Tighter limits on crowds

LI's first deaths

Two men who were hospitalized and in isolation became the first Long Island patients reported to die of coronavirus, according to Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. 

Meanwhile, the governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are limiting gatherings to 50 people or less and shutting down all bars and restaurants except for takeout and delivery service to try to curb the spread.

President Donald Trump advised limiting gatherings to 10 people.

The governors are also closing all movie theaters, gyms and casinos. 

The numbers as of 4 p.m. Monday: 109 in Nassau, 63 in Suffolk, 463 in New York City and 950 statewide. 

Rules for tests

Social media is full of stories from people who have had trouble getting coronavirus tests. Long Island hospitals are following sometimes stiff criteria for whom to test as they brace for a surge of new cases.

Hospital representatives say symptoms of the illness — such as a fever, cough and shortness of breath — are prerequisites, and they urged people who fear they are infected but are not having a medical emergency to contact their primary care doctors first.

We also talked to experts. Here are common questions, and answers.

Quarantined, symptomatic, blessed

Christopher Yackel found out he had coronavirus on Friday the 13th. He's been quarantined since March 9 with his wife, Rosanne, a cousin and the cousin’s son, 8. 

A next-door neighbor dropped off bagels and coffee. Another neighbor made a care package of Legos, art sets and M&Ms. A longtime friend picked up groceries for them, even when the supermarket shelves were practically empty.

Yackel said he is “blessed” to have friends, family and neighbors who have gone out of their way to help his family survive.

New on newsday.com: From weddings to seeing your kid in a school play to a once-in-a-lifetime trip, we want to hear how coronavirus restrictions are affecting your life.

Mental health, addiction help

The state said it has streamlined the approval process for mental health and addiction treatment patients seeking care remotely. 

Mental health and addiction patients have expressed anxiety about leaving their homes, so OASAS has waived rules. Among them: Streamline the written approval process, expand the list of providers who can deliver telehealth services, relax the need for an initial in-person assessment before delivery of telehealth services.

Elective surgery

Many Long Island hospitals are canceling elective surgeries in anticipation of a spike in cases.

The move is part of an effort across the country to free up hospital beds and other medical resources. It includes New York City, where hospitals will be required to cancel elective surgeries under an order from the mayor. 

The decision does not apply to emergency surgeries. "Clinically necessary" procedures in outpatient settings and planned imaging procedures such as ultrasounds and MRIs may also proceed.

What if you're pregnant?

Long Island medical experts offered some reassurances for pregnant women, pointing out that the number of them getting severely sick with the virus has been low. 

Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Medical Center, suggested that pregnant women stay in close contact with their medical provider should they feel any symptoms, such as fever, cough and runny nose.

Nachman said the case reports so far offer some optimism. "It's right to be concerned, but it's not right to do more than that at this time," Nachman said.

More to know

Stocks took another nose-dive Monday, with the three major indexes falling and the Dow closing down nearly 3,000 points.

Taxpayers will have a hefty bill to pay whenever the fear, pain and loss of the COVID-19 virus ends in New York. And the coronavirus is a continued threat to economic growth on Long Island, economists say.

Coronavirus vaccine researchers in Seattle gave the first shot to the first person in a test Monday — leading off a worldwide hunt for protection even as the pandemic surges.

Major League Baseball on Monday pushed back Opening Day until mid-May at the earliest. Meanwhile, the NFL said the draft will go on as scheduled, and it will be televised. A minor leaguer for the Yankees had the first known case among ballplayers, forcing the team to deal with that sobering reality. The UFC remains one of the few organizations in sports attempting to operate business as usual. 

Disney released "Frozen II" on Disney Plus several months early to give families cooped up by the coronavirus a welcome distraction — and give its streaming service a boost. Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande are among the latest music stars urging fans to take the pandemic seriously. And Elton John postponed the Nassau Coliseum and Barclays Center shows of his farewell tour.

Public transit is staying open for “right now,” but MTA officials are evaluating service levels, the subways chief said.

News for you

Six feet of safety: Being anti-social can save lives. In an infectious disease outbreak like coronavirus, epidemiologists prescribe social distancing: Avoid mass gatherings. Restrict movement. Stay out of places like malls, theaters, stadiums, houses of worship and bars. And keep your distance from others. We explain, and give tips. 

See live updates: Check out this new feature on newsday.com, which provides realtime information from Newsday reporters and officials.

Long Island restaurants are pivoting to takeout.

Plus: Here's a running list of closings and changes to meetings, events and policies in towns, cities and libraries around Long Island.

Grocery chains are cutting hours to have more time to restock shelves and sanitize stores, and some retailers are closing.

We explain the difference between COVID-19 and the flu and have advice on what you need to self-quarantine (and if you're curious, here's how celebs are doing it.) 

Commentary

Solitude

We humans are a communal bunch, writes Newsday columnist Michael Dobie.

We enjoy each other, mostly. Cheering together in a stadium or arena, for sure. Jammed on a train or subway, perhaps less so. 

So how will we find some substitute for that sense of communion with our fellow humans?