Health

Seeking to help small businesses survive the shutdown of commerce due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the federal government on Friday launched a $349 billion loan program that business owners can use to cover two months of payroll costs, including benefits, plus utilities, rent, and interest on mortgages.

“This is different. This is worse,” Mary Bromley said. “We can’t touch one another. We can’t visit each other. Hospitals aren’t allowing family members to visit patients. This is going to be a long haul.”

A new, ongoing program at Guild Hall challenges children to write original film scripts that can be performed and filmed remotely by professional actors, directors, editors, and designers.

Another 39 people have died from Covid-19 in Suffolk County in the last 24 hours, bringing the total deaths 362, Suffolk County Steve Bellone reported in his daily update on Thursday. 

Because of uncertainty about the resumption of traditional classroom instruction, the New York State Education Department has canceled Regents exams scheduled for June. Students must pass a number of Regents exams, high school-level tests, in order to graduate. 

Answering calls and making sure that police and E.M.S. get as much information as possible to ensure safety.

Suffolk considers targeted testing, messaging to reach non-English-speaking communities as Covid-19 fight continues.

While a slight leveling off of new Covid-19 cases suggests that the state may be approaching the apex of the pandemic, "Now is not the time to be lax," he said, calling on local governments to help enforce social distancing rules.

Chief Michael Sarlo said the officer, who he did not name, has been out since March 21 and self-quarantined after experiencing very mild symptoms.

A $50 million project will expand the hospital space by building climate-controlled tents on its campus, adding 1,038 beds to Stony Brook's capacity. The project is expected to be completed by April 18.

As supplies to fight the Covid-19 pandemic fell to zero, the Long Island congressman, who has close ties to the Trump administration, was able to reach the president's son-in-law to help speed 150,000 masks to Suffolk.

Los fallecimientos debido al Covid-19 en el Condado de Suffolk aumentaron a 124 el sábado Suffolk, dijo el Ejecutivo del Condado de Suffolk Suffolk Steve Bellone durante su conferencia de prensa diaria. Veintiocho personas han muerto debido al virus en las últimas 24 horas.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo allows early medical school graduations, and County Executive Steve Bellone says Suffolk's supply of personal protective equipment has been depleted while the death toll has increased by 28 in a day.

According to the Department of Health Services, there were 9,560 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Suffolk County as of Thursday. There were 477 cases on the East End. 

The county passed another milestone on Thursday as the daily number of new Covid-19 cases passed 1,000. Hospital capacity is also increasing, with 206 new beds and increases in equipment and staff.

The Eleanor Whitmore Early Childhood Center is now offering child care at no cost to families of essential workers, including, among others, health care professionals, food service employees, utility workers, and first responders.  

The ban on restaurant dining during the Covid-19 pandemic has decimated the South Fork restaurant business, according to Mark Smith, a co-owner of the Honest Man Restaurant Group, and Jason Weiner, a co-owner of Almond in Bridgehampton. Both have had to lay off employees in order to remain finacially strong enough to reopen after the crisis has passed.     

With elected officials likening the fight against Covid-19 to a “war,” you might also compare Nancy Nano to Rosie the Riveter, or Urban Reininger to Uncle Sam, or think of local libraries as home-grown victory gardens.   

Another large segment of the South Fork’s work force was idled this week after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Friday halted all nonessential construction during the Covid-19 pandemic.     

An East End institution, Organizacion Latino Americana, is digging deep for the needs of children and families currently in crisis, with the help of volunteers and donors.     

Even as the hospital continues to marshal resources to deal with the virus, “We are not stopping any of the emergency services that we do,” Robert Chaloner, the hospital’s chief administrative officer, said by phone on Tuesday.     

Religious traditions and customary burials have been upended by the prohibition on gatherings as the coronavirus continues to spread. While the dead must still be buried, loved ones are somewhat stifled in their grief without being able to mourn as they normally would.

“Our focus today is on what is true right now, to focus on the actual moment rather than letting the stories of your mind take you to a place that is not necessarily true,” Leslie Pearlman said in her virtual yoga class. 

After her grandson’s wedding in Italy was foiled by the Covid-19 crisis, Carolyn Snyder and her family, the owners of Round Swamp Farm in East Hampton, decided to spread some love here at home by delivering homemade soups and groceries, including chickens, eggs, milk, and pantry staples, to those who are housebound.     

Golf is apparently the last game in town, and, according to the head pro at Montauk Downs, Mark Fretto, new rules have enabled the beautiful public course there to remain open for play during the coronavirus siege.

Suffolk County's Covid-19 case rate per 1,000 inhabitants recorded a sharp rise in figures released on Tuesday. The five East End towns continued to lag the county as a whole in confirmed coronavirus cases per thousand.

Sixteen additional Suffolk County residents have died from Covid-19, County Executive Steve Bellone said on Wednesday, bringing the total to 69.

An East Hampton Town police officer who was diagnosed with Covid-19 has made a full recovery and is ready to go back to work, The Star learned this week.

The food supply is abundant, but so is the need at East Hampton Town's food pantries, which operating on overdrive to serve more residents amid the shutdown of commercial activity brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

As confirmed cases of Covid-19 climbed to 5,791 in Suffolk County, a second drive-through testing site has opened in Riverhead. The facility, operated by ProHealth, a New York-based medical provider, is the first on the East End.