NY's 'major reopening' set for May 19
NY to largely reopen from COVID-19 closures on May 19
People walk and ride bicycles over the Brooklyn Bridge on April 25. Several actions announced by the state will allow for more people to gather outside and in venues by the end of May, as New York seeks to come out of the coronavirus shutdowns of 2020. Credit: AFP via Getty Images/Ed Jones
New York will be mostly back in business by then with Cuomo's plan, which he called "a major step forward in reopening" the state from virus shutdowns.
But the state will still maintain a six-foot social distancing requirement, meaning capacity will be limited by the ability to enforce that rule, he said. The reopening will be coordinated with neighboring states New Jersey and Connecticut.
Cuomo has been relaxing the limits over the past few months as virus positivity levels improved, case numbers fell and vaccinations increased. Monday's move was his biggest yet and the biggest sign of a push toward normalcy.
The removal of set capacity limits for most businesses and institutions will mean a return of restaurants, museums, theaters, Broadway, retail, shops and offices, though some may experience delays in returning to normal, Cuomo said. See a breakdown of what's changing.
To see some of the current capacity guidelines around the state and a rundown of what you can and can't do once fully vaccinated, check this guide.
Plus: The U.S. Small Business Administration began taking applications Monday for a COVID-19 relief program for restaurants, bars and caterers. Find out what to know with these FAQs.
The number of new positives reported today: 130 in Nassau, 172 in Suffolk, 916 in New York City and 2,200 statewide.
This chart shows the percentages of people on Long Island who have been partially or fully vaccinated so far.
This chart shows the percentages of Long Islanders who received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and those who have been fully vaccinated.
Search a map of new cases and view charts showing the latest local trends in vaccinations, testing, hospitalizations, deaths and more.
1 in 6 small businesses on LI did not survive the pandemic
Shuttered storefronts illuminated in the sun along Main Street in Patchogue in April 2020. Credit: Newsday / Steve Pfost
Some closed their doors. Some survived, though just barely. And some see better times ahead.
It's been difficult for Long Island’s downtown business owners in the year since the pandemic started — they’ve endured layoffs, furloughs and steep income losses, and many no longer exist. About 10,000 of Nassau and Suffolk counties’ 60,000 small downtown businesses closed in the past year, according to an estimate prepared by John Rizzo, chief economist of the Long Island Association.
Even with about 5,000 new businesses replacing them, the net loss of 5,000 shops and restaurants far surpasses the approximately 3,300 net loss of such businesses during the 2009 recession, Rizzo said.
Read about how some specific businesses around the Island have fared.
Federally qualified health centers critical for vaccinations
Carlos Ortiz, vice president of operations for Sun River Health in Amityville, on Thursday. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
Tens of thousands of Long Islanders have been receiving their COVID-19 vaccines at the same nonprofit health centers where many of them get their medical care.
The 10 federally qualified health centers in Suffolk County and six in Nassau are a key part of the vaccination effort, experts and FQHC officials said. More than 41,000 doses have been administered at the 16 Long Island centers, which receive a patchwork of funding, including from patient fees, Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance and government and private grants.
Many of their patients are uninsured or underinsured, and some are in the country without legal authorization and may not trust mass vaccination sites where police or National Guard troops help with logistics, said Carlos Ortiz, who oversees the Suffolk centers for the nonprofit, Peekskill-based Sun River.
Read more in this story by reporter David Olson about the vaccination effort at FQHCs.
Stony Brook University students join study on Moderna effectiveness
Alana Gill, a freshman at Stony Brook University, was among students who received a first dose of Moderna during a campus vaccination event on April 6. Credit: Newsday / Raychel Brightman
Stony Brook University said it's joined a national study involving more than 20 university campuses to see how effective the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is against spreading the virus.
Stony Brook said in this story by Newsday's David Reich-Hale that it hopes to have as many as 400 students enroll in the study, which plans to enlist 12,000 students across the U.S. Students from other universities can also enroll in the study through Stony Brook University.
"Our college kids are our busiest population, because they're always coming and going in their daily lives," said Dr. Sharon Nachman, principal investigator of the Stony Brook arm of the study and chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. "We will know how often individuals in this age group become positive, what is the level of virus and how long are they infectious. They're getting their nose swabbed every day, so we will know."
More to know
The digital mobile passport with discounts for shoppers at Long Island downtowns is being expanded to more towns in hopes of increasing participation.
The pandemic drove up the price of opioids on Long Island significantly, due to travel restrictions and the economic lockdown caused by the virus, law enforcement officials and treatment providers told Newsday.
The U.S. said it will restrict travel from India starting Tuesday, citing a devastating rise in new virus cases there and the emergence of potentially dangerous variants.
EU officials proposed easing restrictions on visiting the 27-nation bloc as vaccination campaigns across the continent gather speed.
News for you
Strawberries and asparagus are for sale at the Long Beach farmers market. Credit: Newsday/Erica Marcus
Finding your farmers market. They've become more popular during the pandemic, and they're all over Long Island — from Valley Stream to Montauk, Port Washington and Shelter Island. See a list of Long Island farmers markets and when they're planning to reopen. Plus: The Long Island Farmworker Cooperative held its first flower sale on Sunday.
Looking for a run or walk? Check out these Long Island races and walks during the spring, summer and fall. Keep in mind this season's events are subject to be postponed or canceled per the latest guidelines surrounding social distancing.
It’s shower season. If you’re looking for gift ideas for brides-to-be, moms or babies on the way, we’ve got a gift guide that might give you some inspiration to shop (and support Long Island businesses while you’re at it).
What to look forward to from 'Vax Live.' Celebrities and political leaders gathered this weekend to talk about the importance of vaccine equity at Global Citizen's "Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World." The concert included performances and special guest speakers. It airs on Saturday.
Plus: Belmont Park in Elmont opened its races to fans Saturday for the first time since 2019 after its 2020 season was shortened and held without fans. See how it went.
Sign up for text messages to get the most important coronavirus news and information.
Commentary
Credit: Kai Teoh
The vaccine? It's our best shot. A Newsday editorial writes: Many shots are going into arms across Long Island, but some neighborhoods are rolling up their sleeves more than others.
Islandwide, more than 1.2 million residents — or 52.4% of the eligible population — have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.
But our analysis and map of ZIP code data from Nassau and Suffolk counties show enormous disparities in the percentage of eligible residents who've received at least one dose. Some communities have percentages above 70%, already approaching herd immunity, when enough people are vaccinated that the virus can no longer easily spread. Other places remain stuck around 30%, meaning they still face considerable risk of spread.
So the challenge shifts. Instead of bringing people eager for a shot to mass vaccination sites, we must start bringing the shots to people where they live, particularly in places with lower vaccination rates. Keep reading, and check out a map.
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.
