March 24th Coronavirus Update
As we all continue to make adjustments to our daily lives to help slow the spread of COVID-19, residents are reminded to continue socially distancing themselves by staying at least 6 feet from others and following these recommendations to protect yourself, your family and your community from this and other viruses: - Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating;
- Avoid contact with people who are sick;
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth;
- Stay home when you are sick; and,
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
New York Hits Pause This Sunday, New York State went on PAUSE, requiring 100% of the workforce to stay home, excluding those in essential services, and issuing the following guidance:
- Non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason (e.g. parties, celebrations or other social events) are canceled or postponed at this time;
- Any concentration of individuals outside their home must be limited to workers providing essential services and social distancing should be practiced;
- When in public individuals must practice social distancing of at least six feet from others;
- Businesses and entities that provide other essential services must implement rules that help facilitate social distancing of at least six feet;
- Individuals should limit outdoor recreational activities to non-contact and avoid activities where they come in close contact with other people;
- Individuals should limit use of public transportation to when absolutely necessary and should limit potential exposure by spacing out at least six feet from other riders;
- Sick individuals should not leave their home unless to receive medical care and only after a telehealth visit to determine if leaving the home is in the best interest of their health;
- Young people should also practice social distancing and avoid contact with vulnerable populations; and
- Use precautionary sanitizer practices such as using isopropyl alcohol wipes.
SCPD Changes Incident Reporting Procedure The Suffolk County Police Department is now requiring online or telephone reporting for specific non-emergency incidents. The changes will be enacted in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of both police officers and residents.
To file a report online, visit www.suffolkpd.org/onlinereporting. To file a report over the phone, residents are urged to call 631-852-COPS. A list of the types of reports that can be filed online can be viewed at www.SuffolkPD.org.
Help Those on the Front Lines of the COVID-19 Fight Suffolk County is hosting a supply drive for Personal Protective Equipment. Those wishing to make a donation can do so until this Friday between the hours of 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM at the Suffolk County Fire Academy, located at 102 East Avenue in Yaphank. The County is specifically looking for donations of N95 masks, ear loop face masks, gowns and gloves. Additionally, Stony Brook University will be collecting donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) which will be given to Stony Brook University Hospital. The university is currently accepting PPE donations that include face shields, N95 3M 1860 masks, protective eyewear, goggles, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer and other supplies required for staff safety. The PPE will then be distributed to medical personnel to use while interacting with possible (PUI) and known COVID-19 patients. If members of the community have medical supplies or comfort care items to donate, they should contact Joan Dickinson, Stony Brook University Community Relations Director, at Joan.Dickinson@stonybrook.edu or at 631-219-0603 so a drop off time and location can be arranged and donations put into the right hands quickly.
Bus Riders Asked to go Digital Suffolk Transit customers are being asked to go cashless with the Suffolk FastFare Mobile App. This move will help limit contact between the driver and passengers. The app, which is available for download in both the Apple Store and Google Play, is available for use on all Suffolk County Transit buses and allows riders to easily purchase tickets on their smartphones anytime, anywhere. Passengers using Suffolk FastFare can pay for tickets using a credit or debit card, or via digital payment services such as Apple Pay.
COVID-19 TestingNew York State continues to operate a Suffolk County Mobile testing site. Testing is BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. If you have symptoms and need to get checked, please call the the NYS COVID-19 hotline at 1-888-364-3065 to be screened over the phone. Explore your Curiosity without Leaving Home While all libraries, museums and cultural destinations have temporarily closed due to Novel Coronavirus, many – including all of our local libraries – are offering activities and services that can be done from home. Use the links below to explore what’s beyond your door: Libraries:Comsewogue Public Library: https://www.cplib.org/program-registration/program-alternatives/ Emma S. Clark Memorial Library: https://www.emmaclark.org/fromhome/ Port Jefferson Free Library: https://portjefflibrary.org/coronavirus/athome/
Cultural Institutions:Anne Frank House: https://www.annefrank.org/en/about-us/what-we-do/publications/anne-frank-house-virtual-reality/ The British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/closure Guggenheim: https://www.guggenheim.org/blogs/checklist/extending-the-museum-experience-with-virtual-reality Louvre: https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne Smithsonian: https://www.si.edu/exhibitions/online
Support Groups go Online to Continue HelpingIf the pandemic has prevented you from attending the support meetings that are an important part of healing and recovery, there are a number of online resources that may be there to help you during this difficult time:
Alcoholics Anonymous, 12 Step Online: https://www.12step-online.com/meetings/online-aa-meetings/ Alcoholics Anonymous, AA Chats: https://aachats.org/ Alcoholics Anonymous, Online Intergroup: http://www.aa-intergroup.org/directory.php Narcotics Anonymous, Virtual NA: https://virtual-na.org/
Keep InformedResidents who have questions related to the COVID-19 should continue to visit the county website, www.SuffolkCountyNY.gov or call Suffolk 3-1-1, or 631-853-6311 if outside the county, where you will be directly connected to a live operator who can direct your call to the appropriate place.
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