Health

East Hampton High School and Middle School will return to their usual hybrid learning plan starting Monday, but the John M. Marshall Elementary School will continue with remote learning through at least Friday, Jan. 29.

With a lack of Covid-19 vaccines making it nearly impossible for many of those deemed eligible to receive their first shot, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo sought to wrangle control of the state's vaccine supply away from the federal government, and streamline the distribution process this week.

Recently, a new source of uncertainty has arisen in the form of a variant in the novel coronavirus that has spread quickly. There are many concerns about what this means for the next stages of the pandemic, especially as we stand on the brink of the largest mass vaccination effort in memory.

Health Rover, a health care company that makes house calls to people in need of Covid-19 tests and provides same-day results, is seeking to take the hassle out of the testing process.

The governor appealed to Pfizer amid ongoing frustration with the Trump administration, complaining on Monday that the federal government dramatically increased vaccine eligibility last week while distributing fewer doses to the state.

New York State has opened Covid-19 vaccinations this week to anyone 65 or older and the immunocompromised, members of police and fire departments, health workers at outpatient facilities including private medical and dental practices, teachers and school staff, child care workers, transit workers, and grocery store workers who interact with the public.

Since I started in my office on Shelter Island, I have had seven patients die. Having never started an essentially new primary care practice location before, I have no idea how that number compares. I just know that, in the context of a year full of more suffering and death among those for whom I am privileged to care for, those seven names stand out.  

Dr. Gail Schonfeld of East End Pediatrics has been approved by New York State to administer the Covid-19 vaccine but does not yet have it on hand and urged people to hold off calling her office, because the volume of inquiries is overwhelming her office staff.

The East Hampton School District will restrict classes to remote-only at the John M. Marshall Elementary School starting Friday, and will extend this week’s virtual instruction at the middle and high schools through next week.

The Sag Harbor School District on Monday unveiled a preliminary plan to begin administering Covid-19 tests to its students and staff members within the next two weeks.

The list of New Yorkers eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine was expanded this week to include those 65 and older, the immunocompromised, members of police and fire departments, health workers at outpatient facilities including private medical and dental practices, teachers and school staff, child-care workers, and grocery store workers who interact with the public.

With East Hampton High School reporting 13 active Covid-19 cases this week and the middle school reporting another nine among staff and students, the two schools will switch to fully remote classes next week, the district announced Friday afternoon.