More New Yorkers eligible for vaccine
People over 65, immunocompromised added to list
Dr. James Henry administers the vaccine to a police officer at the NYPD Academy in College Point on Monday. Credit: Jeff Bachner
The move follows new federal guidelines and adds an estimated 1.8 million people to the list — just counting those over 65 — bringing the total able to schedule vaccinations to more than 7 million state residents, Cuomo said.
During a briefing with reporters Tuesday morning, Cuomo criticized the updated instructions from the federally-guided vaccination effort and said with the state receiving only 300,000 doses of vaccine a week from the federal government, it would take six months to vaccinate the eligible groups.
The group of 65 and over are eligible immediately, Cuomo said, while it was not clear when the immunocompromised people will be added to the list.
Meanwhile, Cuomo said this also aims to counter the spread of the more contagious variant of the virus linked to the United Kingdom. New York has confirmed eight new cases of the variant known as B.1.1.7, bringing the total of cases to 20 in the state, he said.
The number of new positives reported today: 1,419 in Nassau, 1,667 in Suffolk, 5,994 in New York City and 15,214 statewide.
The chart below shows the number of new cases confirmed in Nassau and Suffolk on recent days.
These bars show the number of new coronavirus cases confirmed each day.
Search a map of new cases and view more charts showing the latest local trends in testing, hospitalizations, deaths and more.
State opens Jones Beach vaccine center
The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at Stony Brook University on Dec. 29. Credit: Howard Schnapp
A drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination center at Jones Beach started scheduling appointments Monday afternoon as state and local officials unveiled more locations on Long Island.
The site is expected to begin operations Thursday and was set to open after newly eligible New Yorkers flooded pharmacies and hospitals with calls for appointments. Many of the vaccination centers are still being set up and don't yet have a supply of doses.
State officials are encouraging people to use Jones Beach rather than smaller sites, such as local pharmacies, which may not yet have vaccines and are not equipped to handle large numbers.
Suffolk County has a vaccine distribution site at the Suffolk County Community College campus in Brentwood, which also houses the Police Academy. Law enforcement can get the vaccine at the academy starting this week. The site, however, was out of vaccines for Monday and Tuesday.
U.S. shifts to speed vaccinations; won't hold back 2nd doses
A vial of the Moderna vaccine is displayed at a clinic organized by New York City's Department of Health on Monday. Credit: AP/Mark Lennihan
Barely a month into a mass vaccination campaign to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump administration unexpectedly shifted gears Tuesday to speed the delivery of shots.
A slow start had triggered widespread concern from states and public health officials.
Now, Health and Human Services Alex Azar has announced the government will no longer hold back required second doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, practically doubling supply. The move better aligns the outgoing administration with the new Biden-Harris team.
"We had been holding back second doses as a safety stock," Azar said on ABC. "We now believe that our manufacturing is predictable enough that we can ensure second doses are available for people from ongoing production. So everything is now available to our states and our health care providers." Keep reading.
Hidden gem Italian restaurant closes due to COVID-19
Uova in purgatorio at Osteria Leana in Oyster Bay. Credit: Yvonne Albinowski
It was an out-of-the-way gem, tucked around the back of a historic brick building in Oyster Bay where you could enjoy fresh house pasta, local greens, shellfish harvested nearby and wines and ciders made on Long Island.
In the open kitchen, chef-owner Peter Van Der Mije would often have his head down in concentration as he plated grilled Montauk calamari or bucatini cacio e pepe.
"Was" is the operative word. In a familiar refrain during a COVID-battered season, Osteria Leana has closed, said Van Der Mije; its last service was Dec. 26. "There were some tears," he said, among the 10 staff who remained after the vagaries of 2020 had cut their ranks in half.
It's one of many Long Island restaurants that have closed this past year. Look back on some of the biggest closures.
More to know
Three House Democrats have announced they tested positive for COVID-19, prompting concern that last week’s insurrection at the Capitol has turned into a super-spreader event.
Oyster Bay is returning to remote town board meetings as COVID-19 cases surge and people have been exposed to the virus at in-person meetings, the town spokesman said.
Cuomo proposed mandating companies to charge no more than $15 per month for broadband internet service for low-income New Yorkers, saying access and affordability is a high-priority during the pandemic.
Martha Stewart, the 79-year-old lifestyle maven, got vaccinated on Monday.
News for you
Chrissi Forde, Samantha Harris and Arielle Geller, co-owners of Hot Pilates Secret last month. Credit: Newsday / Raychel Brightman
How the pandemic helped this Pilates studio get moving. Just after Hot Pilates Secret in Wantagh opened, they pivoted to virtual classes and helped members create an environment for hot Pilates and hot yoga classes in their own homes. Learn more.
A 3-day (virtual) Mardi Gras celebration. Hoda Kotb will host New Orleans' virtual Mardi Gras celebration next month. The three-night, online "Mardi Gras for All Y'all" begins Feb. 12.
'The Last Play at Shea' will be on demand. The 2010 documentary about the two Billy Joel concerts that closed the curtain on Shea Stadium in 2008 will stream Jan. 22 on the subscription site BroadwayOnDemand.com.
Staying at home can be rough on floors. In the winter, hardwood floor care is particularly important. There might be scratches, stains or cracked floorboards even on the best-maintained wood floors. Find tips on how to keep them looking good as new.
Plus: Join us for a free webinar on Thursday for a discussion on in-person learning and when educational normalcy might return. Register here.
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Commentary
Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto/Pikovit44
Transplant recipients should be given COVID-19 vaccines. Dr. Faiqa Cheema writes for The Hartford Courant: Since early 2019, COVID-19 has significantly impacted the world, changing the landscape of health care dramatically. Organ transplant recipients are dying from this virus at a disproportionately higher rate than the rest of the population. They need to be protected with vaccinations as soon as possible.
In the United States, the number of organ transplants has decreased during the pandemic because of limited knowledge about the immunosuppression management of COVID-19 among transplant recipients — despite the need for such life-saving procedures. This has resulted in a ballooning wait list for organ transplants and unnecessary deaths as patients await their turn. These candidates awaiting transplantation must be prioritized for Phase 1b vaccination. 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.
