Coronavirus

People seeking an East End refuge during the Covid-19 pandemic caused a rush in real estate rentals in March, but the market is now at a complete standstill, according to brokers from Town and Country and Nestseekers. 

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.

Challenge for educators: teaching social-emotional learning through a screen.

Southampton Town is weighing in on short-term rentals in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, with Supervisor Jay Schneiderman directing the ordinance enforcement division to crack down on illegal rentals during April.

Southampton Village Mayor Jesse Warren issued an executive order Thursday mandating the use of masks or other face coverings at village grocery stores and food businesses. The mandate is effective immediately.

“Telehealth” and “telemedicine” are relatively new buzzwords — not a system born in the last few weeks, but one that the health care industry has developed widely in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ensuring that businesses and residents comply with measures meant to stop the spread of Covid-19 remained at the top of the agendas for the East Hampton and Sag Harbor Village Boards this week. 

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. 

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

The East Hampton Town Police Department is getting in touch with businesses that have remained open in spite of a state order intended to slow the spread of Covid-19.

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.

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.     

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.     

“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. 

Candidates for office in the upcoming East Hampton Village elections will no longer be able to circulate nominating petitions, under an executive order issued on Monday by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.     

Ed Porco and Joan Powers Porco, longtime residents of Montauk who more recently lived at Peconic Landing in Greenport, died last week of Covid-19 within four days of each other. They had been ill for two weeks.   

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.  

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.     

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.     

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo last week clarified what “essential” means for contractors, halting most forms of construction through at least April 19 — school construction included. Districts in Springs, Bridgehampton, and Sag Harbor are bumping up against this order.     

Rallies, pressing the flesh, hitting the campaign trail — these time-honored electoral traditions have been put aside, at least for now, as the Covid-19 pandemic upends the country. Campaigns have gone virtual in New York’s First Congressional District, where several candidates are vying for the Democratic Party’s nomination to challenge the incumbent, Representative Lee Zeldin.     

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.