Health

In unusual times, mothers, nurses, midwives, and doulas are facing preganancy and birth under circumstances that sometime demand the exact opposite of the intimacy that is part and parcel of the experience.

New Yorkers 30 and older will be able to get the Covid-19 vaccine starting on Tuesday, and everyone 16 and older will be eligible on April 6, the state announced Monday. At the same time, the number of East End vaccination sites seems to be keeping pace with increased eligibility.

For those eager to get a Covid-19 vaccine, meeting the state's eligibility requirements is only the first hurdle. Actually securing an appointment can be tricky and time-consuming, and the process can be even more difficult if you have limited access to the internet. Here are some tips, and links, gleaned from our research that may make it a little easier.

Para quienes desean vacunarse contra Covid-19, el primer desafío -no menor, por cierto- es el de cumplir con los requisitos establecidos por el Estado de Nueva York. Después, hay que conseguir una cita, un proceso que puede ser complejo y lento, sobre todo si uno tiene acceso limitado a internet. A continuación presentamos algunas recomendaciones y links, fruto de nuestra investigación, que pueden ayudar.

A recent cluster of Covid-19 cases in an East Hampton Town government department "really brings home the point that this is not the time to relax," Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc said last Thursday, after Councilman Jeff Bragman asked for a discussion of the cluster at the conclusion of a town board meeting.

By now, it's an open secret: A single gathering of teens, reportedly held two weekends ago at a house in Sag Harbor and attended by students from multiple schools, has resulted in a spate of positive Covid-19 cases.

Many people who are now vaccinated are curious as to how it changes their lives in terms of day-to-day activities. What can you do once you are vaccinated that you couldn't do before? 

New York State residents age 50 and above will be eligible to receive Covid-19 vaccines starting on Tuesday. The state is also encouraging houses of worship to sign up as vaccination sites.

The rate of Covid-19 vaccinations among New York State's Black and Latino residents continues to lag far behind that of their white counterparts, according to data from the state. South Fork community leaders say the discrepancy is due primarily to a lack of access to the vaccine. 

Starting on Wednesday morning, people will be able to schedule appointments for Covid-19 vaccinations at a new state-run site opening Friday at Stony Brook Southampton college campus.

As Covid-19 infection rates continue to either fall or plateau across the state, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has announced that pandemic-related restrictions on social gatherings, indoor dining at restaurants, and attendance at arts venues will be relaxed.

How does the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine, approved last week by the F.D.A., compare with the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines already in use? Differences aside, all three appear to be practically perfect at preventing hospitalization and death from Covid-19.