Phyllis Reuter Ironside, beloved mother, died peacefully Monday, Oct. 2, surrounded by her family, after a sudden and brief illness. She was 82.
Phyllis retired from Stony Brook University in 2000. However, she went back there later that year and was still working part time as a senior staff assistant in the billing office. She began employment at the university in 1974 and could never fully walk away from her job and her work family, who she loved dearly.
In addition to her work at Stony Brook University, Phyllis became an electrologist in 1983 and opened her own small practice where she practiced part time until 2020. She loved working with her clients and seeing the delight on their faces when she was able to help them. She was passionate about the industry and was a member, board member and officer of various electrologist associations, where she received several awards.
Phyllis lived in Stony Brook for over 60 years and graduated from Port Jefferson High School in 1959. She loved her community and enjoyed taking photos in the Three Village area. She also loved playing with her various dogs throughout the years.
Phyllis will be missed by her brother Robert P. Orr, daughter Elizabeth Reuter Bongiorno, son-in-law Carl T. Bongiorno, her loving step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren, co-workers, numerous friends and beloved dachshund Otto.
Voters deserve elected officials who are transparent and truthful about who they are.
When a politician is seeking elected office, we must consider the candidate’s views and whether they are a good fit for the office they seek to represent.
Consider the case of Anthony Figliola, who is running for Suffolk County Legislature after an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Congress in 2022.
2022’s Anthony Figliola ran as a MAGA Republican who opposed reproductive rights, sought to ban books and censor what is taught in public schools, and opposed lifesaving science in the form of vaccines. 2022’s Anthony Figliola happily posed with election denier Rudy Giuliani and was endorsed by extremist organizations, including Moms for Liberty and various “patriot” groups.
In 2023, there seems to be a new Anthony Figliola, who says he’s running for a “nonideological” position. This is patently false. We’ve seen how partisan politics have infected our county, with the Suffolk Republicans refusing to allow a referendum on water quality and sewer infrastructure on our November 2023 ballot.
Who is the real Anthony Figliola? The county’s 5th Legislative District deserves an honest legislator, not a political chameleon.
We have the opportunity to elect Steve Englebright [D-Setauket], whose decades-long record on environmental protection, public education and public health is clear and consistent. Englebright deserves our support on Nov. 7 to represent us in the Suffolk County Legislature.
Ian Farber, Setauket
Shoshana Hershkowitz, South Setauket
Anne Chimelis, Setauket
Christine Latham, Stony Brook
Challenging the assigned literature at Three Village school district
After learning about the book, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” assigned to the juniors in the Three Village school district [see “High school novel stirs controversy among Three Village parents,” The Village Times Herald, Oct. 5, also TBR News Media website], I’m compelled to speak out.
Why would any educator encourage our innocent and still-developing children to be exposed to material that stains our magnificent heritage? With a few exceptions, we’ve been nothing but kind to the so-called Native Americans.
Didn’t we break bread with them on the very first Thanksgiving? Didn’t we tutor them about our advanced form of living?
Didn’t we provide them with many large reservations on some of the most fertile land available in all of America?
We even opened the National Museum of the American Indian in Manhattan.
However, that’s not the most offensive element of the book in question.
The truly decadent part practically serves as a manual for depraved sexual behavior. It subtly encourages our children to perform decadent acts on themselves.
We know that not fully mature children tend to mimic what they see and learn. If the children read this book, do we really want them closing bedroom doors and privately committing vulgar and unhealthy autoerotic acts? And what will it lead to?
Bruce Stasiuk
Setauket
Local elected officials can kickstart Port Jeff Branch electrification
Concerning “Staying On Track: Port Jefferson Branch electrification gains ground in MTA’s 20 Year plan” [TBR News Media, Oct. 12], it has still not left the station.
The $18 billion Phase One Gateway Hudson River Tunnel, $7.7 billion Second Avenue Subway Phase and $5.5 billion Brooklyn Queens Light Rail Interborough Express Connector for Gov. Kathy Hochul [D], Sens. Chuck Schumer [D-NY] and Kirsten Gillibrand [D-NY] and Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Janno Lieber are still the top three transportation priorities.
In the race for federal funding, which is necessary for double tracking and electrification, the Port Jefferson Branch, along with 19 other expansion and enhancement projects, still has no committed funding.
Lieber recently announced that the agency will study extending a future subway line even farther along West 125th Street in Manhattan, if funding could be found. This third phase of the Second Avenue Subway could easily cost $7.5 billion. This is on top of $3.4 billion in Federal Transit Administration funding toward the hoped-for $7.7 billion Second Avenue Subway Phase 2.
The next opportunity for MTA to commit funding to advance Port Jeff Branch electrification would be within 15 months, when the 2025-2029 Five Year Capital Plan is adopted. This will be followed by the 2030-2034, 2035-2039 and 2040-2044 Five Year Capital Plans.
Funding needs to be programmed in increments. First, for preliminary design and engineering to support the National Environmental Policy Act review.
Local elected officials who support this project could tap into their own town, county or state funding to find several million dollars. This could pay for the environmental review and advance this project.
Following NEPA is necessary to preserve FTA funding eligibility. Next, request permission from FTA to enter the Capital Investment Grants New Starts/Core Capacity program.
Then comes final design and engineering, property easements, land acquisition and utility relocation. This would be followed by $1.5 to $2 billion in local MTA funding to leverage a similar amount in federal funding under a future FTA CIG Full Funding Grant Agreement. These actions would be spread out over several MTA Five Year Capital programs. As each Five Year Capital program comes and goes, it will delay any hope of seeing Port Jefferson Branch electrification in our lifetimes.
A completion date of 2040 is a moving target. Will it be 2040, 2045, 2050, 2055 or later? Who knows?
Scene from the Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center’s annual Family Fun Fall Festival Sunday, Oct. 15. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Scene from the Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center’s annual Family Fun Fall Festival Sunday, Oct. 15. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Rick Lewis at the Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center’s annual Family Fun Fall Festival Sunday, Oct. 15. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Scene from the Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center’s annual Family Fun Fall Festival Sunday, Oct. 15. Photo by Aidan Johnson
By Aidan Johnson
The Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center in Commack held its annual Family Fun Fall Festival Sunday, Oct. 15. Despite unrealized concerns of bad weather pushing the event indoors, many families still enjoyed the day’s activities, including pumpkin decorating, a miniature petting zoo and face painting.
“The Jewish community is going through a very tough time with what’s going on in Israel … and it’s our necessity to get people together and make sure nobody is suffering in silence, bringing them here, letting them have some fun, maybe do some shopping,” said Rick Lewis, CEO of the SYJCC.
Throughout the day, the SYJCC also gathered supplies to send to those in need in Israel.
Across the North Shore of Suffolk County, our roads are dangerous, and the public safety risks seem to multiply.
Statistics from the county website indicate that 546 of our fellow residents died while walking, bicycling, riding a motorcycle or driving in our county between 2017 and 2021. That startling figure is higher than any other New York county during the same period.
Some traffic fatalities and injuries are likely unavoidable. In a country that constitutionally protects the sale of alcohol and a state that legalizes recreational marijuana, some instances of intoxicated driving seem inevitable. For those who drive drunk or high, there should be stricter penalties.
But other traffic fatalities and injuries are preventable.
Many communities around the TBR News Media coverage area lack extensive sidewalk networks, meaning those who wish to walk, jog or bike do so along public roadways.
The glaring problem with this arrangement is that many of our roadways, such as state Route 25A, are far too narrow to accommodate lanes for vehicular traffic, pedestrians and bicyclists simultaneously. Poor street lighting further complicates the situation.
Earlier this year, the New York State Department of Transportation painted share markings onto 25A, signaling to drivers that they must share the roadways with bicyclists. We find NYSDOT’s striping efforts deeply counterproductive, suggesting the agency lacks familiarity with our dire roadway realities.
Especially along the North Shore, with its beautiful active-use transit options — such as the Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway and the North Shore Rail Trail — pedestrians and bikers should be discouraged from using the roadways for leisure purposes. Why risk a fatal injury when there are miles of paved surfaces designed to offer a safe alternative?
We find most frustrating the numerous pedestrians who exercise little or no caution while walking at night. These reckless pedestrians add another unnecessary burden to our already overtaxed roads.
These nightwalkers, often wearing dark clothing without a flashlight or reflective gear — place too much responsibility on drivers, who have enough to worry about while behind the wheel. These are merely terrible accidents waiting to happen — and they recur week after week.
We encourage walkers to use the available hike-bike trails whenever possible instead of walking on the streets. If we must walk on local roadways late at night, we can, at a minimum, wear bright colors, use reflective gear for our dogs and ourselves, and shine the flashlights on our smartphones.
All these actions help alert drivers of our presence, reducing the risk of a traffic tragedy.
We encourage NYSDOT and our county, town and village officials to continue advocating for and promoting walkability by constructing new sidewalks while expanding and connecting linear parks. And we advise all drivers to stay on high alert — and respect speed limits.
Let us take the appropriate safeguards to make our streets safe for all — because even one pedestrian fatality is one too many.
Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis, right, enjoys a string performance during the CommUniversity Day event held Saturday, Oct. 14. Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
By Samantha Rutt
Stony Brook University showcased the many facets of its campus community during the CommUniversity Day event Saturday, Oct. 14.
Starting at noon, the event highlighted the campus through hands-on interactive activities, entertainment and thought-provoking mini-talks, as stated in the campus newsletter. The free event welcomed all members of the community, faculty and staff, friends and families.
Although rescheduled from its original date, the community response to the event was extolled by CommUniversity Day executive director Joan Dickinson.
“Despite weather delays and changing plans, CommUniversity Day 2023 was a wonderful event for visitors of all ages,” Dickinson said. “The response was amazing.”
Held in the uniquely designed university staple, the Charles B. Wang Center, CommUniversity Day featured “neighborhoods,” or stations, for community visitors to explore. Some attractions included Tech & Discovery Zone, The Arts and Kazoo-university, Find Out in 15, Rubber Duck Race, Health, Safety and Traditions.
1 of 12
Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
Photo by John Griffin/Stony Brook University
“We had a couple of past favorites, such as the Teddy Bear Clinic and the Instrument Petting Zoo, as well as some new activities, such as the Tooth Fairy Story Time and the Appliance Autopsy,” Dickinson added. “CommUniversity Day is a great way to give the community an inside look into Stony Brook through hands-on learning.”
Several students displayed research projects on topics ranging from the arts to health care and medicine. Karen Kernan, director of programs for research and creative activity at SBU, expressed her excitement for the event.
“I have always enjoyed CommUniversity — it’s great to see families connecting with all the wonderful activities showcased, from the arts to the environment to health care and medicine,” she said. “The picture would not be complete without our wonderful student researchers. We’re so proud of the work they are doing.”
Also present at the event was Stony Brook’s Island Harvest Food Drive, encouraging all eventgoers to bring nonperishable food items to contribute to the cause and for a free cooler bag.
CommUniversity Day was introduced to the Stony Brook community in 2017, created to connect the campus cultures and the surrounding area, cultivating stronger ties. SBU plans to continue holding this event for years to come.
Shaun Mischler and Eddie Shields battle at net for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville’s Reed Bhella with a kill shot for the Patriots in a road game against Hauppauge. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville junior Kyle Fagan with a kill shot for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville sophomore Eddie Shields with a kill shot for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville senior Andrew Desimone sets the play for the Patriots in a road game against Hauppauge. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville outside hitter Reed Bhella spikes the ball for the Patriots in a road game against Hauppauge. Photo by Bill Landon
Hauppauge’s Chase Dobbs sets the play for the Eagles. Photo by Bill Landon
Dom Utano sets the play for the Eagles. Photo by Bill Landon
Michael Oliveto puts the ball in play for the Eagles in a home game against Ward Melville. Bill Landon photo
Outside hitter Matthew Tarasenko keeps the ball in play for the Eagles. Photo by Bill Landon
Hauppauge’s Dom Utano sets the play for the Eagles. Photo by Bill Landon
Shaun Mischler and Eddie Shields battle at net for the Patriots. Photo by Bill Landon
Ward Melville’s Shawn Legge tries to block a Dom Utano kill shot. Photo by Bill Landon
It was senior night at Hauppauge High School. Photo by Bill Landon
By Bill Landon
It was senior night at Hauppauge High School on Oct. 17, and the seven seniors looked to make it a win at home against Ward Melville. The win lifts the Patriots to 7-6 in the division, as the loss drops the Eagles also to 7-6 with one game remaining for both teams before postseason play begins Oct. 25.
New York State Sen. Mario Mattera speaks out against the state’s ban on gas-powered stoves, furnaces and propane heating during a rally in Hauppauge Wednesday, Oct. 18. Photo by Raymond Janis
New York State’s ban on natural gas is coming under fire.
Dozens of public officials, union workers and policy advocates rallied outside the Perry B. Duryea Jr. State Office Building in Hauppauge Wednesday morning, Oct. 18, protesting the state’s recent ban on natural gas, slated to take effect on Dec. 31, 2025.
News Flash:
Generated by ChatGPT, edited by our staff
Protest against New York State’s natural gas ban: Public officials, union workers and policy advocates rally against New York State’s ban on natural gas, expressing concerns about its impact on jobs, energy prices and the economy.
Legal challenge to the ban: Plaintiffs in the Mulhern Gas Co. v. Rodriguez lawsuit argue that the ban violates federal law, specifically the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.
Calls for realistic energy approaches: Opponents of the natural gas ban advocate for a balanced and diversified energy portfolio, highlighting the challenges of transitioning to an all-electric system.
During the rally, attendees chanted, “We need a plan, not a ban.”
This natural gas provision was included in this year’s fiscal year budget, passed by the Democratic-controlled state Legislature and signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) in May.
The law bans gas-powered stoves, furnaces and propane heating, encouraging using climate-friendly appliances such as heat pumps and induction stoves in new residential buildings. It also requires all-electric heating and cooking in new buildings shorter than seven stories by 2026 and for taller buildings by 2029.
New York State Sen. Mario Mattera (R-St. James), ranking member on the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, offered several objections to the natural gas ban, fearing the measure would trigger layoffs and hiring freezes, spike energy prices and exacerbate the region’s unaffordability crisis and overtaxed electrical grid.
“We know that this is going to hurt not just our homeowners but our economy,” Mattera said. “We are here today to say stop with this unrealistic ban and come together to create a realistic plan.”
Those gathered Wednesday strongly supported the plaintiffs in Mulhern Gas Co. v. Rodriguez, who seek to invalidate the ban on the legal grounds that the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act preempts the state law.
“New York State’s law violates the United States Constitution,” said Town of Babylon Supervisor Rich Schaffer (D), who is also affiliated with the Plumbing Contractors Association of Long Island, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. “This law that was passed and signed is unconstitutional. So that means it’s an opportunity to go back to the drawing board.”
New York State Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Smithtown) endorsed a more diversified energy portfolio for Long Island to meet the demands of today’s modern economy. While he expressed support for promoting alternative energy sources, he suggested these alternatives are still not yet economically viable to stand alone.
“Consumers are not ready for what the radical environmentalists have planned for us,” the assemblyman said. “People want to turn on the electricity or turn on that gas and cook a nice meal for their families. They can’t do it all-electric.”
State Sen. Jack Martins (R-Old Westbury) said Long Island’s electrical grid cannot handle an electric-only transition. He noted the potential dangers of an electric-only energy economy, pointing to frequent outages due to downed trees and storms. “If we don’t have an alternate means of powering our homes, people are going to get hurt,” he warned.
Union leaders from across industries spoke out in opposition to the natural gas ban. Richard Brooks, business manager for Plumbers Local 200, referred to natural gas as “an essential transitional fuel that will help our nation as we move to greener energy sources.”
“New York’s natural gas ban will unnecessarily hurt New York workers by removing our members’ jobs at a time when we are already leading the nation in the expansion of alternative energy for New York residents,” he added.
To view a recording of the entire rally, visit www.facebook.com/senatormariomattera.
Here we are, once again feeling the excitement of starting a new venture the way we did, more than 47 years ago, when we published the first issue of The Village Times. Tomorrow we start the first of our weekly podcasts, “Press Room Afterhour.” It’s heady stuff to be an entrepreneur. All that adrenalin is addicting.
So what is “Press Room Afterhour”?
It’s the name of our podcast. We have been practicing Thursday evenings after the papers come out. We, the editorial board, sit around the conference table and talk about some of the news stories of the week, filling in more details that didn’t make it into print, giving our personal take on the articles we wrote. The sessions will be available to listeners each Friday and will last 20-30 minutes. Each story is discussed for about 3 minutes. We sometimes pepper each other with questions or add our reactions, even as we fill in the readers who perhaps haven’t had a chance to keep up with the news.
The permanent members on the podcast are : Managing Editor Raymond Janis, Co-Producer Mike Vincenti and me, Editor and Publisher. We are grateful for our Audio Editor and Co-Producer, Michael Dunaief, behind the scenes. There are also one or two reporters who have written some of each week’s news. And we might even have a distinguished guest attend the session.
Mike often asks questions, prompting us to expand on the information we are offering our readers and viewers. He represents the less well informed listener since he comes straight from a long-day’s work, and he hasn’t yet read that days’s paper or watched our website and wants to know what has happened in the villages and towns since last week. This works to tease out some of the facts we might not have included. Raymond, the reporters and I field the questions and sometimes add our perspectives. And we encourage the guest, if there is one that night, to add his or her thoughts relative to the subject.
To lead off this week, we have invited Beverly Tyler to be our honored guest for tomorrow’s podcast since he was on the front page of The Village Times in the first issue April 8, 1976. Bev is a highly respected author, speaker and many-splendored historian who knows endless stories about the Revolutionary War and its local participants as it took place on Long Island. He also specializes in other aspects of our history.
So how do you hear the podcast?
For starters, you can hear it on our website: tbrnewsmedia.com. We also will have it on Spotify on Fridays after 12 pm, if you wish to go to that platform.
So why have we begun this? Really for the same reason we started our papers, our website and our social media platforms. We know that information is vital for every resident to have if we are going to participate in a democratic form of government. Without news, without a discussion of the issues, residents would not be able to vote knowledgeably, would not participate in local issues that might affect them directly. They would not have the pleasure of reading about cultural offerings and their children’s sports teams. In short, there wouldn’t be the sense of community that a local news outlet provides.
Additionally we are sponsored by local businesses with brief advertising spots included among the news items. If you would like to be a sponsor please contact us.
Podcasts are another way of reaching you, the public, with the news you need and, we trust, want to know. And it’s a way for you to reach us and tell us how we can help. News deserts are popping up throughout the nation, and those communities without media to give them voice and protect them from various civic ills are much the poorer. They are without spokespeople who can and do speak truth to power on their behalf.
We would welcome your thoughts regarding this new venture. Email us your comments to [email protected].
We have a Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, a Baseball Hall of Fame, a US Space Walk of Fame, a Model Car Hall of Fame, and a World Video Hall of Fame, to name a few.
Why not a love hall of fame, which we could build right here on Long Island, with a picturesque view of the Long Island Sound or of one of the many glorious parks? After all, love is all around us, as the song and countless movies suggest.
Beyond the love for a child, spouse or family member, here are some of my nominees for the Love Hall of Fame. Feel free to share some of yours, if you’d like.
— Love of a pet. This is an easy place to start. After a tough day, what’s better than the feeling of a happy, furry, wet nose in your hands? Dogs and cats are popular not just because they’re great companions and don’t talk back when we’re rude or annoying, but because they are often so happy to see us that they run to get their favorite toy, chase balls for us, go on runs around the neighborhood, or lean against us while we read a book or watch our favorite films.
— Love of a song. Time disappears when we hear a song whose lyrics say exactly what we’re thinking or feeling or whose melody transports us to the moment we met our partner or spouse, learned that we’d been hired by our dream company or received admission to our top choice for college. Music can carry us back to that magic moment.
— Love of nature. We don’t all see or appreciate nature in the same way. Some of us adore snakes, mud puddles, and dark clouds, while others are moved by sunsets, water lapping on the shore, or a hawk soaring overhead. Whatever your favorite moments, nature provides an infinite array of spectacles, from the movements and behaviors of other animals to spectacular landscapes.
— Love of a sport. This one is particularly easy at this time of year. Passionate baseball fans are enjoying the last few innings of the playoffs, continuing whatever superstitions they think will help their teams win, while football is grinding through the first half of the season, hockey just started and basketball opens next Tuesday. Fans of a team, a sport, or all sports have plenty of choices for their agony and ecstasy.
— Love of cooking and eating. I’ve watched people, like my college roommate, who truly adore the fine art of cooking. They toss spices into the air, roll their wrists to stir pots, and conduct the scents of their creations into their receptive nostrils. When these same chefs eat, they appear filled and fulfilled, savoring the sauces, textures, flavors and combinations of tastes they brought to life.
— Love of art. People dedicate hours creating wood cabinets, landscape paintings, and portraits, as their imaginations shape the material in front of them.
— Love of religion. The world sometimes makes no sense. With its traditions, rituals, and, hopefully, spiritual encouragement, religion can help us find meaning and purpose and can connect us with our ancestors and with something larger than ourselves.
— Love of travel. People journey outside their immediate surroundings, visiting unfamiliar places and meeting new people whose lives differ but whose priorities – taking care of their children, contributing to the world, meeting their needs – are often the same. Undeterred by language differences, we can work through conversations, sharing moments with people who can become an ongoing part of our lives.
— Love of oneself. I know, I know. Numerous people have an overabundance of this that makes them insufferable. And yet, some people benefit from the right balance of enjoying their own company and sharing that sense of well-being and joy with others. I’m pretty sure Mary Poppins was able to love the children in her care because she – in the form of Julie Andrews or Emily Blunt – appreciated her own company.
News Flash: Generated by ChatGPT, edited by our staff
• FDA approves RSV vaccines for the first time. These vaccines target the respiratory syncytial virus, a seasonal lung-related illness, with recommendations for adults over 60 and pregnant women in specific gestational weeks.
• Infants under eight months born to mothers without the RSV vaccination can receive monoclonal antibody treatment, providing immunological protection against severe RSV symptoms.
• There are challenges in accessing RSV shots, including delayed processing by insurance companies and pharmacy shortages. Health officials urge residents to advocate for themselves, emphasizing the importance of timely vaccinations given the approaching RSV season.
For the first time, vaccines against the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV — a lung-related illness that crops up during the fall and winter — have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA recommends that adults ages 60 and older receive a dose of the vaccine, either Pfizer’s Abrysvo or GSK’s Arexvy, within the next few weeks.
Women in their 32nd to 36th week of pregnancy at some point during September through January are also urged to receive Abrysvo.
For babies born to mothers who didn’t receive a dose of the RSV vaccine, the FDA has approved a monoclonal antibody treatment for infants eight months old and younger that will offer immunological protection against a common and prevalent respiratory condition that can lead to severe symptoms and hospitalizations.
Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend a dose of RSV antibody for children between eight and 19 months entering their second RSV season if they have chronic lung disease, are severely immunocompromised, have a severe form of cystic fibrosis or are American Indian or Alaska Natives.
Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. File photo from Stony Brook Medicine
While local doctors welcomed the opportunity to inoculate residents, they said finding these treatments has been difficult.
“People are having a hard time getting” the vaccine, said Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.
Some pharmacies have told patients to come back, which decreases the likelihood that they will return for vaccinations in time, Nachman said.
Additionally, insurance companies have not immediately processed requests for vaccinations, which also slows the process, she said.
Nachman recommended that residents “continue to go back and advocate for yourself” because that is “the only way you’ll get what you need.”
RSV season starts around November, which means residents qualified to receive the vaccine or parents with infants need to reach out to their health care providers now to receive some protection against the virus.
Childhood illness
According to recent data, RSV caused 2,800 hospitalizations per 100,000 children in the first year of life, Nachman said. The range can go as low as 1,500 per 100,000.
However, that only captures the number of hospitalized people and doesn’t include all the times anxious parents bring their sick children to doctor’s offices or walk-in clinics.
“Hospitalizations are the worst of the group, [but] it’s a much bigger pyramid” of people who develop RSV illnesses, Nachman said.
In addition to recommending monoclonal treatment for children under eight months old, the CDC urges parents to get this treatment for vulnerable children who are under two years old.
Dr. Gregson Pigott, commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. File photo
Like other vaccinations, the RSV vaccine won’t prevent people from getting sick. It will, however, likely reduce the symptoms and duration of the illness.
“In trials, RSV vaccines significantly reduced lower respiratory tract lung infections serious enough to require medical care,” Dr. Gregson Pigott, Suffolk County Health Commissioner, explained in an email.
At its worst, the symptoms of RSV — such as fever, cough and serious respiratory illness — are problematic enough that it’s worth putting out extra effort to receive some immune protection.
“If you’re a little kid or an elderly patient, this is a disease you don’t want to get,” Nachman said.
Pigott said that data analysis shows that RSV vaccines are 85% effective against severe symptoms of the virus.
While people can receive the COVID-19 and flu vaccines simultaneously, doctors recommend getting the RSV vaccine two weeks later.
According to preliminary data, eligible residents may benefit from the RSV vaccine for two seasons, which means they would likely need to receive the shot every other year, according to Pigott.
With two vaccines approved for adults, Pigott recommended that people receive whichever shot is available.
“Both reduce a person’s chances of getting very serious lung infections,” Pigott explained, adding that several measures can help people protect themselves from the flu, RSV and COVID.
Getting a vaccine, washing hands, avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth, avoiding close contact with people who are sick with respiratory symptoms and wearing a mask in places where respiratory viruses are circulating can all help.
Those who are symptomatic should stay home when they are sick and wear masks when they are around other people.
Suffolk County Department of Health Services officials indicated they are aware of the challenges of getting shots and monoclonal antibodies and “ask people to be patient.”
Prev
