Coronavirus

The Hampton Jitney paused its Jitney and Ambassador bus service between the South Fork and New York City effective Monday. 

As of Sunday evening, East Hampton Town had 10 confirmed cases of COVID-19, Southampton Town, 16, Shelter Island 2, and Southold Town 91. Officials plead with people to practice social distancing.

Suffolk Transit buses are going cashless and taking other measures to increase public health safety as the effects of COVID-19 continue to grow.

Some of the key takeaways from this week's news about COVID-19 in New York State, Suffolk County, and our South Fork communities.

New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's office released a list of those businesses considered essential while an executive order designed to limit the spread of COVID-19 is in effect. Businesses not on the list must arrange for all of their employees to work from home or cease operation by 8 p.m. Sunday or face fines.

Suffolk Legislator Bridget Fleming said on Thursday that hoarding food is unnecessary because supply chains that serve retail food stores are operating normally.

"These are legal provisions; they will be enforced. There will be a civil fine and mandatory closure for any business that isn't in compliance," Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Friday as the state's virus cases topped 7,100.

Shelter Island has its first confirmed case of the virus, which has already been reported in East Hampton, Southampton, Riverhead, and Southold.

Suffolk County's first mobile testing site for the novel coronavirus is at a Stony Brook University commuter lot. Testing is by appointment and only for those who meet stringent criteria.

Many of us have suffered already from the warlike shock of the COVID-19 pandemic. We will all suffer in some way. If we learn from the record, however, we can take steps to minimize the impact.

Businesses of all sorts in New York State ground to a screeching halt this week, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced a near-total shutdown of commercial activity and ordinary life.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo this week ordered schools statewide to close through March 31 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some districts here had already announced plans to close for two weeks. Many administrators believe the closure will be extended.