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Covid 19

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Things aren’t back to normal yet, and unfortunately for a few good weeks, we got a taste of what freedom from the pandemic was like. 

People began getting vaccinated, families were reunited, and parties were officially free of restrictions. 

The people that got vaccinated knew they could still be carriers, but a little cold is better than being on a ventilator, right? 

Businesses were thriving at the start of the summer — after more than a year of having their doors shut and no revenue coming in. 

But things turned pretty quickly, and we’re disappointed now. 

The fact that people threw their masks away when Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) lifted the state restrictions was not the brightest move — we should have kept the restrictions just a tad bit longer because now we have the Delta variant and it’s not looking too good. 

Since people (vaccinated or not) have had the chance to breathe again, party again and feel 90% normal again, they don’t want to bring back the masks. 

We understand that. They’re uncomfortable and for us ladies, it takes our makeup off rather quick. 

But we’re keeping them on (again) to keep other people safe. 

Remember in the beginning of the pandemic when everyone was all in this together? We thanked first responders and believed the science. What happened? Why is this, all of a sudden, a hoax? 

Some people cannot get vaccinated right now, and that’s okay. But there are other people who are choosing not to and are not being honest about it. They’re either too lazy or too afraid. 

With schools reopening in a few weeks, the debates are increasing as to whether or not children should wear masks in school. Considering those under 12 cannot get vaccinated yet, and many parents have chosen not to have their children get the shot, we feel it’s imperative that students be required to mask up. With the surge of the Delta variant and the possibility of another one, the virus could potentially spread quickly in classrooms and then in the surrounding communities.

New vaccines, new medications and new things are terrifying — but public health is more important, and we still need to be in this together.

COVID-19 is never going to leave, but we can alleviate it. 

Be smart and do your part to keep your loved ones, neighbors and yourself healthy.

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Photo from John W. Engeman Theater
The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport released the following statement on August 3:
Due to the recent increase in Covid-19 cases and our ever changing public health safety environment, all patrons of The John W. Engeman Theater at Northport will need to be fully vaccinated* with an FDA-authorized vaccine to attend a performance. All patrons entering the theater must show proof of vaccination with their valid ID. A Vaccination Card or Excelsior Pass are both acceptable forms of proof.

At this time, we echo the CDC’s recommendation that all patrons wear a mask inside the theater unless actively eating or drinking.

Proof of vaccination will be required of all patrons over the age of 12. Children under the age of 12 may still attend performances with a fully vaccinated adult, but they will be required to wear a mask throughout their time at the theater.

Please understand these measures are in place for the safety and health of our patrons, employees and our community as a whole. We hope to continue providing beautiful memories and productions for as long as possible and these protocols will help us to do so. We thank you in advance for your cooperation and please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

* “Fully vaccinated” means the performance date you are attending must be:

At least 14 days after your second dose of the Pfizer-BioNtech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, or

At least 14 days after your single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.

The John W. Engeman‘s COVID-19 protocols remain subject to change. Any changes will be clearly communicated to ticket holders in advance of their performance.

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Brandpoint photo

At the same time that the United States battles against the more infectious Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus, hospitals in Suffolk County are experiencing similar trends among those infected and who need medical attention.

The Delta variant accounts for over 80% of those infected in the county, according to Dr. Gregson Pigott, commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. The percentage of positive tests has climbed from below 1 percent earlier in the summer to between 2 and 3 percent.

“People over 65 find themselves more vulnerable and more ready to accept the vaccine. Younger people can consider themselves invincible. That is leading to greater hospitalizations than we’ve seen among those who are under 65.”

— Dr. Sunil Dhuper

Those figures are likely even higher “given that it is all dependent on the numbers of persons being tested and why,” Dr. Susan Donelan, medical director of Healthcare Epidemiology at Stony Brook University, explained in an email.

Meanwhile, the percentage of law enforcement members in Suffolk County who are vaccinated is lower than that for the county as a whole. According to the county Police Department, through May, 47% of law enforcement had received a vaccine compared with 57% for the county. Acting SCPD Commissioner Stuart Cameron is encouraging members to get vaccinated.

Health care workers are concerned about the general ongoing trends with the virus.

“The numbers are alarming,” said Dr. Sunil Dhuper, chief medical officer at St. Charles Hospital. “There’s a heightened level of awareness amongst the staff of what’s happening locally and at the state and national level.”

Unlike those who contracted the virus and needed hospitalization in 2020, the majority, about 53%, are between the ages of 19 and 64, according to Pigott.

Additionally, about 99% of patients hospitalized for COVID complications are unvaccinated, according to Dr. Adrian Popp, chair of Infection Control at Huntington Hospital/Northwell Health and associate professor of medicine at Hofstra School of Medicine.

He added that the vaccinated patients are either asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, which means that the risk of hospitalization or mortality is significantly lower even among those with breakthrough infections than for those who are unvaccinated.

The lower number of hospitalized patients who are over 65 likely reflects the comfort level they have with the inoculation.

“People over 65 find themselves more vulnerable and more ready to accept the vaccine,” Dhuper said. “Younger people can consider themselves invincible. That is leading to greater hospitalizations than we’ve seen among those who are under 65.”

The percentage of people fully vaccinated in Suffolk County is 57.8% as at Aug. 4.

“The vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective,” Pigott wrote in an email. “We encourage all residents to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their loved ones, and so that new vaccine-resistant variants of SARS-CoV-2 [the virus that caused the pandemic] do not have the opportunity to emerge.”

Area hospitals have been watching the infection and vaccination trends in the area closely.

St. Charles and Northwell are currently engaged in corporate discussions about when to start testing patients who are vaccinated but might be carriers.

The New York State Department of Health guidelines recently suggested that as long as the positive testing rate was below 2%, hospitals didn’t need to test patients if they are vaccinated when they have elective surgeries.

“We are very concerned about that now,” Dhuper said.

St. Charles Hospital is considering whether to start doing nasal swabs for all patients getting elective surgery to prevent putting patients and employees at risk.

Meanwhile, at Huntington Hospital, employees who do not get the vaccine will need to be tested weekly or biweekly, according to Popp.

As for people concerned about being around others who may have the virus without displaying symptoms, he added that it is “difficult to know when you are exposed.”

The only way to know if someone is infected is to get tested with the COVID PCR nasal swab.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hasn’t changed its definition of exposure, which includes being within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes indoors with an infected person, Popp recognized that “one can argue that transmission of infection may occur in less than 15 minutes.”

The Huntington Hospital doctor added that riding in an elevator or sharing a car ride with an infected person for under 15 minutes is “very risky due to the small, enclosed space without ventilation associated with the Delta variant that is 50% more transmissible.”

Better treatment

Doctors, nurses and other health care professionals have benefited from their experience with the virus. Hospital administrators feel prepared to handle the variety of symptoms patients have when they need medical attention.

“We now have clear parameters regarding the use of remdesivir, steroids, and other agents,” SBU’s Donelan explained in an email. “Proning is now a proven patient management technique. The role of anticoagulation is well understood.” The proning term means putting a patient in a prone position so the individual is lying face down.

Dhuper said the length of COVID stays at St. Charles have declined because of better treatment and the overall better immune status of those who contract the virus.

“We have come up with better management in terms of who needs to be ventilated, and who needs to be in a prone position prior to ventilation,” he said.

As for the implications for schools, which will reopen for the fall within the next month, medical care professionals urged parents and educational administrators to remind students of the same messages from earlier in the pandemic.

Students should wear masks, social distance, wash their hands and, most importantly, get vaccinated if they are 16 and above, Popp urged.

Current drug trials are underway for children under 16, with results expected in December, Popp said, which means that students in that age group will attend in-person classes with the same protections, albeit amid a more transmissible form of the virus than last year.

Dhuper reminded residents that the response to the virus can range from asymptomatic to extended hospital stays or death.

“People have to know that [these outcomes] can happen in any age group,” he said. “It all depends on the viral load and the immune response. The bottom line is that you have to protect yourself, and you have to protect your family and the community around you. The only way we can be ahead of the curve is by taking the vaccine.”

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Legislator Anker joins Rocky Point Stop & Shop Manager Robert Evans and employees to present a proclamation for their commitment to the community as frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Legislator Anker joins Coram Stop & Shop Manager Katherine Pastore and employees to present a proclamation for their commitment to the community as frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Legislator Anker joins Miller Place Stop & Shop Manager Michael Donegan and employees to present a proclamation for their commitment to the community as frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker attended three local Stop & Shop’s Employee Appreciation Day celebrations located in her legislative district, to thank the employees and present them each with certificates of appreciation for being frontline workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grocery stores across Long Island remained open to the public following the Center for Disease Control’s COVID-19 guidance and recommendations. In an effort to keep customers safe during the pandemic, Stop & Shop made alterations to their store locations such as requiring masks, creating one-way shopping lanes and adding additional self-checkout stations. Stop & Shop also established accommodations for customers at higher risk of infection, such as seniors, through daily early morning shopping hours and curb side pick-up.

“Thank you to the 464 employees and managers of the Stop & Shops in Miller Place, Coram and Rocky Point for ensuring that your store was clean, safe and open for the community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Legislator Anker. “We know it was a difficult job, but you continued to show dedication to our community and provide essential services that were so much needed during the pandemic.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic presented a host of challenges that Stop & Shop has never before faced, but the Coram, Rocky Point and Miller Place stores remained committed to serving their communities,” said James McGinn, the District Director for Stop & Shop. “ I am so proud of these stores and their teams –  Coram, led by store manager Katherine Pastore; Rocky Point, led by store manager Bob Evans; and Miller Place, led by store manager Mike Donegan, and grateful for the recognition for all they have done throughout the pandemic.”

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METRO photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

At this time of renewed attention to COVID-19, I recommend escapism. I have managed it, and this is how I did it. I immersed myself in two books, one after the other. They weren’t great classics, just hand-me-downs from a person whose reading tastes I respect. He gave me both books, and like a magic carpet ride, they took me to a different time and place with interesting characters for travel companions.

I enjoy historical fiction, and interestingly enough, both books use the siege of Leningrad by the Nazis during World War II as a critical context for their plots. Although we are being laid siege today by a malevolent virus, that act of war almost exactly 80 years ago was far different. Hitler wanted to bomb the city into oblivion, believing that Eastern Europeans were worthless, and survivors were to be starved to death. The German army was under orders not to accept any truce offer that might be extended to them by the city leadership. The siege began on Sept. 8, 1941, and ended, after 872 days of torment, on Jan. 27, 1944. The pre-war population of about two and a half million was reduced at the end to about 800,000 by extreme famine, disease and artillery strikes, one of the most destructive blockades in history. To make matters even worse, that first winter saw temperatures plummet as low as – 40 degrees. The dead piled up in the streets. There were even instances of cannibalism. The survivors were marked forever.

This is a major catalyst of the first book, “Winter Garden,” by best-selling author, Kristin Hannah. It is the story of the relationship between a mother and her two daughters, and between the daughters themselves, that bears the aftereffects of what has been termed by historians as attempted genocide in Leningrad. Anya is a cold and disapproving mother to her children, and they feel cast out to survive emotionally, each in their own way as they grow up. The glue that holds the family together is the father, and when he becomes terminally ill, the dysfunction of the women is clearly revealed. The writing is dramatic and manages to sustain a heart-rending pathos as the plot builds. I tried to keep a dry eye as I read, but in vain. Each continuing episode tugged at my heart and my tears flowed anew with just about every chapter. The surprise ending is a stunner.

Having barely recovered from Hannah’s epic story, I plowed into “City of Thieves,” by David Benioff. Unlike “Winter Garden,” in which the siege of Leningrad is considered for its profound and intergenerational consequences half a century later, Benioff’s main characters deal with the horror as it is unfolding. Seventeen-year-old Lev and 20-year-old Kolya somehow manage to make this into a coming-of-age story, with some laugh-out-loud dialogue even as they are fighting to survive. But don’t be misled. This account of the tragedy of Leningrad is, if anything, more brutal for its contemporaneous setting. 

The two young men, through a bit of incredible yet somehow acceptable events, are sent off by a Soviet colonel amidst a starving city in search of a dozen eggs. It might as well be the holy grail for Arthurian medieval knights. In the course of the quest, they see and sometimes experience some of the individual terrors of the siege in what Benioff claims is historically accurate fashion. Benioff has delineated the plot according to specifics in Harrison Salisbury’s book, “The 900 Days,” and Curzio Malaparte’s “Kaputt.” 

The latter, a novel published in 1946 by an Italian war correspondent, is about the descent of European civilization on the Eastern Front during World War II, and the former, written in 1969, is by the respected American journalist detailing the definitive story of the prolonged battle. Benioff cites them as sources for his novel.

They were hardly light reading, these two books my friend gave me, but they certainly kept my attention. They also taught me a bit, as good books do.

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Stock photo

Starting on July 23, Tokyo will host the Summer Olympic Games with athletes from around the world without any spectators.

Medical director of Healthcare Epidemiology at Stony Brook University Hospital

Already postponed a year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the games will look much more like the National Basketball Association bubble games and Major League Baseball’s empty stadiums than the current version of professional American sports.

“There is tremendous vaccination disparity throughout the globe,” said Susan Donelan, medical director of Healthcare Epidemiology at Stony Brook University Hospital, in an email. “Despite what many Americans believe, the global pandemic is very much alive and problematic. Superimpose this on the fact that another state of emergency has just been declared in Tokyo due to rising COVID-19 cases, and it is not difficult to understand how this decision was arrived at.”

Indeed, the Olympics draw athletes from close to 200 countries and territories, with thousands of competitors representing themselves, their families and their countries.

In Japan, just over 15% of the population is fully vaccinated, which is still “low compared with 47.4% in the United States and almost 50% in Britain, according to Sunil Dhuper, chief medical officer at St. Charles Hospital. “That greatly increases the probability of an explosion in the number of Covid infection cases especially if the Olympic stadiums are packed or even at 50% capacity.”

While people in the United States are increasingly relaxing restrictions after the increasing availability of vaccines, health officials throughout the world have not only had to contend with the uneven availability of the vaccine in different countries, but also with the spread of the more infectious delta variant.

The original virus, or so-called wild type, came from Wuhan, China. Over time, viruses mutate, typically during replication, when they incorrectly copy one or more of the base pairs in their genes.

Sunil Dhuper, chief medical officer at St. Charles Hospital

While most mutations are harmless, some can make a virus more problematic. Termed variants, viruses that differ from the original can produce different symptoms or have different qualities.

The delta variant, which started in India in December of 2020, has become the dominant strain in the United States and, likely in Suffolk County, in part because an infected person can transmit it much more easily.

The delta variant “concentrates in the upper respiratory cells, which is one of the reasons why it transmits so much easier among people and why it’s a concern,” said Adrian Popp, chair of Infection Control at Huntington Hospital/Northwell Health and associate professor of medicine at Hofstra School of Medicine.

Indeed, the delta variant is 50% more transmissible than the alpha, or UK variant, which was about 50% more transmissible than the original, Donelan wrote.

Boosters

Amid the spread of the delta variant, companies like Pfizer have been meeting with federal health officials to discuss the potential need for a booster shot.

Pfizer’s rationale for a booster is that the vaccine’s ability to prevent infection and symptomatic disease seems to wane six months after vaccination, citing data from the Israel Ministry of Health, according to Dhuper.

The World Health Organization, however, indicates that “more data are needed before reaching the same conclusion,” Dhuper explained in an email. A recent study in the journal Nature found evidence that the immune response to vaccines is “strong and potentially long lasting,” which is based on the data that the germinal centers in the lymph nodes are producing immune cells directed at COVID-19.

At this point, officials from the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are unwilling to provide an emergency use authorization for a booster.

These government agencies believe people who have been vaccinated are protected from severe disease and death, including variants like delta, Dhuper wrote.

Adrian Popp, chair of Infection Control at Huntington Hospital/Northwell Health

Popp expressed confidence in the CDC to determine when a booster might be necessary, as the national health organization reviews data for the entire country.

Someone who is vaccinated in the United States should have “decent immunity” against this altered virus, according to Popp. The immunity will vary from person to person depending on the underlying health and immunity.

Indeed, Popp said several vaccinated people who have come to Huntington Hospital recently have tested positive for the virus.

The hospital discovered the cases, all but two of which were asymptomatic, because they tested for the virus for people who were coming to the hospital for other reasons, such as a broken hip. Two of the cases had mild symptoms, while the others were asymptomatic.

“The effectiveness of the current COVID vaccines is quite high,” Dhuper wrote. “In fact, it is much higher than some other vaccines we commonly receive.”

He contrasted this with the annual flu vaccine, which has an effectiveness of around 40 to 60% from year to year.

Dhuper also explained that antibodies are only part of the immune response that makes vaccines effective. T-cells and memory B cells are also involved. Some researchers have found that T cells in the blood of people who recovered from the original version of COVID-19 recognized the three mutant strains of the virus, which could reduce the severity of any subsequent infection.

Based on the available data and current information in Japan, Popp said he would likely participate in the Olympics in Tokyo if he were a member of an Olympic team.

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File photo by Kyle Barr

By Sabrina Artusa

After many gloomy months in quarantine, movie theater-starved citizens can now return to PJ Cinemas.

The Port Jefferson Station-based theater, owned by Phil Solomon, officially reopened May 28 after tentative operation and eventual closure during quarantine.

PJ Cinemas has long been a cornerstone of Port Jefferson life. Many Port Jeffersonians grew up in front of its screens, snacking on popcorn, splurging on candy and laying back in the dimmed theater to enjoy a movie with family and friends. 

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic suspended its operation, halting these happy excursions. Deprived of their local movie theater, many residents have not seen a film on the big screen in more than 15 months.

Most businesses were affected by the COVID-19 virus, and PJ Cinemas was no exception. Although closing was less than ideal, manager Brian Fiederlein recognized that it was necessary in order to “do our part for the community” and “ensure the safety of the staff as well as the patrons.” 

With the worst of the pandemic behind us, Fiederlein is optimistic and excited about reopening. However, the process has not been easy. Seven months after the initiation of quarantine, PJ Cinemas experimented with reopening for a brief time in October, but was forced to close again soon after. 

In regards to this latest reopening, Fiederlein said that it is “energizing to get back to working” but the process of getting acclimated to the state guidelines required “a lot of hustle.”

This time around, however, reopening is more promising. Fiederlein said he has a “more solid belief that things are safe.” 

In December there was no “light at the end of the tunnel” — vaccinations were not yet released and there was not any indication of the virus alleviating, so remaining open was unsustainable.

Fiederlein feels that he and his staff have a moral obligation to secure the safety of moviegoers. 

So, in determining when to reopen, Fiederlein posed the question: “How can we get people back to the movies safely?” Increasing vaccination rates helped answer this question. 

The PJ Cinemas staff had several factors to consider in the reopening process: infection rates, hospitalization rates, product and vaccination availability. Presently, the movie theater is under little restriction — patrons can watch a movie mask-free, as long as they are vaccinated. 

Since reopening, the theater has been awash in accounts of filmgoers’ excitement to be back. “Every day there are more stories about how long people have been waiting,” Fiederlein said. He added that although incoming business is “nowhere where it was pre-COVID,” he is happy to be “getting excitement back into the place — but also safely.”

“There is a buzz in the community,” Fiederlein said. “It’s good to be back.”

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Harrison Rosenzweig and Andrew Vicari work on the COVID-19 memorial garden they created at Ward Melville High School. Photo from Harrison Rosenzweig

After a stressful 2020 that seeped into 2021, two Ward Melville High School students have created a respite from a taxing world.

Harrison Rosenzweig and Andrew Vicari, who will be seniors in September, have taken a small spot on the south side of WMHS outside of the school’s greenhouse to create what will be known as the COVID Peace Garden. The garden was officially unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, June 23.

The rising seniors wanted to create a space where the community could have a peaceful spot to reflect on the losses and lessons learned through the pandemic.

Rosenzweig said in a phone interview before the unveiling that the two came up with the idea at the beginning of 2021 when the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths were spiking. The data, the rising senior said, he would check regularly.

“I saw the amount of cases and I saw the amount of deaths, and I was like I know there’s nothing we can do right now — we can’t personally help other people — so, maybe we can just do something peaceful and nice to just add to the community,” Rosenzweig said.

Vicari agreed.

“We saw the cases going up, and it was just crazy to go through this together,” he said. “So, we really wanted to do something to give back to the community and put smiles on people’s faces.”

Vicari added they also wanted to honor the essential health care workers. The two were fortunate not to have anyone in their family or friends come down with COVID-19.

They decided to design a garden  — including a tree, flowers and a bench — feeling it would be a nice addition to the school grounds where students, faculty and community members could come and enjoy.

To raise money the students sold baby blue rubber bracelets that feature a small flower design and the words “Three Village Peace Garden.” They sold the bracelets online and with the help of school administration during lunch periods.

Preparing the garden began with visiting local nurseries to buy a tree and flowers. When they went to Olde Towne Gardens nursery next to the high school, and the owner heard about what they were doing, he donated the tree. Rosenzweig added that Stop & Shop in Setauket also donated flowers.

He said the plot they picked out had grass and a lot of weeds, so it took about seven hours to clean up. They also built the bench and designed a plaque to be placed on it. Rosenzweig said he and Vicari received some help including from his mom Susan who helped with planting, and Andrew’s dad who helped with wood cutting.

“The day that we finished planting the flowers was very relieving,” Rosenzweig said, adding they were concerned when they first saw how many weeds were in the area.

Vicari said the work was “surprisingly strenuous.”

“I wasn’t expecting it to be as hard as it was, but we actually got through all of it, and it’s all planted so I’m super happy,” he said.

Rosenzweig said while the work was tiring it was worth it.

“I was exhausted but seeing that — stepping back and seeing the garden — it was really nice to see what we created.”

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Photo by Beverly C. Tyler
Photo by Beverly C. Tyler
Photo by Beverly C. Tyler
Photo by Beverly C. Tyler
Photo by Beverly C. Tyler
Photo by Beverly C. Tyler
Photo by Beverly C. Tyler

By Beverly C. Tyler

The end-of-year recital at the Amy Tyler School of Dance was as different for the students, parents and staff as the pandemic that caused the show to be moved outside at the rear of the studio on Reeves Road in Port Jefferson.

Tyler and her husband, John Worrell, decided to build a stage at the back of the studio property for rehearsals and the shows — and hope for the best weather.

The program, held this past weekend, was called “Broadway Rewind,” and featured the music of 11 of the Broadway shows that closed on March 12, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The show was also dedicated to the eight high school seniors who are dancing for the last time with Tyler.

Last year’s “The Nutcracker” was canceled and the 2020 recital was staged only on Zoom, so Tyler very much wanted the students to have an in-person year-end recital. Worrell, who handled not only the building of the stage but the backdrop, said he was pleased and gratified with the help he received from a number of parents and community members who pitched in to supply materials and assist in the construction.

Tyler, with the help of Emma Gutmann, undertook painting the scenery, which featured the Broadway shows “Beetlejuice,” “Ain’t Too Proud,” “Wicked,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Tina,” “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” “Hamilton,” “Sing Street,” “Frozen,” “Six” and “Jagged Little Pill.”

“We were trying to figure out something that would play well on the stage,” said son Ryan Worrell, who wrote the script. “Something that addressed the pandemic in a way that wasn’t bearing down of the side of COVID, COVID, COVID. So, we decided that we would do all musicals that were open the day New York shut down. We addressed the issues of COVID-19 in the opening of the show, saying, ‘What if the pandemic didn’t happen?’ [It was] two hours of entertainment to pull you into the world where there was no pandemic.”

Comsewogue High School senior Sara Jaffie, who has been dancing at the Amy Tyler school for 14 years, said it was nice to have something normal again.

“To have this recital is really special,” she said. “Everything was canceled but school, including ‘The Nutcracker.’ I’ve been looking forward to my senior year since kindergarten — dancing on stage, doing my solo. It’s really special to have it.”

Abigail Nam, who is finishing ninth grade at Comsewogue, has been dancing with Tyler for 11 years.

“I really enjoy tap class now that I’m older and can do more skill stuff,” she said.

Her mom, Kathleen Gallant, was one of Tyler’s students starting at age 4 in 1988 for a few years.

“I wish I had stayed — I’m so glad they are able to dance this year,” she said.

When Zoom classes and limited in-person classes began this year, with all of the requirements for masks and social distancing in place, Jarek Furjanic, who has been dancing with Tyler for 11 years, said, “Now I have something to look forward to. I took more classes than normal. I like tap the best.”

He has also had speaking parts for the past four years. This year he and Marlo Pepe mimicked the opening of “That Beautiful Sound” from “Beetlejuice,” and then joined 16 company dancers in Tyler’s choreography of the song.

“It feels like family here,” said Michele Diodato, who is a speech pathologist at St. Charles Hospital. Diodato danced as a student with Tyler for 10 years until 2010. She returned as a teacher for the summer camp in 2017 and has been teaching jazz, tap and lyrical dance each school year since.

“This is my hobby, to teach what I love to kids,” she said.

Janine Ingrassia has been teaching with Tyler for 15 years.

“It’s so exciting to be back in the classroom, see them all bounce back … the resilience of the kids,” she said.

Ingrassia teaches mostly tap. She also teaches the beginning students — 3 and 4-year-olds. Before the pandemic they had just a pre-ballet demonstration for parents. This year they danced in the recital to “Let It Go” from the Broadway musical “Frozen.”

Ingrassia stood behind the audience where her six very young students could see her showing the choreography she had taught them. At the end, they received the loudest applause of the entire evening from the audience.

Each of Tyler’s teachers choreographed at least three of the 26 dances in the show with six solos and the finale choreographed by seniors.

Tyler’s daughter Cassidy, 14, has been dancing for 11 years and is very happy with this year’s changes.

“There’s lots more practice with the new stage,” she said. “Get to do a lot more skills — acrobatics, acting and interacting with more people.”

Jack Worrell, Tyler’s son, just completed his first year at SUNY Purchase studying studio production and did the sound engineering at the recital.

“Last year, with Zoom, the kids were not retaining as much of the information,” Ryan Worrell said. “In terms of health protocols, as soon as it was safe to bring them back, we did. A few kids were getting it all — most were only retaining what they had in previous years rather than experiencing any growth. When we had to announce that we weren’t going to do ‘The Nutcracker’ we had a lot who were very upset — their last ‘Nutcracker,’ or their first, or their first on pointe wasn’t going to happen. Last year with the recital on Zoom we didn’t see the kids give it the heart and soul we usually see with them in person. Once they get on stage it changes. There’s something that happens on stage that you don’t see in the [dance] classroom.”

The result this past Friday, Saturday and Sunday early evenings was two hours of delightful music and dance — and no one enjoyed it more than the students who were transported into a world where, for a brief moment, the pandemic of the past 15 months ceased to exist.

Beverly Tyler is Three Village Historical Society historian and author of books available from the Three Village Historical Society. He is also Amy Tyler’s father.

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Photo by Kimberly Brown

By Julianne Mosher & Kimberly Brown

Parents, students and school districts had a confusing week with mask mandates for kids pre-K through 12 needing clarification from the governor. 

On Friday, June 4, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said an announcement was coming to drop in-school mask mandates for children. But shortly after, the state Department of Health’s announcement didn’t align with what he said. 

Health officials said they had not yet received an OK from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and on Monday, Cuomo announced the CDC would not be changing guidance for wearing masks, therefore they are still required inside schools. 

According to Cuomo, school districts can lift the requirement that students must wear masks outdoors. The state’s guidance on mask use indoors remains in place, but school districts may choose to no longer require masks outdoors, for example during recess. This change aligns with guidance relating to summer camps, where even unvaccinated campers are not required to wear masks outdoors. 

“Children wear masks in school inside, and when they’re outside of the school building in recess, etc., it’s hot, they’re running around, but they’re outside, there is no mandate for masks outside. We’ll leave that up to the local school districts,” Cuomo said Monday. 

This came just days after rallies were hosted across Long Island, demanding that the governor “unmask our kids.”

Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY1) and upset parents gathered Wednesday, June 2, outside the H. Lee Dennison building in Hauppauge to demand a mask-free environment for children in schools and camps. 

“This is the right decision for children across New York, who have sacrificed so much throughout the pandemic and suffered emotionally, physically and mentally from lockdowns and remote learning,” Zeldin said at the rally.

The week before, May 26, Andrew Giuliani (R) — another contender for Cuomo’s seat in 2022 and son of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) —  stopped by the same spot to show his support for the same cause. 

These rallies were put together by parents and advocacy groups who hoped to influence Cuomo’s decision to lift the mandate. 

“It’s a parent’s right to take care of their children the best way they feel fit,” said Mike Hathaway from Long Island Loud Majority, a conservative organization. “Not the government, not for political pull, and not for control.”

Moms for Liberty, an advocacy group from Suffolk County that focuses on unifying America while educating and empowering parents to defend their parental rights, has been working to get the mask mandate lifted in New York. 

A member of the group, Barbara Abboud, said her children, among many others, have been suffering in school, whether that be academic, mental or physical.

“Everyone here today knows what’s at stake,” she said. “It’s more than just unmasking our children, it’s about getting our basic freedoms back.”

Zeldin also discussed his animosity with the prior COVID-19 restrictions, where businesses were forced to close at earlier hours to prevent the spread of the virus.

“There was a time when they said you couldn’t go to the gym after 10 [p.m.] because, apparently, that spreads COVID,” Zeldin said. “However, if you go at 8:30 with a whole group of people, that would mitigate the spread.”

Cuomo said virtually all restrictions can be lifted once 70% of New Yorkers aged 18 and older have received the first dose of the vaccine.

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Photo by Kimberly Brown
Photo by Kimberly Brown
Photo by Kimberly Brown
Photo by Kimberly Brown
Photo by Kimberly Brown
Photo by Kimberly Brown
Photo by Kimberly Brown
Photo by Kimberly Brown
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