Great Neck Officials Provide Coronavirus Update

We are grateful to State Senator Anna Kaplan’s recent COVID-19 update, which includes the following information. As the state coordinates this unprecedented medical effort to care for New Yorkers in the difficult times we are about to face, it’s critical that every one of us stay focused on our shared responsibility to ensure you’re doing Stay-at- Home procedures, and Stop the Spread through washing hands frequently, wearing masks and maintaining 6-ft. distancing if you must go out for food or essential items. Try to limit trips outside of your home. We are all responsible for the safety of each other, and we understand the consequences of our actions more than ever as we continue to lose friends, family, and neighbors in this fight. Just remember Governor Cuomo’s words and heed them: Stay home, stop the spread, save lives.

As of today, March 31, 2020 a total of 8,544 Nassau County residents have tested positive, with 1,130 currently hospitalized, and 266 in the ICU. Statewide, 75,795 New Yorkers have tested positive, with 10,929 people currently hospitalized, 2,710 ICU patients, and a total of 4,975 patients who have been discharged from the hospital and are recovering or fully resolved. The data on daily hospital admissions, new intubations, and discharges continues to bounce around a little bit due to imperfect data reporting, but the overall trends are continuing to go in the right direction, and it is a hopeful sign that New York State is making some progress.

A staggering amount of tragedy continues to be a part of our daily lives during this crisis, and as of March 31, over 1,550 New Yorkers have lost their lives. In Nassau County, 15 more of our neighbors have succumbed, 11 men and 4 women, aged 33-97, bringing the total number lost in Nassau to 63.

See here for a link to the latest confirmed cases of coronavirus compiled for Nassau County:: https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29001/COVID-Mapapril1

We’re united together in our response to deal with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in our community. Families and individuals are being impacted by this pandemic, which is a global health and economic crisis. We’re a couple of weeks into a Stay-At-Home mandate by Governor Cuomo with all but essential services being shut down. We are so very grateful to our local doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, emergency response providers, police, and hospital staffs who are working tirelessly 24/7 to fight this pandemic on the front lines. They are our heroes and we owe them a debt of gratitude for responding and continuing to so with a shortage of workers, ventilators, PPEs and other supplies to treat patients and to see the heartbreaking situation of losing a resident to this virus. We have never seen this in our lifetimes and the prognosis is for weeks more to come out under the peak of the curve.

A 2 trillion dollar stimulus package was signed into law this week by President Trump. Part of the money is for small businesses to be able to apply for the new federal relief loans beginning today, Friday April 3. We need to understand more on how these funds are accessed and we’ll provide more details as the nuances of these programs are available. In the meantime, small business owners should be pulling together information on their employees, payrolls, rent payments, lost revenue, etc. to apply for these programs.

The stimulus package also is to address those 6 million filers already for unemployment, who in many cases are having difficulty making rent payments and feeding themselves. As banks begin to open up these programs, relief will be provided to eligible applicants so they can meet their critical basic needs of food and household supplies. We know that retail businesses, such as Macy’s and Kohl’s, and others have furloughed their workers sending record number of workers in the past two weeks to apply for unemployment. Know that those experiencing financial hardship will have relief on the way shortly from the federal government.

We are monitoring the release of available information about these federal programs and how to apply. Many businesses in our downtown we believe will be eligible and they have been adversely affected. Many have closed and we want to be able to see them return. As we learn how to access these relief program funds, we will help individuals and companies cope with the challenges they face due to a loss of income and having to be closed for business as a non-essential business by New York State. We will provide COVID-19 updates as we are advised by state and federal authorities. We are here to assist in your needs as your local government, boots on the ground.

We applaud and honor our healthcare workers, emergency responders, EMTs, medics and hospital staff who are putting their lives on the line every single day in response to this terrible pandemic. They’re our heroes and we are saying prayers for their safe work environments, for them to remain well and continuing to serve the community. We hope you and your family will remain healthy, safe and continue to follow Governor Cuomo’s mandates for hand washing, social distancing and stay at home procedures.

We’re in this together, and together we can fight this crisis. Please follow Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Orders and “Stay Home, Stop the Spread, and Save Lives.”

Now in effect, 100% of the workforce must stay home, excluding essential services. New York State on PAUSE: In New York we know that Policies Assure Uniform Safety for Everyone.

All non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason are temporarily banned.

Per various Executive Orders by Governor Cuomo, your local government, the Village of Great Neck Plaza, has significantly reduced our staff to those performing essential functions.

Village Hall is closed to visitors, however, we remain open from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mon-Fri. to provide some essential services continuing at Village Hall during COVID-19 reduced hours. In the Village Hall lobby vestibule, we have a vestibule box to enable persons to submit requests for/renewal of parking permits, commuter permits, make tax payments, file building permits, correspondence and some additional limited activities only. The time frame is subject to daily review and may be changed, without advance notice, based on further state Executive Orders by Governor Cuomo.

Please check the Village’s website for village information and updates at www.greatneckplaza.net. We have suspended alternate side of the street sweeping regulations. You can see other notices posted on our Village website homepage. Additionally, we suggest your join our e-newsletter list (on the homepage of our website) for monthly information on various programs, new businesses, promotions, COVID-19 updates, etc.

If we all do our part by practicing person protective measures (e.g. constant hand washing), stay at home and avoid gatherings of all situations (only go out to get food and other essential items, e.g. medications).
Department of Motor Vehicles offices are temporarily closed for in-office visits. Online transactions, including for license renewals, are still be available. License and permit expirations will be extended.

The Army Corps of Engineers will begin construction on four temporary hospital sites in New York State in an effort to address imminent capacity issues - the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, and locations at SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Old Westbury and the Westchester Convention Center.

FEMA will erect four additional federal hospital facilities within the Javits Center. Each of the four federal hospitals will have 250 beds and come fully equipped and fully staffed by the federal government.

Enacting Matilda’s Law to protect New Yorkers age 70+ and those with compromised immune systems

Here’s what you need to do daily:
- Remain indoors
- Can go outside for solitary exercise, maintaining 6-ft. distancing
- Pre-screen all visitors by taking their temperature
- Wear a mask in the company of others
- Stay at least 6 feet from others at all times
- Do not take public transportation unless urgent and absolutely necessary
- All barbershops, hair salons, tattoo or piercing salons, nail salons, hair removal services and related personal care services will be closed to the public effective Saturday, March 21 at 8:00 P.M.
- Casinos, gyms, theaters, retail shopping malls, amusement parks and bowling alleys are closed until further notice. Bars and restaurants are closed, but takeout can be ordered during the period of closure.

Testing is free for all eligible New Yorkers as ordered by a health care provider. To get tested in Nassau County, you must call to schedule appointments for drive-through testing at Jones Beach (1-888-364-3065)

Your local health department is your community contact for COVID-19 concerns.

Here are some additional websites we suggest you visit daily for updates; the first is Governor Cuomo's and the second is County Executive Laura Curran's and Department of Health of Nassau County.
· https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home
· https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/4946/Coronavirus-COVID-19
· You can subscribe to get COVID-19 updates from Nassau County via text messages by texting CONVID19NC to 888-777
NYS Coronavirus Hotline (you must call to schedule appointments for drive-through testing at Jones Beach (1-888-364-3065)
Nassau County Coronavirus Call Center: 516-227-9570

Follow CDC guidelines at www.cdc.gov
The link to the CDC's Coronavirus Fact Sheet is https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/sick-with-2019-nCoV-fact-sheet.pdf

Know that your well-being is the most important priority on our minds. We want you to remain safe and assist you and your loved ones regarding your continued health and well-being. We are taking all necessary precautionary measures to protect the health, safety and welfare of everyone in our Village.

Please feel free to contact the Village with any further questions or concerns at mayorsassistant@greatneckplaza.net or (516) 482-4500. We are here to help and provide assistance to our residents and businesses. We are doing our utmost to address your questions/concerns, get you pertinent information, help calm the fears, and lessen anxiety.

We’ll make it through this together!

Warm regards,