A national emergency

State testing

New York is preparing for what Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo called "a dramatic increase" in testing for the coronavirus, raising the state's capacity to about 6,000 cases a day by next week.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced a ban on after-school activities and a suspension of civil-service exams and job fairs.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran declared a state of emergency. So did eight more Long Island towns.

The state will postpone all new civil and criminal trials. 

The numbers, as of 4 p.m. Friday: 51 in Nassau, 28 in Suffolk, 95 in New York City and 421 statewide.

Avoiding the train

Far from a ghost town, Penn Station — the most heavily used transit hub in the U.S. — remains quite busy amid coronavirus concerns.

But for seasoned commuters, the difference in the crowd is plenty noticeable, and plenty eerie.

The MTA’s numbers confirm the plummet in ridership. 

Lines at the market

Long Islanders crowded into supermarkets and warehouse stores to stock up.

Traffic backed up from drivers waiting to enter the parking lot of the Melville Costco. Inside, shoppers waited in long lines with carts bursting with huge packages of toilet paper, bottled water, beer, baby wipes, crackers, cereal, bleach and other hygiene and nonperishable food items.

At Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace in Melville, Kathy Meller of South Huntington was buying 16 packages of meat and fish that she planned to freeze. “I usually eat fresh,” she said. “I have this because they’ll last. I want to stock up just in case.”

Coping with fear

If a thermometer could measure fear of the coronavirus, some Long Islanders would have a temperature of 98.6. Others would spike to 104.

The temperaments of individuals before this crisis will affect how they react now, psychologists say — people who tend to be anxious will be triggered further, and those who don’t will have an easier time.

Why is it a challenge to stay calm? The psychology of fear is biological, social and emotional, experts say.

More to know

Stocks soared as the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up almost 2,000 points.

SAT exams have been postponed or canceled at as many as 10 locations on Long Island due to coronavirus concerns, school district officials and the testing service that administers the test announced.

The Diocese of Rockville Centre told worshippers they could skip Mass for the next three weeks. And at least two major mosques on Long Island canceled religious services Friday. 

All nursing homes in New York State have been ordered to suspend visits. Residents are being given iPads if they don’t already own one to contact family through Skype, email, Facebook and other means.

Billie Eilish postponed concerts at Madison Square Garden and Barclay's Center. Other major acts to change plans include Michael Bublé and Billy Joel. 

Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, say they're taking their coronavirus infection “one day at a time." Their son, Colin Hanks, thanked people for their concern. 

The Boston Marathon was postponed; the Masters was too. NCAA spring athletes were given an extra year of eligibility as conferences, including Hofstra's CAA, canceled spring seasons. High school sports were also affected. 

News for you

COVID-19 vs. the flu: Flu season usually tapers off by April, but health experts say the coronavirus pandemic could last until September, although that's just a guess. 

There are similarities (symptoms, mode of transmission, lack of cure) and differences (contagiousness, deadliness, immunity). We explain.

LI restaurants: What to expect if you're planning to go out to eat this weekend. 

Plus: We're continuing to keep a list of schools, colleges and universities with closures, as well as a list of Long Island events that have been canceled.

In case you missed it, we have advice on what you need to self-quarantine. And answers to your questions about coronavirus testing. 

Sports TV and radio stations are seeking solutions to programming with no sports to discuss. Looking for something else to watch? Here are 14 shows to stream.

Commentary

Opening someday

Normal. That feels like a million miles away at the moment. And for baseball, the mere mention of April 9 as the next possible Opening Day — a new date to circle — seems to be a fantasy, writes Newsday columnist David Lennon.

As much as we want to, it doesn’t feel like a real, tangible thing to embrace. How can we?

“For the people who are affected by this virus, I wish them a speedy recovery," said Mets first baseman Pete Alonso. "The best things in life [baseball season] are worth waiting for.”