Rising positivity rates on LI
Positivity rate tops 8% on LI, state figures show
Cars line up at a drive-through COVID-19 testing site for Suffolk County employees and their families at Smith Point Park in Shirley on Dec. 18. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
The positivity rate for Long Island marked an increase of more than 1.6% over one week earlier, while the statewide infection rate of 7.7% amounted to a 2% jump, week-over-week.
Nassau County's positivity rate was 8.9% on Wednesday, while Suffolk's was 10.5%, the state said.
County Executive Steve Bellone encouraged residents to stay home on New Year’s Eve, as the county experiences growing numbers — the county's daily rate hit 12.8% on Tuesday.
"We are seeing a surge in cases," Bellone said at a news conference Thursday in Hauppauge. "The fears that we expressed at the beginning of the holiday season have come to pass. This second wave is hitting us hard."
Meanwhile, hospitals on Long Island are preparing to administer the second dose of the vaccines to people who received it in mid-December, while giving the first dose to high-risk health care workers, EMS workers, urgent care center employees and others on the priority list.
The number of new positives reported today: 1,608 in Nassau, 2,016 in Suffolk, 5,993 in New York City and 16,802 statewide.
The chart below shows the number of new cases confirmed each day in New York City and in the state this month.
These bars show the number of new coronavirus cases confirmed each day.
Search a map of new cases on Long Island and view more charts showing the latest local trends in testing, hospitalizations, deaths and more.
Panel: Vaccinations could bring a normal summer
Millions of people rolling up their sleeves to take the COVID-19 vaccines could bring a possible normal summer 2021, government officials and medical experts said Wednesday during a panel discussion.
It was held online over Zoom and organized by the Jewish Alliance for Dialogue and Engagement and The Marion & Aaron Gural JCC, and was intended to be an antidote to skepticism over the two vaccines approved in the country.
"We will end this pandemic," said Dr. Aaron Glatt, chair of infectious diseases and department of medicine at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital. "The only way you can get rid of a pandemic is by vaccines."
The vaccines have shown to be 95% effective and have "zero risk," he said, though there have been rare cases of allergic reaction.
Coliseum expected to see more concerts in 2021
A study said because larger venues are already booked, the Coliseum will see a short-term boon when venues reopen. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
The Coliseum would likely see an increased number of concerts next year because larger venues are fully booked with those rescheduled from the pandemic, according to a report obtained by Newsday.
When the concert season resumes in late 2021 or early 2022, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum would host live music events that cannot be accommodated by Madison Square Garden, which is fully booked, according to the economic analysis report. Many live entertainment and sports venues have been shut down since March to slow the virus’ spread.
The surge of concert activity would create "a short-term positive" for the Coliseum’s finances. But "the potential spillover bookings due to the other area arenas being unavailable will not likely provide a permanent boost" for the Uniondale facility, said the report’s authors, Camoin Associates and RMG SportsVentures, both consulting firms.
New Year's Eve during a pandemic
The Times Square crystal ball is illuminated and elevated for a final test on Wednesday, ahead of the crowdless New Year's Eve celebrations. Credit: AFP via Getty Images/Angela Weiss
Something to celebrate: the end of 2020. But revelers won't be allowed to pack Times Square Thursday night to ring in 2021, and millions are expected to tune in on TV and online to bid goodbye to a year dominated by the virus.
The crowdless festivities will still include music from international entertainers, the world-famous countdown and ball drop at midnight and more than a ton of confetti raining down.
Despite restricted public access, New Year's Eve will include the lights, sound and imagery of past celebrations on TV and streaming online.
Financial tips heading into 2021 after a tough year
A "Now Hiring" sign is displayed during the pandemic in Miami in May. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky
Long Islanders who were hit hard financially by the pandemic are looking for ways to recover. Even if you didn't take a financial hit, you may be thinking about preparing for whatever comes next.
Newsday has a roundup of financial advice for you, no matter what your situation — unemployed, recently graduated, retired and living on a fixed income, working and parenting young kids. The tips come from experts on financial planning, budgeting, getting a job, finding affordable child care and keeping up with the high cost of homeownership or renting.
They recommend playing it safe financially, since there's no telling what 2021 will bring.
"Now's the time to revisit your budget," said Reggie Nance, associate state director at AARP New York. "Look to see where you can maybe trim or shift some things."
Find resources for help here.
More to know
The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell by 19,000 last week to a still-high 787,000, according to Labor Department figures.
The deadline to apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans has been extended to Dec. 31, 2021, officials with the U.S. Small Business Administration said.
A group of family-owned Long Island school bus companies is seeking nearly $20 million through lawsuits against 47 school districts that allegedly stopped paying for busing after schools closed early in the pandemic.
Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann on the 1960s sitcom "Gilligan's Island," died Wednesday at age 82 of causes related to COVID-19, her publicist said.
California announced on Wednesday the nation's second confirmed case of the new and apparently more contagious variant of the virus.
China has approved its first homegrown COVID-19 vaccine for general use, health regulators said.
Police and federal authorities are investigating after an employee at a Wisconsin health system admitted to deliberately spoiling 500 doses of the vaccine.
News for you
Melissa Fredrick, of Babylon, and Matt Ballone, of West Babylon, enjoy food and drinks from Salt Shack at Cedar Beach in Babylon. Credit: Yvonne Albinowski
The best food experiences of 2020. It was a tough year for restaurants, which still delivered and pivoted to creative outdoor dining experiences in 2020. Look back on the most memorable experiences our critics had while dining this year.
Looking ahead to 2021 entertainment. There's a bunch of highly anticipated movie releases, concerts and Broadway shows on the horizon for people waiting for live entertainment to return. Here's our list of highlights to come next year (which is subject to change).
And, looking back on the stories of 2020. It wasn't just the deadly pandemic that impacted Long Island and its residents this year. Revisit some of the stories that defined Long Island in 2020.
Plus, two reminders: There are live virtual concerts you can watch from home and Long Island restaurants offering takeout packages on New Year's Eve.
Sign up for text messages to get the most important coronavirus news and information.
Commentary
Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto/Olena Sakhnenko
A new way of looking at New Year's resolutions in the era of COVID. Andrea K. McDaniels writes for The Baltimore Sun: I have never been good at keeping New Year’s resolutions. I make too many, and they are too grand and unwieldy to ever stick with. I don’t come up with a plan on how to keep them or hold myself accountable. I set myself up for failure every single January.
Scrapping resolutions for 2021 seemed the best thing to do. It’s hard enough psychologically to keep any sense of normalcy during this era of COVID. Why add the extra pressure of meeting unreachable goals?
Instead, I am looking at resolutions in a different way. I won’t be committing myself to eating fewer snacks, undertaking early-morning workouts, reading 100 books or not buying so many shoes. All the "how to succeed in life books" say the high achievers are most productive in the morning, take care of their bodies, are well read and don’t spend frivolously. And every year I tell myself that surely I can be one of those people.
Now, all of that seems meaningless. Millions of people have lost their jobs or face imminent layoffs; families are losing loved ones to COVID every day; kids are falling behind in school and the country is facing a mental health crisis. So what if I eat too many jalapeno-flavored potato chips and Oreos when I am healthy enough and will never get into those jeans from 20 years ago, anyway? And who cares if I work out in the morning or at night? I can walk up the stairs without passing out. I can enjoy books at my leisure, and my shoe love isn’t hurting anyone. (Even if it prompts a little ribbing from my husband).
For the coming year, I will refocus my resolutions more on how I can be a better neighbor, citizen and contributor to society. Less on me and more on others. 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.
