Positive Covid-19 cases begin to rise in Glen Cove

As county executive, I will continue to do everything I can to keep schools and businesses open.”

County Executive Laura Curran

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran released the latest updates surrounding Covid-19 on Monday, such as a 3.4 percent infection rate and 133 Covid-19 hospitalizations across Nassau County’s hospitals.

In Glen Cove, there have been roughly 189 positive Covid-19 cases since the end of September. Since March, there has been a cumulative 1,204 cases.

 “These are the highest numbers we’ve seen since we began reopening in late May,” Curran said. “Let’s continue to wear our masks, wash hands, practice social distancing, and avoid large gatherings to save lives, keep kids in school and ensure businesses can stay open.”

City of Glen Cove Mayor Tim Tenke, said he would meet with Glen Cove Hospital faculty on Friday to discuss rising cases and Covid-19 prevention. The meeting will be recorded and available to the public.

Dr. Bradley M. Sherman of Glen Cove Hospital said that hospital staff have seen an increase of Covid-19 cases, although not nearly as many cases as had been seen in the spring.

Tenke said that as residents approach the holiday season they must remember to take the necessary precautions. “I have Covid-19 fatigue just like everybody else does and I get it,” he said, “that it’s annoying to have to do all these things, but in the long run it benefits everyone in the community by following the rules.”

At a state level, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has ordered that bars, restaurants and gyms or fitness centers, as well as any State Liquor Authority-licensed established, close at 10. Restaurants will still be allowed to provide curbside, take out or delivery after 10 p.m., but will not be to serve alcohol to go. Cuomo has also limited indoor and outdoor gatherings at private residences to no more than 10 people.

“This is the calibration that we've talked about: increase economic activity, watch the positivity rate — if the positivity rate starts to go up, back off on the economic activity,” he said. “It was never binary — economic activity or public health. It was always both."

Glen Cove residents had mixed reactions about the governor’s orders.

“I personally know over 30 people who have been infected from March through last week and many of them lost their lives,” said Glen Cove resident Nicole Loizides. “After the increased cases in Canada over their holiday and increased cases here in Glen Cove and Sea Cliff after Halloween, I think restrictions are absolutely necessary.”

Loizides added that she knows people from other countries who were under mandatory quarantine for months with large fines if caught outside their homes without a permit to go to the store.

“If we’re to have any freedom to make choices of our own, we obviously need guidance in doing so,” she said. “The more risks we take the less chances our entertainment and tourism industries have at recovering. That’s trillions of dollars and hundreds and thousands of jobs globally.”

Glen Cove resident Barbara Peebles said she was upset to see these restrictions put in place right before Thanksgiving, which also happens to be her birthday.

“There is absolutely nothing we would do to put any of our family at risk,” she said. “If there ever was a time when loved ones should be able to gather in appreciation, it would be Thanksgiving 2020.”

While resident Christine Brown said she is sad this holiday season will not be the same, she is remaining optimistic.

“My extended family will not be celebrating for the first time in decades and my grandma just turned 90 so everyone is worried about her understandably,” Brown said. “She will be going to my aunt’s house who has been very cautious. I’m definitely sad. I love holidays with my family and I miss them, but it will be my first time cooking Thanksgiving dinner and I’m excited to do that for my husband and son.”