Despite CDC advice, some in LI ignore advice on how to stop the rise of COVID-19

Public health advice to wear a mask indoors is being shrugged off in some parts of Long Island, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that Nassau and Suffolk counties are not at the highest risk of transmission of the virus. COVID-19.

Few, if any, businesses, schools or other places have announced plans to reinstate pervasive masking mandates early in the pandemic, before vaccinations became widespread and deaths and hospitalizations were under control.

“I mean, in any business I’ve been in, no one wears masks. There are some business owners who might be wearing masks, but there is no posting asking customers to wear masks,” said Barbara Ransome, director of operations for the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce.

And, Ransome said, he knows of no plans to reinstate a mandate, let alone ask customers to cover up: “I think they’re done with this.”

Last Thursday, the CDC raised both counties’ “community level” risk to high, following a spike in COVID-19 cases in recent months.

The mask mandate in schools ended in most places on March 2, and the mandate for certain indoor settings ended on February 10.

“No one wants to wear a mask. I understand. Two years have already passed. Everyone is tired of this. The weather is getting nice. …but I think it’s the smartest thing you can do, especially to protect yourself, your family, and to make sure that if things get worse, we can keep them under control,” said Dr. Adam Berman, associate president of the department of emergency medicine at Northwell Long Island Jewish Medical Center.

On Long Island, the COVID positivity rate, averaged over seven days, was 10.7% on Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office said in a news release. A month ago, it was 5.5%.

The CDC recommends, but does not require, the use of masks indoors and in public, now required only in certain places in the state. The state health department issued similar recommendations last week.

Mineola’s Jeanne Marcial said she doesn’t like to wear a mask indoors, but would if she had to.

“It really depends on the person themselves, whether they want to wear a mask or not,” he said. “If they want to wear a mask, that’s their prerogative.”

Vanessa Bowser of Uniondale said she prefers masks: “How hard is it to put on a small mask? When you leave the store, you take it off.”

Last week, Jericho School Superintendent Hank Grishman told Newsday that “it may be prudent to consider recommending or requiring masks in the future” if local infection rates continue to rise.

But on Wednesday, Grishman said the district did not plan to impose a masking mandate without an order from the Nassau County health department, the state of New York or the Jericho board of education.

“At this time, I have no plans to require masks,” Grishman said. When asked why, he said, without elaborating, “I’m afraid to answer that question, okay?”

Deirdre Gilligan, a spokeswoman for Syntax, the public relations agency that represents dozens of Long Island school systems, would not comment on the masking plans, sending an email: “We’ll let you know if we have anything. [to] offer.”

Stefanie Shuman, a spokeswoman for Stop & Shop supermarkets, said wearing face coverings is encouraged, saying only, “Stop & Shop is following recent CDC guidance and strongly recommends that everyone wear a face covering indoors, regardless of the state of health. personal vaccination.

Frank Camarano of East Meadow, president of the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce, said he had no idea about the CDC and state health department recommendations until Newsday’s investigation.

“I would imagine, if Nassau County gets to a point where they feel like mask mandates are required, then they’ll let the businesses here know, and then whether they like it or not, they’ll comply,” he said.

He added: “To this day, if I see someone driving a car alone and with a mask on, I think they are crazy, but they have the right to do what they want. Right? That is his business.

Marykate Guilfoyle, a spokeswoman for Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, did not respond to an email asking about a possible tenure there.

A spokesman for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Christopher J. Boyle, said the county has no plans to reimpose a mask mandate. Boyle sent a statement from Blakeman almost identical to the one shared in recent days: “Nassau County is not in crisis. Our hospitalization rate remains low, and the majority of those who get sick experience cold-like symptoms.”