with COVID-19 infection in our hospitals continues to decrease, you may notice that we still aren't seeing a lot of non-COVID-19 patients yet. There are several reasons for this.
April 25, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Update
It is a beautiful Saturday morning, and I want to share something special with you today. A message and music video from the one and only Jon Bon Jovi. He made it for our own Mount Sinai family, and you are the stars.
April 24, 2020
Downward Slopes and Lessons Learned
In nine out of the past ten days we have seen a drop in our COVID-19 inpatient census. In fact, we are now at a level not seen since the end of March, when hospitalizations from the virus began to spike. The intensity within our EDs has leveled off and there is more calm where the new normal has taken hold. The curve has been bent and we are now officially on the downslope. This is a tremendous accomplishment and relief, but we are far from done. We urge you not to become complacent or let your guard down as we begin to envision our next steps.
April 24, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Last night marked the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, and I want to acknowledge all of you who are celebrating. Normally during this time, many of you would be breaking fast with family and friends but this year, instead, are separated from your loved ones as you continue to give so much to this humanitarian mission. Now more than ever, may Allah bring you peace and happiness this Ramadan.
April 23, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Our Director of Decision Support, Doran Ricks, sent over some interesting information. If you include all the COVID-19 patients that are still in our hospitals, we have cared for 6,690 inpatients since the pandemic arrived in our region.
April 22, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Mayor de Blasio announced yesterday that when we get through this, and when the region's "pause" is ultimately lifted, the city will host a ticker-tape parade to celebrate you: the health care workers and first responders in this mission.
April 21, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Thanks to you, more than 3,300 patients with COVID-19 infection have been treated and discharged from Mount Sinai Health System hospitals.
April 20, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Looking back, it was on April 9 that we reached the peak of our COVID-19 inpatient census. On that date, 2,200 beds were filled with patients who were COVID-19 positive and those who we suspected were positive. Today, that number is closer to 1,750. That is an encouraging trend. We continue to have enough ventilators to meet each patient’s need, and we continue to have enough PPE and other vital supplies to keep you and your patients safe.
April 17, 2020
Weathering the Storm
This week was by no means easy. However, it also brought encouraging signs as the onslaught began to abate.
April 17, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
As of this morning, more than 2,800 patients with COVID-19 have been discharged from Mount Sinai hospitals. The work remains intense and exhausting, and death remains all too common. There is nothing easy about any of this. But the trends are moving in the right direction.
April 16, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
No matter our individual roles, the resilience of our Health System relies on all of us working together. What does it look like when people from all over Mount Sinai come together as one?
April 15, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Today I want to once again call attention to many of our colleagues who may sometimes go unmentioned or unrecognized publicly, but whose work never goes unnoticed. In this all-hands-on-deck effort, there are so many individuals who make life-saving care possible every day.
April 14, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Yesterday I wrote you that our inpatient COVID-19 census had increased a bit over the weekend. Today I am heartened to report that we are moving in the right direction again. We continue to have enough PPE and ventilators to keep you and your patients safe. And we are turning over every stone to ensure that we have enough of all of these things for as long as we need. We are still not satisfied with our supply of gowns. But we are sourcing more almost every day, and we certainly have enough for the time being.
April 13, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Throughout this pandemic, I have promised you transparency and honesty. That includes being honest about setbacks we encounter along the way, which is what I want to do today.
April 11, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
While many members of our Mount Sinai family are donning and doffing personal protective equipment and directly caring for patients suffering with COVID-19 infection, there are also many others who are engaged in vital COVID-19 scientific discovery and innovation. From diagnostic testing, vaccine development, and epidemiologic insights, to the development and rapid implementation of therapeutics, Mount Sinai is leading the way.
April 10, 2020
Unsung Heroes and Cautious Optimism
Over the past month, we have shared our immense pride in what you are all doing as well as our growing concern for the worst-case scenarios. Today, we are pleased to share some encouraging news that the tide may be starting to turn. In a real and sustained sign that New York is flattening the curve, for the first time since this crisis started, this week the state saw hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and daily intubations decrease. This is an important trend that suggests your hard work and the policies in place are beginning to pay off in the battle against this disease.
April 10, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
It was roughly 40 days ago that New York had its first COVID-19-positive case. Our world has changed so much since then. Sometimes it feels like we will never get back to normal. But we will.
April 9, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
If you haven’t yet read the note that Dr. Davis and Dr. Charney sent yesterday about this holiday season, I hope you will. It so eloquently captures the complicated mix of feelings that many of us are experiencing at this time of year and in the midst of this pandemic. There is no road map for this journey we are on. The dawn of each new day brings us new challenges, new insights, and new emotions. The battle between hope and fear rages in each of us.
April 8, 2020
The Holiday Season
The COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted our lives to an extent most of us have never experienced before, is inflicting even more pain this month for followers of three of the world's major religions.
April 8, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
The encouraging trend that we have seen over the past few days is continuing. The three-day hospitalization rate in New York State has flattened, and officials are beginning to see small decreases in the numbers of hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and daily intubations. I still remain measured in my optimism—as I believe we all should—but also deeply heartened. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
April 7, 2020
Gratitude and Community: Even More
Your tireless work to help COVID-19 patients during these challenging times has been noticed all around the world. My leadership team and I are, as I have said before, in awe and determined to make sure that you have the support you need to succeed.
April 7, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
As many of you know, we started the week with some encouraging news. Yesterday, Governor Cuomo announced that New York State has seen a flattening in the number of new COVID-19 cases for two days, and decreases in ICU admissions, hospitalizations, and daily intubations. It is still too early to know if this is truly the apex of the outbreak, or merely a plateau, but it was welcome news. You all know better than most that our fight is not over, and our patients need us now more than ever. With this hopeful news as our beacon, we will continue this humanitarian mission of our lifetimes.
April 6, 2020
COVID-19: Dialogue on Racism and Bias
We are saddened and alarmed to hear of increasing instances taking place in our city, our country, and around the world of anti-Chinese and anti-Asian scapegoating and xenophobic reactions, including fear, exclusion, microaggressions, and other racist behaviors related to COVID-19.
April 6, 2020
Gratitude and Community
The life-saving work that you all are doing for our patients and our city keeps increasing as we approach the peak of this cruel and devastating pandemic. I remain in awe of the efforts you are putting in and the sacrifices you are making. Together, we are making this Mount Sinai’s finest hour.
April 6, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Since the virus has escalated in our city and around the world, I’ve been thinking about bravery, strength, fear, and loss…but also hope. Every neighbor who practices social distancing, every one of you who makes care for our patients possible, every grocery store clerk and MTA conductor who keeps the world running for us—they are giving us hope. And your dedication each day, for your patients, your colleagues, your city, and your state, is giving the world hope during this immensely difficult time. You can see it each night at 7 pm, when your neighbors clap for you across the city.
April 4, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Amidst the suffering and loss of this terrible pandemic, we are seeing many patients recover and become well enough to get discharged from our hospitals—because of you. And for those we can’t save, we will ease their suffering and do what we can for them and their loved ones. This is how we will heal the world: one precious life at a time.
April 3, 2020
Lifting Hearts and Saving Lives
We know this is extremely hard. No one before has ever seen what we are currently experiencing. The surge of patients, the severity of the illness, and the overall chaos and fear of the moment have taken a huge toll on everyone. As this crisis has expanded and deepened, we know that it is personally affecting many of you. The Mount Sinai family is exhausted, worn out, and beaten up. Colleagues, family members, and loved ones are getting sick, and some of our long-standing patients and friends are being consumed by this ravaging disease. It is not fair. And it is not right. But this disease does not play by the rules and we must continue to take the fight to it.
April 3, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
It is hard to put fully into words what we are all grappling with as we navigate our way through this pandemic. The pace of the work, the intensity, the sadness and loss, and the ever-present awareness of risk. Fear and uncertainty cling to us at times. Yet…each day, as we face down our fear and find the strength to come in and do our part, we are engaging in some of the most meaningful and impactful work of our lives. As scary as these days are, this is our time to shine. We are healing so many and comforting those we can’t save—one precious life at a time.
April 2, 2020
COVID-19 Biospecimen Effort
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has begun an unprecedented effort to harness all of its scientific power to combat COVID-19. Every day for the next few weeks, we will aim to collect blood samples for research from hundreds of patients admitted to the Mount Sinai Hospital with COVID-19. Nothing will be required of healthcare workers except for one thing: moving forward, an additional set of tubes will be added to morning blood draws for many COVID-19 patients.
April 2, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
"I know that I am rising to the occasion and that all of you are rising too. We are
resilient, we are heroes to the public and our families. We are innovative and
setting the highest standards for other organizations with our best practices…
We can't overcome these challenges by ourselves. We all can, and must, work
together... If we do, I know that we will come out of this stronger than when we
came in."
April 1, 2020
Gratitude and Community
I hope that this letter finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy in the midst of these unprecedented and challenging times for our city, our state, our country, and our world. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought us to the brink of our shared humanity, and will test us all in the days and months ahead.
April 1, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
We are not alone in this humanitarian mission of our lifetime. New York State leaders are helping to increase collaboration across the state—a move we very much welcome. That includes identifying existing resources that are potentially going underutilized, bringing staff from upstate to downstate, and facilitating patient transfers between hospitals where feasible. The goal is simple: to ensure that every type of medical resource is directed to the areas with the greatest need, where it can be maximized most.
March 31, 2020
Update on COVID-19: Samaritan’s Purse
The Mount Sinai Hospital and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai were created with the mission to teach, heal, and support our communities. We are here to help our communities during this crisis, and we are committed to saving as many lives as we possibly can with a single-minded focus on the larger good.
March 31, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Every day presents new challenges in our fight against COVID-19, and I know that each day feels harder than the last. But as our fight intensifies, I am deeply heartened by how all of us are coming together to tackle this crisis head on.
March 30, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
I want to give you an update on our Personal Protective Equipment. As I mentioned last week, we are meeting with success in getting more of it. It is a 24/7 relentless effort. Some of what we are getting in will look unfamiliar to you because we are sourcing from multiple manufacturers. In order to make sure that what we put in the field is safe, we need to send it for testing at certified laboratories.
March 29, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
It is the weekend but it sure doesn’t feel like the weekend. Before COVID-19, for our many weekday work colleagues, the weekend provided time to pause and reflect; to recover physically and emotionally; to connect with others at home, in the community, or perhaps in houses of worship; and to restore ourselves in preparation for the coming week. For our colleagues who work weekends, this restoration may similarly occur on weekday days off.
March 28, 2020
A Very Tough Week
This was a very hard week for all of us at Mount Sinai, and certainly for our colleagues at Mount Sinai West. As the crisis grows, the pressure on all of us mounts because of the work we do and the fear that we must face down each day. Adding to that, we lost a true hero in our ranks, Kious Kelly, RN, whose passion, dedication, and commitment to his patients and colleagues will always be remembered and cherished. His passing brought a somber reminder to an already deadly reality and added yet another layer of grief, frustration, and fear to what was already a very challenging week.
March 28, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
We’ve been through a tough stretch, but we’ve made tremendous progress in being able to serve more patients in need at one time than we have ever served before. New units continue to open, you and your colleagues continue to inspire the world with your heroism, and the supply lines are opening up. We are moving patients between hospitals to try and relieve any pressure points while we still have the capacity to do so. It is an amazing amount of progress in a short time.
March 27, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
The Mount Sinai family continues to show incredible resilience. Every corner of our Health System is stepping up to overcome these extraordinary obstacles. Whether at home or at work, there are unbelievable demands being placed on every one of us, and it’s more important than ever that we take care of ourselves and each other.
March 26, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
To meet the growing volume of patients with COVID-19 at The Mount Sinai Hospital, we will begin constructing new patient pods today in select public spaces. These areas will include the Guggenheim Pavilion West and Center lobbies and the Annenberg West Lobby. We expect construction to be complete within the next week.
March 26, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Our friends, family, and loved ones outside Mount Sinai are no doubt living through a confusing and anxiety-inducing time. For those on the front lines of this fight, we are being tested like never before. And we need to rely on each other like never before.
March 25, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Yesterday, Governor Cuomo provided revised estimates regarding COVID-19 growth. Based on the current rate of spread, even though the vast majority of infected patients will have mild disease, the number of patients with severe enough illness to need hospitalization and ICU-level care is expected to rise faster than our ability to fully meet the demand.
March 24, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
As COVID-19 spreads, New York State is now home to 5 percent of all cases worldwide—recently topping 20,000. But critically, city and state preparation has advanced. Yesterday, Governor Cuomo toured the Javits Center, which will be transformed over the next 7-10 days into a 1,000-bed hospital. This, and the USS Comfort and other measures, will give our city important capacity at a time when we need it most. Governor Cuomo is ordering hospitals to increase capacity by at least 50 percent—something that the Mount Sinai Health System has committed to and has already been working toward.
March 23, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
This weekend, Drs. Davis and Charney sent out a call to action for those not already fully engaged in the fight against COVID-19. The response has been extraordinary. If you haven’t already signed up, you can do so here. I want to answer a few questions about this that I know you must have.
March 21, 2020
COVID-19: Sign Up for the Fight
Yesterday, we wrote to you all expressing the need for all of us to come together, that the fight we face is much larger than any of us individually. In response, we have been awed by the positive reactions and offers to help in any way possible. While not surprising, these responses have been reaffirming and uplifting.
March 21, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
New York now represents approximately half of all COVID-19-positive cases nationwide. To better slow the rate of transmission, yesterday Governor Cuomo signed an executive order requiring, by 8 pm tomorrow, the closure of all nonessential businesses statewide.
March 20, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Fighting COVID-19 this week has been the most challenging yet—and possibly the most challenging in our health system’s history. As the pandemic grows and more patients require our help, New Yorkers are going to rely on us even more. This is a challenge of unprecedented proportions, and we remain truly grateful to each of you for the brave, tireless work you are doing every single day to help our city get through this crisis.
March 20, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Personal protective equipment is the lifeblood of a pandemic fight. I am seeing a massive response to our efforts to acquire as much of it as we will need. Everyone is stepping up. Members of our Boards of Trustees are using every available relationship to find solutions, and we are already seeing significant donations as a result of those efforts.
March 19, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
Predictive models suggest that the number of COVID-19 cases here in our region is likely to grow for the next 45 days or so before tapering off. We are working to build new capacity in our health system to meet the growing demand. And the city, state, and federal governments are mobilizing to help.
March 18, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
COVID-19-positive cases continue to rise significantly each day. Governor Cuomo said yesterday that state modeling predicts that the number of cases, and the pressure on the health care system, will peak in about 45 days. These models are not perfect, but they do give us insight into what we need to prepare for.
March 17, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
As we enter the third week of our region’s COVID-19 health care crisis, I want to tell you how many stories I am hearing about your efforts that leave me in awe. You are displaying true heroism at a moment when our neighbors need us most. I will be sharing some of those stories with you in the coming days.
March 16, 2020
COVID-19 Health System Updates
As COVID-19 continues to have a dramatic impact around the globe and specifically here in New York, it is important that you have the information you need to keep yourselves, your colleagues, and our patients as safe as possible.
March 13, 2020
COVID-19 Mount Sinai Health System – Thank You
Your work, your leadership, and your calm have been exemplary. In particular, we want to personally thank the physicians, nurses, and all of the frontline staff caring for those affected, or worried they are affected, by COVID-19. Your work is seen, admired, and wholeheartedly appreciated not just by us and leadership, but by your colleagues and your communities. Thank you
March 13, 2020
Temporary Closure of all Mount Sinai Health System Libraries Effective Saturday, March 1
Effective Saturday March 14, all Mount Sinai Health System libraries, including the Levy Library at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai located in the Annenberg Building, Mount Sinai Morningside Information Commons, and Mount Sinai West Library, will be closed to patrons and visitors until further notice.
March 13, 2020
COVID-19 Mount Sinai Health System Work-From-Home and Travel Policies
In order to help stop the community spread and ensure we have adequate workforce staffing, we are sharing a set of guidelines for how managers can permit eligible staff to work from home as well as implementing international and domestic travel and PTO restrictions for Mount Sinai staff, faculty, and trainees.
March 10 2020
COVID-19 Mount Sinai Health System Visitor and Cafeteria Policy Changes
In every health care setting, family members and friends are vital to the well-being and recovery of our patients. However, given the evolving COVID-19 situation, it’s essential that we balance the needs of our patients and their families while maintaining the safest environment for all patients, staff, and visitors.
March 08 2020
COVID-19 Policy on Lectures, Events, and Meetings
Out of an abundance of caution, effective as soon as possible, but no later than Tuesday, March 10, we are instituting a temporary policy to cancel all in-person large group lectures, events, and meetings across the Mount Sinai Health System, and if possible, offer a virtual alternative.
March 09 2020
The Governor's Announcement on COVID-19
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo declared a State of Emergency in New York State to help limit any further spread of COVID-19. This declaration should not cause alarm. Rather, it is a positive step for the Mount Sinai Health System, as it will ensure that we have better support and resources from the state during this time.
March 06 2020
End-of-Week Wrapup on COVID-19
This has been a challenging week for all of us, but you all have risen to the occasion. Because of your dedicated work, your endless compassion, and your calm in the face of COVID-19, Mount Sinai is once again showing the world how to lead in a time of adversity. We are deeply proud of what you have all accomplished together and we know we are up to the task in the weeks ahead.
March 05 2020
COVID-19 Travel Policy
With COVID-19 continuing to spread around the world, it is important that we keep our faculty, students, trainees, employees, and families safe. While the risk remains low in the New York metropolitan region, other countries and regions have seen significant outbreaks. This means that we must impose restrictions on travel to countries listed as Level 2 and Level 3 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
March 02 2020
Confirmed Case of COVID-19
On Saturday, February 29, The Mount Sinai Hospital Emergency Department evaluated a person who had recently traveled to Iran and had mild respiratory symptoms. The appropriate isolation protocols were followed, and the case was reported to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). On Sunday, March 1, we were informed that the patient had tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will perform confirmatory testing.
February 27 2020
Update on the COVID-19 Coronavirus
While this illness has been widely covered in the news media, and the number of cases worldwide has grown substantially since we last communicated with you, there are still no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New York State or the New York metropolitan region.
February 20 2020
Continuing to Preserve Our Supply of Masks
Thank you to everyone who heeded our message last week about preserving our supplies of N95 respirators and medical/surgical masks. With your help, we have stabilized our supply of N95s, for now.
February 11 2020
Preserving Our Supplies of Respirators and Masks
The novel coronavirus (19nCoV) outbreak has caused a worldwide shortage of N95 respirators and other types of face masks used in medical settings. As a result, we must assume that supplies will be restricted for some time to come and, therefore, ensure that these devices are available when specifically indicated.
February 03 2020
Update for Travelers on the Novel Coronavirus
The U.S. State Department has issued a Do Not Travel level 4 travel advisory for China, because of the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, and because travelers may encounter forcible quarantines and/or cancellations of flights and other transportation.
February 03 2020
Advisory for Health Care Workers on the Novel Coronavirus Outbreak
Over the weekend, officials from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) for the first time referred cases of suspected 2019-nCoV infection to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for confirmatory testing.
January 31 2020
Update on the Novel Coronavirus Outbreak
Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to monitor the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which began in December. More than 400 human infections have been confirmed, including in health care workers.

Daily Headlines

Mount Sinai distributes daily updates on our response to COVID-19. Here are a digest of these advisories:

Town Hall Videos

Mount Sinai is hosting a series of Town Hall Meetings to keep our faculty and staff informed and answer COVID-19 related questions. Past Town Halls are available online.

Ambulatory Care Town Hall, November 18, 2020 (password: ISMMS)

COVID-19 Town Halls

Ambulatory Care Town Hall, June 24, 2020 (password: ISMMS)

Ambulatory Care Town Hall, June 3, 2020 (password: ISMMS)