As 2016 comes to a close, we’re looking back on the health initiatives that impacted New Yorkers this year ...
We tested thousands of mosquitoes in the five boroughs for Zika and found that none carried the virus, which can lead to birth defects in pregnant women. We’re continuing to urge women who are pregnant or might be pregnant to avoid traveling to areas with ongoing Zika virus transmission. Zika can be transmitted sexually, so sexual partners of women who are pregnant or might be pregnant should practice safe sex to help prevent transmission.
After testing over 8,000 people for the virus, 962 New Yorkers tested positive for Zika. Six of these cases were transmitted sexually.
In October, the City launched NYC Well, a free, confidential service to connect New Yorkers to support for mental health and substance use. The service is available 24/7 in over 200 languages – you can call, text or chat to get help. Services include counseling, suicide prevention, crisis intervention, peer support and referrals to care.
We also created NYC’s Mental Health Service Corps this year. The program is the first of its kind in the nation, making New York City a national leader in expanding access to mental health care resources. Mental health professionals will provide mental health and substance use services in communities with the highest need. So far, we’ve deployed 112 corps members and plan to deploy 400 more in the next three years.
NYC is the first city in the nation to implement a sodium warning rule and give diners information to make healthy choices. The salt shaker icon must be posted next to menu items with 2,300 mg of sodium or more, the total daily recommended limit. The rule applies to chain restaurants with 15 or more locations nationwide – about 3,300 NYC restaurants.
This year, there have been 860 confirmed drug overdose deaths in NYC, and that number continues to rise. On average, three New Yorkers die every day from a drug overdose. These deaths are preventable.
Half of these deaths have involved a dangerous and potent opioid called fentanyl, which is showing up in heroin, cocaine and street pills marked as Xanax.
To address this growing crisis, we’re increasing access to and awareness of naloxone. This lifesaving drug can reverse an opioid overdose and is available without a prescription at over 700 pharmacies in NYC. If you have insurance, it could even be covered.
Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic
As a City, our goal is to reduce the annual number of new HIV infections to no more than 600 by 2020, a level that would reduce HIV to below epidemic levels.
New HIV diagnoses in New York City have fallen below 2,500 for the first time in the history of the epidemic. Even more exciting news – there were no HIV infections diagnosed among infants born in NYC in 2015.
Our STD clinics are our first line of defense against HIV and other STDs. All eight clinics expanded their hours this year so they can serve even more New Yorkers every day. The clinics are open to everyone 12 years of age and older on a walk-in basis, regardless of ability to pay or immigration status.
