Fund for Public Health in New York, Inc.

The global coronavirus has brought uncertainty and anxiety into people’s lives, workplaces, and neighborhoods, particularly for those who work to improve the health of our communities.

During this difficult time, many organizations across New York State are working tirelessly to keep people safe, especially the most vulnerable. In response, NYHealth is supporting statewide and local efforts to address emerging health care and public health needs in the wake of the pandemic. In 2020, NYHealth awarded the Fund for Public Health in New York a grant to conduct a study on the risk factors for COVID-19 infection among New York City adults.

Under this grant, the Fund for Public Health in New York will work with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) to better determine the risk factors that cause COVID-19 to spread. The Fund will conduct surveys and interviews with New York City residents who have tested positive and negative, gathering data about their living situations, household members, employment, outdoor activities, and mask usage. The Fund will also evaluate data to help identify if certain populations have elevated risks for infection. Findings will be shared with NYC DOHMH to better understand the risk factors that are more likely to lead to infection and develop guidelines to limit the spread as the City reopens. This study can be a model for other jurisdictions in New York State and nationally on the types of exposures that lead to a greater likelihood of coronavirus infection. It can also serve as a guide for local county health departments in developing interventions in response to the ongoing outbreak.

View a complete list of COVID-19 response and relief efforts grantees.