Number Of COVID-19 Cases Up Over 300 Percent On Average From This Time Last Year

The number of COVID-19 cases is double, triple and, in some cases, more than quadruple what they were on the East End this time last year. School districts have seen a rise, too, even if students are no longer required to quarantine due to close contact when wearing masks and being 3 feet apart.

From September 1 through October 22, Hampton Bays reported 177 cases; East Quogue, 58; Westhampton, 32; Westhampton Beach Village, 22; Shinnecock Hills, 23; Southampton Village, 43; Water Mill, 36; Sag Harbor Village, 21; East Hampton, 44; Springs, 53; and Montauk, 23. This is compared to 25 in Hampton Bays over the same time span in 2020, 13 in East Quogue, seven in Westhampton, six Westhampton Beach Village, two in Shinnecock Hills, nine in Southampton Village, six in Water Mill, none in Sag Harbor, five in East Hampton, 15 in Springs and 20 in Montauk.

“New Yorkers have made tremendous progress in the fight against COVID, but make no mistake, our work is not done,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said. “We all remember the spike in infections last winter, and it’s now on all of us to ensure it doesn’t happen again. As we move towards colder months and more opportunities for people to gather indoors, the vaccine has become even more important. There’s no reason to wait — it’s free, it’s available and it’s the right thing to do.”

To-date, 26,683,007 total vaccine doses have been administered in the state. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 86.7 percent of New Yorkers 18 and older have received at least one vaccine dose, while 78.1 have completed a vaccine series. The CDC states 73.6 percent of all New Yorkers have at least one dose, while 66.1 percent have completed a series.

“We’ve worked hard and already hit a milestone of 85 percent of adult New Yorkers with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and we need to keep it up to get that number even higher,” Governor Hochul said. “Every day, the people of this great state show that they know what to do to keep themselves and their loved ones safe and healthy.”

“Many New Yorkers have been vaccinated for COVID-19 and are returning to normal life, but we can’t get complacent,” the governor continued. “We have to get more New Yorkers vaccinated, end the pandemic and revitalize our economy. Lives still hang in the balance, and I’m urging everyone who hasn’t gotten a shot yet to consider their friends, families and loved ones and use the vaccine to help end this pandemic for all of us.”

The CDC had reported 57,741 deaths, while 45,376 were reported by health care facilities through the Hospital Emergency Response Data System.

On September 15, 790 new cases were reported countywide, marking the most in a single day from September 1 through October 22. Over 600 were reported September 1, 3 and 9. During the same time frame in 2020, 114 new cases were recorded on October 20 — the most in a single day countywide. Over 100 were reported October 6, 7, 16, 20 and 22.

“New Yorkers are resilient, they are thoughtful, and throughout the pandemic they have proven they will do what is necessary to keep their communities safe,” Governor Hochul said.

In 2021, three Amagansett students were reported to have contracted COVID-19 from September 1 through October 22, while none were reported during the same time last year. Bridgehampton has reported five students and staff, East Hampton 19 students and staff, Hampton Bays 20 students and staff, Montauk and Sag Harbor 14 students and staff, Southampton 19 students and staff, Springs eight students and staff and Westhampton Beach 30 students and staff this year. From September through October 6, three were reported in East Hampton and one in Springs.

Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 are not permitted to return to school for 10 days — or more as prescribed by a doctor — and after being symptom- and fever-free for 72 hours — without the use of fever reducers. As always, individuals are encouraged to monitor for symptoms carefully. The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to the regular seasonal influenza and include fever, coughing and shortness of breath. Some have reported additional symptoms, such as a runny nose, sore throat, nausea, lethargy, lack of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea.