Presiding Officer of the Nassau County Legislature Richard Nicolello sent the following information to residents this morning, March 19.
Dear Neighbor,
As of today, there are 278 total confirmed cases in Nassau County, with 13 residents hospitalized, two in critical condition. Just today, there have been 142 more confirmed cases than yesterday (as of this morning). Dr Larry Eisenstein, Nassau’s Commissioner of Health, indicated that this large jump in confirmed case was primarily due to increased testing. More commercial labs have come online in recent days. Dr. Eisenstein believes that 70-80 percent of the new confirmed cases are from one of these labs (LabCorp). We continue to push to get information regarding those who have recovered from the virus. We believe that we cannot get a complete picture of the status of the virus from just confirmed cases alone.
Dr. Eisenstein also indicated that the average incubation period for those with the virus is 5-6 days. Individuals with the virus will likely begin to have symptoms within 5-6 days of exposure.
As most of you know, there is now a drive-thru Coronavirus testing site operating at Jones Beach, located at West End, 350 Bay Parkway, Field 2. Scheduling for the testing is being handled exclusively by the State of New York. If any residents have questions or believe they are showing symptoms, please contact the testing site at 1-888-364-3065 to make an appointment. Please be advised that appointments are necessary to get tested at Jones Beach.
Other testing sites have been opened at Urgent Care facilities in Little Neck and Jericho. These sites will also be open by appointment only, which can be scheduled by calling 516-874-0411
As of now, the Town of North Hempstead’s garbage collection schedule will continue as usual.
With respect to grocery stores for seniors and shoppers with vulnerabilities:
Target
Target will reserve the first hour of shopping each Wednesday to support vulnerable guests, including the elderly and those with underlying health concerns.
Stew Leonard’s
Stew Leonard’s will open half an hour early each day to allow vulnerable shoppers – seniors and those with vulnerable immune systems – to shop in a less crowded environment.
Stop & Shop
Stop & Shop will allow shoppers, ages 60 and older as well as customers who may have weakened immune systems and are more susceptible to COVID-19. to shop in a less crowded environment between the hours of 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. daily.
The following stores will also have “senior only” hours:
Shop Rite
2335 New Hyde Park Rd,. New Hyde Park, NY 11042
Starting Friday, March 20, from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m.
C-Town Supermarkets
167 Tulip Ave., Floral Park, NY 11001
7 a.m. open to seniors; 7:30 a.m. open to general public
Kings Food Markets
870 Franklin Ave., Garden City
7 a.m. to 8 a.m. only seniors allowed to shop
Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace
2330 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow
7 a.m. to 8 a.m. for seniors only
Effective immediately the state will temporarily halt the collection of medical and student debt owed to the State of New York and referred to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) for collection, for at least a 30-day period, in response to growing financial impairments resulting from the spread of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Contact Nicolello with questions, concerns and suggestions at 516-571-6209.
—Submitted by Richard Nicolello, Presiding Officer, 9th Legislative District
