Coronavirus Update: Jones Beach Eyed As Possible Drive-Thru Testing Site As Number Of Cases On Long Island Grows
MINEOLA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - The number of coronavirus cases continues to grow on Long Island as families strive to keep life as normal as possible.
"We're just trying to come up with something to keep these kids busy," said Massapequa resident Jacqueline Martin.
Playing tag and catch on a ball field was not the first choice for some of these kids and parents, reports CBS2's Dave Carlin.
The Martin family planned on being inside the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, but the "Jurassic World Live Tour" was canceled because of coronavirus concerns.
"We assumed it would happen, we knew it was coming but we were looking forward to it," said Martin.
In Nassau County, the number has grown by 20 overnight, bringing the total of confirmed cases to 70, with more tests being processed. Ten are hospitalized, with three in critical condition including a 57-year-old and a 76-year-old.
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said Saturday she expects the number of confirmed cases to continue to grow.
Nassau County has a hotline up and running (516) 227-9570 and is operational seven days a week during business hours.
CORONAVIRUS: CDC Latest | NY Health Dept. | NY Call 1-(888)-364-3065 | NYC Health Dept. | NYC Call 311, Text 692692 | Westchester Testing Call 1(888)-364-3065 | NJ Health Dept. | NJ Case Tracker | NJ Call 1-(800)-222-1222 | CT Health Dept. | CT Call 211
Curran noted that Friday New Rochelle had launched the state's first drive-thru testing facility, and she was looking forward to replicating that. On Saturday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that Jones Beach was being looked at as a possible drive-thru testing site.
"I am confident that drive-thru testing is not too far in our future," Curran said.
Curran added that officials are in discussions with hospitals about possibly setting up tents for testing.
Curran said that as more testing is deployed, the number of positive cases will grow. Curran reminded people it is also allergy season.
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Officials continued to reiterate the importance of people staying home if they're sick.
"You've got to stay home if you're symptomatic. You've got to call your health care provider," she said.
Officials said people under mandatory quarantine are checked on to make sure they are physically staying put. They could be confined if they are found to be violating it, officials said, adding that no one under mandatory quarantine has yet violated it.
"We can not stress this enough: If you are in quarantine, you must stay in quarantine," Curran said. "Containment is the key to preventing this from spreading."
Nassau County officials say they've delivered "a lot" of food to people under quarantine.
Curran said officials are seeing a concerning increase in incidents of bullying, particularly on social media, of children who are in quarantine.
"I think we all need to not stigmatize, blame," Curran said. "Nip it in the bud... we're all in this together and if we start attacking each other, this is not a good thing."
Curran said the protocol as regarding schools remains to close it for 24 hours if a positive case is found.
"The CDC has a mass pandemic plan. And closing schools is one of the very last measures. Science has shown us what measures work in preventing the spread of diseases and what has not. And closing schools in a pandemic has actually been scientifically proven to be one of the least valuable things because now students are home. And somebody's got watch them. If a parent has to go to work, maybe now they're with a grandparent that they could be exposing that they would not be," Nassau County Health Commissioner Lawrence Eisenstein said Friday. "We may get to that point, but there is a scientific reason for the decisions that we make."
