Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams joined tenant leaders from Wyckoff Gardens and Atlantic Terminal to distribute protective masks to NYCHA residents, employees and anyone walking by Wednesday. 

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He says these efforts were prompted by countless calls and messages to his office about concerned NYCHA residents who are afraid and feel that they haven’t been protected. 

Adams says he wants them to know that they haven’t been forgotten. According to a 2019 NYCHA fact sheet,  21.2% of the NYCHA population is 62 or older. 

This makes them more susceptible to being at risk if they contract the virus. The borough president's office tells News 12 that NYCHA also has a high average of asthma patients, who are also at risk if they get COVID-19.

 

"It is impacting in a severe way those with pre-existing conditions, those who have respiratory issues, those who are over 60 years old and that is NYCHA. And, that is why we need to focus this attention so it doesn't become a feeder for the hospital system,” said Adams. 

News 12 spoke to a NYCHA resident who also works in the community center. They say that while the masks may seem like a small gesture, they could make a big difference. 

They say many working-class families don’t have the time to take care of themselves and that they must put work before their own health.