Local News

Coronavirus Update: Nassau County Exec Calls Out Plainview Company For Price Gouging Phony N95 Masks

March 30, 2020 / 11:26 PM EDT / CBS New York

MINEOLA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – Nassau County Executive Laura Curran gave a shoutout to first responders and other essential workers during her Monday coronavirus briefing.

Among them, she mentioned grocery store and pharmacy employees.

"I did a little food shopping for my family this weekend, and you know, the guys and the gals who work in the grocery stores were there with their masks, with their gloves – some of them had [plastic sheets] in front," she said.

Curran reminded workers to stay home if they are sick.

"Something that I heard through the grapevine: There was a grocery store worker who turned up to work who had a test pending, wasn't feeling well. Luckily, the boss told him to go home," she said. "You've heard it a million times, but I think it bears repeating: Don't be a hero. If you don't feel well - even if you are a first responder or an essential worker - if you don't feel well, you really need to stay home."

The county executive later called out businesses that have been capitalizing on the crisis.

She once again warned residents to beware of price gouging and other scams.

"This is especially egregious now when there is financial insecurity, economic insecurity, people are not getting paychecks, people are losing their jobs," she said. "We have some – a small number – but we do have some bad actors out there who are looking to capitalize on this and take advantage of the fear and anxiety."

Curran said the Office of Consumer Affairs has logged 300 complaints and issued 70 violations since the crisis started, and the offenses amounted to $350,000.

"Which is just so awful when you think about the financial state that so many of our residents are in right now," she said.

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

She referenced one Plainview warehouse in particular. It was issued five violations, for a total of $25,000.

"I think the most egregious we've come across, at least one of the most egregious, is a Plainview warehouse that was selling N95 masks at an inflated price. So that's bad enough, that's just already a violation," she said. "However, the masks were not N95 certified and in fact this particular mask wasn't supposed to be sold as of 2011."

The county executive was still waiting on the latest count of total cases, but said there had been 48 deaths.

The latest nine victims were two women and seven men who ranged in age from 42 to 87 years old.