Coronavirus on Long Island: Updates from July 16
Window art at Opulence Wellness Spa in Babylon on Thursday depicts a masked masseuse. Credit: Barry Sloan
Newsday is providing all readers with access to this breaking news blog on important developments about the coronavirus and our community.
What's happening:
- Child care providers say financial pressures created by the pandemic have put their businesses in jeopardy.
- The pandemic paused his business. So he started a mobile barbershop.
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Thursday afternoon updates
Bellone: Better news on coronavirus metrics in Suffolk
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said case numbers are back to where they were before a “concerning” two-day jump in new coronavirus cases on Long Island this week, and several instances of spread at social gatherings in the county. The numbers had returned to about 1% of new cases Wednesday and continued to track at a low percentage on Thursday.
“That is good news, two days in a row seeing those numbers be back in line to where we have been,” he said.
Suffolk also marked a fifth straight day of no deaths.
“That is something we have not seen since the start of this. This is the best news we could possibly have,” he said. “It’s a great day when we can say no one has died from COVID-19.”
On enforcing social distancing directives, Bellone said the county has been doing its part.
“We have been enforcing every day," he said. "People want to know how many summonses and who have you closed down. When you send police officers to an establishment, that is a significant enforcement action in and of itself. When we have done that, as we do when get calls about violations, we have gotten compliance.”
He said they will do “progressive enforcement” if establishments or locations fail to comply, which could include summonses. — RACHELLE BLIDNER
Watch Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone's press briefing:
Thursday morning updates
De Blasio: Child care to be available for 100,000 kids by September
Preschoolers and kindergarteners through eight graders will be offered government-funded child care on days when students are scheduled to be learning remotely but whose parents can’t stay home with them, the de Blasio administration announced Thursday.
There will be 100,000 slots, de Blasio said, and the goal is to have them available by September, Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news briefing.
“Right now, we can say 100,000 kids will benefit,” de Blasio said. New York City is planning to open its public schools starting in September, with a “blended” learning model, de Blasio said. Some students could be in school as few as two days a week, due to limited space and the need to require social distance between pupils. Melanie Hartzog, de Blasio’s budget director, said the day care would be provided at public and private places.
Lorraine Grillo, who heads the school construction authority, said the day care would be provided such sites as libraries and not-for-profit locations. She asked anyone who might have available spaces to sign up at www.nycsca.org/realestate/sites. -- MATTHEW CHAYES
