Dear Resident,
The month of March marks the one-year anniversary of the first recorded case of COVID-19 in New York State and sadly, the first death of a Nassau County resident from this deadly virus. As a way to honor and remember those who have perished from the pandemic, the Nassau County Legislative Majority is undertaking two initiatives. The first involves a resolution that will go before the full legislature for a vote on Monday, March 22nd to establish a permanent memorial at Eisenhower Park with a goal of having the memorial in place by the end of this year. Second, we will be holding a vigil service on Monday evening to remember those we have lost to COVID-19. (Further information will be provided via e-team newsletter and Facebook on Monday if the ceremony is being livestreamed so that you can join us remotely.)
As you know, Nassau County has been one of the hardest hit areas from this global tragedy. Eisenhower Park is a very fitting location for the COVID-19 memorial and even though we can never take away the pain that the families and friends of those we have lost are suffering, we can make sure that their memories live on through this memorial. Furthermore, the vigil service will provide us with another way to pay tribute to those we have lost, including the more than 2,900 who have died in Nassau County alone.
On a lighter note, we anticipate that the vaccination site at Nassau Coliseum will open some time next week. Further information will follow as details are confirmed.
The Nassau County Health Department pod has given out fifty thousand injections already! As of today, more than 400 thousand residents will have received their first shot (from State and County pods combined). That’s approximately 40% of the adults in Nassau County. Dr. Eisenstein, our Nassau County Department of Health Commissioner, believes that by Memorial Day, everyone who wants to be vaccinated in the County will be. At that rate, it appears that we will have that “normal” summer, as he has been predicting! Maybe it’s safer to say a “new normal” summer but if all goes well, we should be able to enjoy it in many of the ways we did before COVID hit.
As always, please feel free to contact me with any thoughts and ideas you may have with respect to the County or on any particular issue that you think I may be able to assist you with. I can be reached at (516) 571-6214 or via email at LSchaefer@NassauCountyNY.gov .
Have a great weekend everyone! 😊
Sincerely, Laura Schaefer