As COVID -19 Rates Soar On LI, CDC Urges Residents To Mask Up Inside

LONG ISLAND, NY — With the numbers of new cases of COVID-19 spiking across Long Island, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has elevated the risk of transmission to "high" in both Suffolk and Nassau Counties — with officials urging people to once again mask up in all indoor locations.

According to the CDC, in Suffolk County, the rate per 100,000 is 354.94 percent, with 12.5 new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 and 4.9 percent of staffed inpatient beds in use by patients with confirmed COVID-19.

In Nassau County, the case rate per 100,000 is 437.9, with new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 at 12.5, and 4.9 percent of staffed inpatient beds in use by patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The CDC urged individuals to wear a mask indoors in public and on public transportation; stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines; and get tested if you have symptoms.

However, whether or not the recommendation will be enforced remains to be seen: The only places where New Yorkers currently are mandated to wear a mask are in public transportation hubs such as airports, homeless shelters, jails, nursing homes and hospitals.

As the nation marked 1 million deaths due to COVID-19 this week, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, herself diagnosed with COVID-19, encouraged every New Yorker over 5 to get vaccinated, and everyone over 12 to get boostered, if eligible.

"These tools have made the difference, which is why it's critical that Congress pass additional federal funding to ensure that we are prepared to respond to COVID-19 in the future," she said.

New York's numbers continue to tick upward: As of Thursday, New York's positivity rate stood at 7.45 percent compared to 4.77 percent on April 5. On Long Island, that percentage stood at 10.50 percent, up from 8.69 percent on May 5 and 3.13 percent on April 5.

County executives spoke out on the numbers, according to Newsday, with Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone saying, in a statement: "COVID-19 is still here and we encourage all residents to take the necessary precautions."

Newsday reported that Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, however, said in a statement that the "county is not in crisis."