Black and Latino communities on LI see rise in vaccination rates
LI's Black, Latino communities make COVID-19 vaccination gains
A nurse fills a syringe with a dose of Johnson & Johnson's one-dose COVID-19 vaccine at the Vaxmobile at the Uniondale Hempstead Senior Center on March 31. Credit: AP/Mary Altaffer
Over a period of roughly two weeks, ZIP codes where a majority of residents are Black or Latino saw an increase of 4 percentage points in the proportion of people who have received at least one dose, compared with an increase of 2.9 percentage points where Black and Latino people are not the majority, the analysis found.
Seven of the 10 areas with the largest increases are predominantly Black and Latino, the analysis of state data provided by Nassau and Suffolk counties found. Numbers from June 1 were compared to Nassau data for May 17 and Suffolk data for May 18.
The biggest increase was 7 percentage points in the predominantly white communities of Montauk and Amagansett. Uniondale’s ZIP code, 11553, which is more than 86% Black and Latino, had the second-biggest increase: 5.1 percentage points, from 39.1% to 44.2% of residents with at least one dose.
Pearl Jacobs, president of Uniondale’s Nostrand Gardens Civic Association, said she and other civic leaders "were very concerned that we were lagging behind in vaccinations," so "we all decided we would talk it up and encourage people to take a leap of faith and trust the science."
Read more from this exclusive story by Newsday's David Olson and Matt Clark and search a table of vaccination rates for all Long Island ZIP codes.
The number of new positives reported today: 19 in Nassau, 26 in Suffolk, 210 in New York City and 426 statewide.
This graphic shows when Long Island is expected to see 70% and 90% of its population vaccinated, based on the current pace of people getting shots.
This shows when Long Island could reach certain vaccination levels based on the current pace of vaccinations.
Search a map of new cases and view charts that show the latest local trends in vaccinations, testing, hospitalizations, deaths and more.
Cuomo: Low COVID numbers put NY on track to 'fully' reopen
The statewide seven-day average of positivity rate for COVID-19 fell below a half-percent from data released Wednesday, as New York continued its efforts to stamp out the deadly virus.
The 0.48% level out of 113,709 tests completed on Tuesday marked the 65th day in a row that key metric has dropped, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said in a statement. The seven-day average was 0.42% on both Long Island and in New York City. The daily statewide level was 0.37%.
"With COVID-19 numbers trending downward for so many consecutive days, we are well on our way to fully reopening to a reimagined New York State," Cuomo said in a statement.
Despite Cuomo's promising report, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio acknowledged Wednesday that the city will almost certainly miss its longstanding goal of having 5 million residents vaccinated by the end of June.
State releases blueprint for recovering pandemic learning losses
State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa said the use of federal stimulus money "will help us address gaps that were exacerbated by the pandemic, focusing on the students that were most impacted." Credit: Hans Pennink
State school officials released a sweeping proposal Tuesday for recovering academic learning lost during the pandemic — an effort to be supported by more than a half-billion dollars in federal stimulus money for Long Island's schools alone.
The 83-page state plan, which requires Washington's approval, lists three main priorities to be pursued starting this summer. These include addressing lost instructional time and closing academic performance gaps; providing emotional support for students; and using "evidence-based" interventions such as tutoring to deal with those in greatest need of support.
In drafting their educational blueprint, state authorities said they drew on online comments of nearly 5,000 parents, teachers and others statewide, including 600 in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Newsday’s John Hildebrand and Joie Tyrrell break down what you need to know in this story.
Survey: Hybrid schedule for workers in NYC after Labor Day
Most Long Islanders and others with jobs in New York City will likely be working remotely two days a week after Labor Day, according to a survey of employers. Credit: TNS/Spencer Platt
Even after Labor Day, Long Islanders and other employees at most Manhattan offices are still expected to work remotely — for at least two days each week.
That’s according to a new survey of employers released this week by a New York City business group, which found that 71% of employers plan to adopt a hybrid work schedule for office workers — with only a quarter requiring full-time return to in-person attendance.
Newsday's Matthew Chayes reports it’s the latest survey by the Partnership for New York City on Manhattan office work and in-person attendance, which has deep implications for suburbs like Long Island. Read more.
More to know
Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy was joined by town Chamber of Commerce members and business owners on Tuesday to welcome back patrons to the town's Nautical Mile. Credit: Reece T. Williams
Freeport is inviting people back to the Nautical Mile, a year after the pandemic forced officials to cancel its summer festival and shutter waterfront bars and restaurants along Woodcleft Avenue.
Applications will be accepted starting Thursday for $800 million in state grants to help the smallest businesses recover from the pandemic — and the money may not be taxed.
Derek Jeter's induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame has been moved to Sept. 8 with "a limited number" of free lawn seating tickets available, after the 2020 ceremony was canceled and initially rescheduled for July 25 with no fans.
News for you
Tribute band Almost Queen will perform a full-capacity show at Mulcahy's Pub & Concert Hall on Aug. 13. Credit: Brian Matus
Mulcahy's first 100% capacity show. Mulcahy’s Pub & Concert Hall in Wantagh booked its first 100% capacity show with Queen tribute band Almost Queen on Aug. 13. Tickets go on sale Friday.
What's new on Fire Island? Come this summer, there will be some new offerings around the island. Business owners in the area are anticipating a comeback year following the pandemic — new eateries are slated to open, a pair of hotels are upgrading and the Fire Island Ferry is even switching up its offerings. See what's going on.
Vaccine and mask etiquette. Wearing a mask might not be mandatory anymore, but vaccinations aren’t universal yet, either. How should employers, employees and customers respond to the mask-optional rule? Newsday is hosting a panel of experts on Thursday to get advice on how to handle the latest changes and what could come next. Register here for the noon event.
For your business. The pandemic forced many businesses to look at new ways of selling their goods and services, and experts say it’s not a bad idea to look at ways to pivot even during good times.
Plus: Plan your weekends and beyond with this updated list of events happening around Long Island, online and in-person.
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Commentary
Food is stacked inside St. John's Bread of Life Food Pantry in Manhattan in November. Credit: Craig Ruttle
More help for the hungry. The Newsday Opinion Editorial Board writes: Hundreds of thousands of Long Islanders have gone hungry over the last year, as unemployment and underemployment rippled through the region. And hundreds of thousands of children across the Island who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals are heading into summer, when there is no school structure to ensure they have the food they need.
Food banks and numerous organizations, large and small, have been attempting to help. Besides Long Island Cares and Island Harvest, the region's two largest food pantries, advocacy groups like No Kid Hungry have provided emergency grants and ways for families to find assistance, like a texting service that quickly points residents to nearby meals. Then there are the smaller-scale efforts that have become critical over the last year, like nonprofits that coordinate residents who gather food donations from supermarkets and distribute them to those in need.
But none of that is enough. According to recent data from Long Island Cares, 348,192 Long Islanders experience food insecurity now, a 60% increase over 2019. According to No Kid Hungry, 176,728 Long Island students qualified for free or reduced-price meals at school, which meant they also received last year's first pandemic emergency benefit transfer, or PEBT — a supplemental payment meant for food that provided $420 to all who qualified. 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.
