This story was reported by Rachelle Blidner, Matthew Chayes, Jesse Coburn, Candice Ferrette and Bart Jones. It was written by Jones.
More cases of a variant of COVID-19 linked to the United Kingdom that are much more contagious than the common strain have been found on Long Island, with a group spanning the provinces of Nassau and Suffolk, the state said. Said Wednesday.
The development came when thousands of people in the region struggled to sign up for a limited number of vaccination sites after the groups of qualifying residents expanded despite a shortage of doses.
Government officials reported that the British coronavirus variant known as B.1.1.7 had spread to Suffolk with two confirmed cases. Nassau – where a case of the variant was previously confirmed in Massapequa – now has two cases. The government total for variety cases has risen to 15, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 vaccine appointments in two Nassau provinces are being discussed so quickly that officials have said they are only releasing one day from a date. And officials said the doses at a large county hospital are almost over.
On Tuesday, the counties in Westbury and Garden City distributed 973 doses, while more than 700 vaccinations were planned for Wednesday.
“It’s an ongoing process,” said Larry Eisenstein, Nassau County Commissioner for Health.
‘If we know we have vaccines, we plan [the appointments] as far as we can, “he added.” The appointments go very fast. “
The lack of vaccines in Nassau occurred when Long Island residents reported problems finding open spaces through the state system to report for vaccinations at locations including a site at Jones Beach. Government officials did not respond to a request for comment.
A new site for mass vaccination was opened Wednesday at the Javits Center in Manhattan, while the site at Jones Beach on Thursday would begin administering vaccines, the state said.
More than 50,000 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in Nassau since Wednesday “and the number will continue to grow,” but the supply does not currently meet demand, Nassau County CEO Laura Curran said Wednesday.
Curran said 4,200 people were vaccinated at the two rural distribution sites, Nassau Community College and the Yes, We Can Community Center in Westbury.
“We know that vaccination through people’s arms will bring our businesses back and keep our children in school,” Curran said in an information session outside Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, the county’s public hospital.
Vaccines are used as soon as they arrive
Eisenstein said the vaccines received in the morning are removed by noon. “Once we get vaccinated, we get it from people,” he said.
The health commissioner pleaded with the public for patience. He said there are hundreds of thousands of people who are able to receive the vaccine alone in Nassau, but less than 1,000 doses are received daily. “We control what we can do on our part,” he said.
He urged people who received the first dose of two-vaccine to return to the same site to eliminate confusion. He guaranteed that people who need the second shot within three weeks can make the appointments for the Moderna shot given at provincial sites.
Officials said hospitals in Suffolk had done 39,274 vaccinations as of Monday. A total of 3,450 nursing home residents and 2,477 nursing home staff received at least their first shot, officials said.
The province administered 2,510 doses to qualifying people in Phase 1a, a group composed largely of health care workers and nursing home staff and residents.
Officials said the county’s vaccination center at Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood did not fire shots.
Across the country, 732,066 people were vaccinated from 3pm on Wednesday, Cuomo said in a tweet. This was an increase of 67,000 in the previous 24 hours.
Most were given on distribution sites – 624 280. The remaining 107 786 were applied at long-term care facilities.
BUY-19-BOSSENTE
Who qualifies for COVID-19 shots?
New York State has expanded its list of eligible residents to include people 65 and older, as well as others considered immunosuppressive. The state recently expanded its vaccination program to include essential workers and people 75 years and older, in addition to health care workers and, among others, residents and nursing homes. The supply of vaccines is limited, even if more groups are added. Hospitals will continue to prioritize non-vaccinated members of the first phase, focusing primarily on health workers. The following are the qualifying categories, as revised on January 12th.
Group in phase 1A
The state said about 2.1 million state residents belong to this group, including:
- Healthcare workers at hospitals dealing with patients.
- Residents and staff at nursing homes and relief facilities.
- Dentists, psychologists and others are considered health professionals with direct contact with patients.
- Employees of Federally Qualified Health Center.
- EMT volunteers and staff.
- Coroners, medical examiners, some funeral workers.
- Staff and residents of state facilities for people with developmental disabilities, mental health care and addiction.
- Employees at urgent care centers.
- Persons administering COVID-19 vaccines, including local health department staff.
- Staff at ambulance centers.
- Home care and hospice workers.
- Residents and staff at other care facilities in the congregation.
Group in phase 1B
The state estimates approximately 3.2 million residents in this group, including:
- People 75 years and older.
- Teachers and educators, including personal instructors for colleges, substitute teachers, student teachers, school administrators, paraprofessional staff, support staff, school contractors, and bus drivers.
- First responders, including police; firefighters; state police; bailiff; provincial, town and town police departments, and other law enforcement offices.
- Public safety workers, including dispatchers and technicians.
- Public transport workers, including employees of airports, railway, metro, bus, ferry and port authorities.
- Correction officers.
- Other sworn and civilian personnel, such as court and peace officers.
- Grocery store workers dealing with the public.
- Individuals living in homeless shelters.
Added to follow the federal recommendations:
- People 65 years and older.
- People who are considered to have immune deficiency. The state will provide specific guidance on who qualifies for it.
SOURCE: New York State
In Nassau, Eisenstein also said the county’s office of aging helps seniors who are having problems with the state’s online registration form for vaccinations.
Curran said that on sites like NUMC, thousands of appointments scheduled by the state system could not be honored due to lack of doses.
‘The vaccine will run out in hospital [Thursday]”Curran said when she promised to fight for additional doses. ‘Pharmacists and doctors’ offices will soon be able to administer the vaccine – we just need the doses.’
State officials have confirmed four cases of the British variant in Saratoga County, where the first state was detected earlier this month, linked to a visitor to jewelry stores who recently traveled to the UK, Cuomo said.
Two cases have been confirmed in Warren County, along with one case in Queens and another in Manhattan. The state of Queens is considered part of the Nassau and Suffolk groups.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said two cases of the variant were found in New York City, one linked to a person traveling. “Someone who was in the UK brought the variant here,” he said.
A total of 165 people died nationwide Tuesday on COVID-19-related causes, including eight in Nassau and 15 in Suffolk. The positivity level in test results Tuesday was 7.4% across the country, with levels of 8.9% on Long Island and 5.9% in New York City.
The number of newly confirmed cases was 1,457 in Nassau, 1,673 in Suffolk and 5,822 in New York.
On Long Island, several districts have moved to virtual classes to reduce the risk of spread.
Sixth-to-12 students in the Patchogue-Medford school district are learning at a distance this week amid an increase in COVID-19 cases and a shortage of staff.
In the Port Jefferson School District, sixth to twelfth graders also switched to distance education on Tuesday.
Connetquot High School in Bohemia will remain closed until Friday, school officials said. The school went fully virtual earlier this week.
The Farmingdale School District closes all buildings on Thursday and Friday and plans to return to live classes on January 19th.
County Suffolk’s Steve Bellone said he’s extending a free fast COVID-19 test program to local veterans. Officials said the first rapid response test program launched last month provided hundreds of tests to local law enforcement, fire services and emergency medical services.
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