Vaccine hesitancy concerns after J&J 'pause'
Doctors worried about hesitancy after 'pause' on J&J vaccine
A vial of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Credit: AP/Mark Lennihan
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee is meeting Friday to discuss the J&J vaccine, and Dr. Anthony Fauci said in interviews that he expects a lifting of the pause then — likely with some type of warning or restrictions attached to the vaccine.
Some Long Islanders have expressed more wariness of getting vaccinated since the pause was announced on April 13, leaders of nonprofits said.
Dr. Leonard Krilov, an infectious disease specialist, is worried that could translate into unease about COVID-19 vaccines in general.
Seven women and one man have had blood clots after taking the vaccine, and one woman died. Most were younger than 50. It’s unclear whether the vaccine caused the blood clots.
The blood clots are "something you don’t want to see," said Krilov, chief of pediatrics at NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island in Mineola. "But compared to the impact of what we’re trying to prevent, it’s a very low risk," he added, noting that it’s far more likely to get a blood clot from COVID-19.
Read more from this story by Newsday's David Olson.
The number of new positives reported today: 277 in Nassau, 356 in Suffolk, 2,198 in New York City and 4,996 statewide.
Search a map of new cases, and view charts showing the latest local trends in vaccinations, testing, hospitalizations, deaths and more.
The chart below shows the number of new cases confirmed each day this month.
This chart shows the number of new coronavirus cases confirmed each day.
NY continues reducing COVID-19 positivity rates, Cuomo says
New York State and Long Island marked another day of bringing COVID-19 under control, with indicators not seen since November, before the holiday season surge, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Thursday.
But, he warned, the battle isn't over — as a sober reminder, 45 people in the state died Wednesday of coronavirus-related causes.
The state registered a 2.06% positivity level Wednesday, the lowest figure since Nov. 5, he said. The statewide seven-day average of positivity for the virus was 2.5%, the lowest since Nov. 10, while the figure on Long Island was 2.76%, also the lowest since Nov. 10.
Report: 4 in 10 LI home sales are ending in bidding wars
Real estate agents Rosa Arrigo, at door, and Elisa Rosen, right, at an open house in West Hempstead on April 18. Credit: Raychel Brightman
Long Island’s supply of homes for sale dropped to the lowest level on record just as the spring selling season got underway, driving up prices as nearly four in 10 sales ended in bidding wars, a new report shows.
Newsday's Maura McDermott reports that the median home price on Long Island was $525,000 in the first three months of 2021, up nearly 17% from a year earlier, the appraisal company Miller Samuel and the brokerage Douglas Elliman said in a report to be released Thursday. The number of sales jumped by 35% year-over-year, it said. The report excludes East End sales.
The luxury market was even hotter, as affluent buyers from New York City continued to seek out spacious suburban homes during the pandemic.
ICYMI: Here's a look at six Long Island communities where prices have risen during the pandemic.
She makes mask chains and feeds the hungry
Linda Goldstein at her North Bellmore home. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Linda Goldstein, of North Bellmore, has a history of helping others during unprecedented and challenging times.
It started after Sept. 11, 2001, when she started volunteering to prepare hot meals for first responders in the aftermath of 9/11.
And during the pandemic, she stepped up again — this time helping the Mary Brennan INN soup kitchen in Hempstead by fundraising, making beaded chains for attaching masks and wearing them around the neck and packing lunches at the soup kitchen every week. Read more from reporter Rachel Weiss about Goldstein's efforts.
Plus, you should also know about this Roslyn elementary school student who's been selling handmade mask chains to raise money for the Sid Jacobson JCC's Community Needs Bank.
More to know
The Dave Matthews Band was set to open the 2021 season at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater on July 7 — rescheduled from 2020 — but the show has now been moved to Sept. 21.
Private-sector employers would have to follow safety protocols aimed at slowing the spread of diseases like COVID-19, and employees would have a role in enforcing the rules, under bills adopted by the State Legislature.
The number of Americans applying for unemployment fell last week to 547,000, the lowest point since the pandemic struck.
New research suggests COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is safe, although the authors of the study say more comprehensive research is needed.
News for you
Lyeesha Cook of Westbury, Vanessa Beveney of Uniondale and Nicole Smith of Rockville Centre on the new patio at Bigelow's in Rockville Centre. Credit: Chris Ware
A new guide to eating outside. A year into the pandemic, more restaurants on Long Island have leaned into outdoor dining options for patrons who prefer to eat outside. There are some newly revamped spots worth checking out this spring, and here's a list of eight worth checking out.
Public car meets are back. Car meets are returning to Long Island after losing out on 2020 — including "Cruisin’ Wednesdays" at the Milleridge Inn in Jericho. See more events.
Job resources events coming to Newsday Live. Register here for a Tuesday event on how to use LinkedIn to advance your career and land a job. And next Thursday, join us for a virtual discussion on how to get your resume noticed on Indeed.com. Submit a question and register for the event.
Plus: The Oscars are this weekend, coming after an unusual year. Here are Newsday's critic picks.
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Commentary
Credit: Getty Images/Carol Yepes
Struggling families deserve help, not punishment. Dr. Shaquita L. Bell, a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington, writes for Tribune News Service: What if I said only deserving individuals — meaning people who meet some government standard of personal responsibility — could get a COVID-19 vaccine? Ridiculous, of course. Everyone is vulnerable to the coronavirus and equally worthy of protection.
But I see disturbing parallels in the child protection system. Too often that system punishes children and families because they don’t measure up. Because they are poor or have other resolvable problems.
Too often these struggling parents are accused of neglect and their children are taken away, when they should have been provided instead with appropriate support to stay. COVID-19 adds to the urgency: The pandemic has taken a heavy toll on families and exacerbated deep racial and class inequities.
As a pediatrician, I’ve known families who were ripped apart and children needlessly traumatized because parents were deemed neglectful when all they needed was a helping hand. Keep reading.
Erin Serpico is an assistant web producer who joined Newsday in November 2018. Originally from New Jersey, she now covers community events and produces local content for newsday.com while also helping run the homepage.
