The first MTA Hero spotlight goes to two women who run a service that became critical for the agency's own workers.
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At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March, any MTA employee who didn't know about the Clinical Services Unit found out very quickly.
"They didn't know where to get a test. They were sick, coughing, shortness of breath some nurses had to make sure they could make it through the end of the phone call. We were calling 911 for a lot of the employees," said MTA Director of Clinical Services Wendy Marshall.
The MTA quickly set up a 24-hour hotline and staffed it with 80 nurses.
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The team, led by Marshall and Charlene Pickel, have now been named MTA Heroes of the Week for holding it all down during the unprecedented crisis.
"Charlene and I have been in the trenches from the beginning with the contract tracing," Marshall said. "With one positive that could mean 200 people being out."
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And Marshall continued the work even when she herself was down and out.
She continued working the phones even when she had COVID-19.
"Well, it's the reason you become a nurse," Marshall said.
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