Town Board COVID report: No on-Island boosters likely

The Town Board offered no updated COVID-19 numbers at its meeting Tuesday, but new numbers will be forthcoming at the Jan. 4 Town Board work session.

Suffolk County reported that the percentage of county residents who have tested positive in the past week is 17.5%. On Dec. 21 that number was 10.1%. The county has reported that 110 Islanders have been infected since  it began to count in March 2003.

But Island numbers have differed from the county tallies.

Police Chief Jim Read has reported that numbers of those infected on Shelter Island lag behind those released by the county. Last week, the Town reported the number of infected Islanders as 103.

The County Health Department, the chief has said, uses the home address given by those who test positive, which can be an Island address, or someone who is here but has a home address somewhere else.

Meg Larsen, who will be sworn in as a member of the Board next week, asked about another on-Island vaccination event for residents who need booster shots.

Supervisor Gerry Siller said it would be up to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital authorities. But Deputy Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams noted that a booster event held last month failed to attract enough people to use the vaccine provided.

Unless there’s a major groundswell, she said she doubted another event would happen on the Island. Islanders can make appointments at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital or at CVS or Walgreen’s for booster shots.

CVS is administering the Pfizer vaccine while Walgreen’s is giving the Moderna boosters. The Centers for Disease Control have advised that either is effective no matter which vaccine a patient may have received in the initial two inoculations.

Councilman Jim Colligan noted that he checked the Shelter Island Heights Pharmacy Tuesday and no home test kits were available. But he said additional kits are on order. He advised that when they do come in, people should only get what they need and not try to stock up on them.

At its Dec. 21 meeting, the Board put in place new restrictions to try and stop — or slow — the upward trend of COVID cases.

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.