Suffolk Coronavirus 7-Day Positivity Rate Is Nearly 14%: Bellone

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — The coronavirus positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average hit 13.6 percent in Suffolk County, Executive Steve Bellone said Tuesday. The rate is the highest since the early days of the pandemic, Bellone said.

The omicron variant of the coronavirus is powering the surge in recent cases, Bellone said. This has resulted in long COVID-19 testing lines across the county.

The executive said the best ways to stay protected are taking measures like wearing a mask and social distancing.

"We encourage people to do those commonsense things to protect themselves and their families and to make sure you have the ability to spend the holiday season with family," Bellone said.

Bellone also encouraged residents to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, including a booster shot. He said 90 percent of adults in the county are vaccinated, having received two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The percentage of adults who have gotten the booster is low, however, Bellone said.

Coronavirus-related hospitalizations are rising significantly, according to Bellone. On Sunday, 326 people in Suffolk had been hospitalized and 57 were in the intensive care unit. The number of hospitalizations has nearly doubled since December began, Bellone said. However, the numbers are lower than a year ago: On Dec. 19, 2020, 527 people were hospitalized and 83 were in the ICU.

The county is attempting to make coronavirus testing more accessible for residents by expanding testing capacity and sites. The county plans to set up COVID-19 testing centers at Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach for Mondays starting Dec. 27; in the West Sayville area starting Dec. 27; and in the Sound Beach area set to start Jan. 4. The communities currently each have a high positivity rate, Bellone said.