Island COVID cases continue to rise: Town Board acts with testing, restrictions

Three more cases of the COVID 19 virus have been identified on the Island since last week, and the Town is acting to try and reverse the trend.

That number of cases is now 103 since the Town began to count in March 2020.

At Tuesday’s Town Board work session, Deputy Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams reported the news. She also noted that the Suffolk County numbers are up this week, with positive cases of residents who have been tested now at 10.1% percent, almost 3  percentage points over the past week. Three weeks ago that number was at 5.3%.

The rise in cases is not unique to Suffolk County. New York State set a record for cases in a single day with 23,391 on Sunday.

The Board put in place new restrictions to try and stop — or slow — the upward trend. The new protocols are more extensive than the State’s.

The town will open a testing site on Wednesday, Dec. 22, at the Community Center between 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Applicants will receive a number and told to wait in their cars until called if there is a positive test. The result will be reported to the state and the patient will be directed to see a doctor.

Dr. Josh Potter will test applicants at the Medical Center on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays by appointment only. Phone: 631-749-9140.

The FIT Center is closed through Jan. 15, and all Town Recreation programs and exercise classes are canceled. Meals On Wheels will continue with home deliveries, as will rides for doctor’s appointments.

All town meetings will be virtual with no in-person attendance. Residents are advised to do business with the Town over the phone, and if that’s not possible, to call for an appointment.

All restrictions will be re-evaluated after the first of the year.