Virus positive rates are declining in New York, but still high in Long Island

Despite continued declines in COVID-19 cases across the state, Long Island still outperforms other regions, showing the highest new positive rates in seven days, according to statistics released Thursday.

Of the 270,089 test results in the state, including 687 in Nassau County and 654 in Suffolk County, there were 7,593 new positive cases of COVID-19 reported Wednesday. The 7-day average for new cases in the state was 3.12%, while the average for Long Island was 4.18%.

Meanwhile, the state has also taken action to increase vaccination. Movement to reopen more businesses and relax rules for public meetings It was enacted almost a year ago at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of Thursday, of the 5.5 million doses received so far, 4.96 million vaccines were given in the first and second doses throughout the state. On Long Island, of the 709,360 doses received, 606,152 were given as the first and second doses.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said Thursday that two locations on Long Island will be vaccinated with 12 pop-ups of COVID-19 in the community around the state in the coming days, with the goal of inoculating more than 4,000 people. It is one of the sites.

The site will be located in places such as religious institutions, schools, and neighborhood centers that are connected to poorly serviced communities.

Uniondale High School in Uniondale will hold an immunization clinic on Thursday morning, and BAPS Swaminerayan Hindu Temple in Melville will host an immunization clinic from 8am to noon on Friday, March 5th. The state also has pop-up sites in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.

Cuomo’s office pointed out that Wednesday’s state-wide daily positive rate was 2.81%. The lowest since November 21st.

There were 60 additional deaths from COVID-19 recorded by the state on Wednesday. Five of them were in Nassau County and three in Suffolk County.

In a statement, Cuomo said, “I can’t be satisfied if I continue this fight. I know my job, such as wearing a mask, increasing social distance, washing my hands, and getting vaccinated if I qualify. There are measures and guidelines. ”

Nursing homes are working on visit rules

Over one-third of 610 nursing homes in the state attract visitors New guidance issued by the state a little over a week ago..

If the positive level in the county is less than 5% on a 7-day moving average, the nursing home can allow visitors without testing. If the positive level rises from 5% to 10%, the visitor must be negative on the COVID-19 test prior to the visit.

However, the commitment of the majority of nursing homes continues to meet difficult standards. Nursing homes are free of COVID-19 cases for 14 days.

According to the State Department, which defended the rule, only 17 of the 77 nursing homes on Long Island have cleared the hurdle and are following guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Nursing homes are taking appropriate steps to save the lives of residents of nursing homes,” said Jeffrey Hammond, a spokesman for the state DOH, in adhering to the new visit guidance from the state’s Ministry of Public Health. It was. “With continued community expansion, keeping this virus away from the collective setting is our number one priority, and asymptomatic spread continues to be a concern in every corner of the state, so nursing homes Must be COVID free for 14 days to qualify for a visit. “

Strict rules have been criticized by some nursing home operators and families who haven’t seen their loved ones for nearly a year.

“We know that the New York State Department of Health’s 14-day COVID-free mission was aimed at keeping the most vulnerable people safe. In fact, most nursing homes in the state meet. We have set a standard that we couldn’t do. The spread of COVID-19 in the surrounding community. ” Garwin CEO Stuart B. Almar said. “It’s been a year. We need to reunite our residents and their families. We are confident that we can do it safely and hope there is a way to do that.”

Deer Park’s Dolores Zancheri and his mother, Gina Compielkio, a resident of the Garwin Jewish Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Commack, said, “I’m depressed and always want to go home. Everyone tells her. I hate not coming to see you. “”

Zanchelli said the state should consider the mental health of its inhabitants as part of its policymaking.

“You have cinemas, catering homes and shops, why can’t we see our loved ones?” Zancheri said. “Visit them is crucial to their well-being.”

The district wants to return to the classroom

The Long Island school district seeks to allow more students, including Middle Country, Lindenhurst, Uniondale, Connet Quot, and Hempstead, to return directly to the classroom to study.

The Middle Country School District posted on its website that third-year high school students returned on Monday, while second-year students could return March 15th and ninth-year students to April 5.

In addition, the district said all 8th grade students receiving hybrid instruction will return to five-day face-to-face instruction on Monday, March 15.

Lindenhurst Middle School will also return to teaching 8th grade for 5 days from Monday. Parents can still request remote instruction, but there is no hybrid option for 8th grade.

Uniondale schools, where 90% of students receive distance learning, will open their doors to 6th and 9th grade students from Monday, March 8th.

Starting March 15, the Connetquot School District warned parents that it is proposing a gradual re-entry plan to return all students from grades 6 to 12 to full-time classes. This plan will be proposed by the Board of Education. Includes the installation of a desk barrier on March 9th. You can also rejoin the 4th and 5th grade classes instead of spending half a day with the teacher and the other half with the teaching assistant.

Meanwhile, Hempstead’s school has announced that with great care, the high school will shift its focus to distance learning until March 10. All classes are held remotely.Students can return to school on March 11th to attend classes Read the notes on the district website on the next scheduled cohort day.

In New York City, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday that the Fire Department will administer Johnson & Johnson vaccines to returning elderly people across the autonomous districts in Co-op City, Brooklyn and Brighton Beach on Friday. , Brooklyn.

The city’s director of aging, Lorraine Cortez Basquez, said the list of eligible seniors is being compiled by home health care institutions, meal delivery programs, and other seniors’ agencies. You can also sign up at the following URL: nyc.gov/Vax4NYC..

“The fire department gets a list of individuals, then they go out and actually vaccinate the listed individuals,” she said.

According to FDNY Commissioner Dan Nigro, vaccinations will be available in areas where many older people can live, and door-to-door visits will be held.

According to De Blasio, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine arrived on Thursday and the door-to-door sales program was about to begin. He said the city had 16,300 Johnson & Johnson doses and an additional 8,000 doses in transit.

Correction: Earlier versions of this story misunderstood the total number of new COVID-19 cases in the state from Wednesday’s test results. According to state statistics, a total of 7,593 of the 270,089 test results were positive.

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Lisa joined Newsday in 2019 as a staff writer. Previously, he was in charge of politics, government and general missions at amNewYork, New York Daily News and Asbury Park Press.