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Individuals who have had multiple Covid-19 infections appear prone to contracting Long Covid, which may include symptoms such as fatigue, respiratory distress and mental fog.

Study published in The Lancet provides a basis for investigating Long Covid in the post-pandemic era

A new study that identified 475 patients with post-acute sequelae of Covid-19 (PASC), also known as Long Covid, revealed that nearly 85 percent (403) of these patients had multiple Covid-19 infections over the course of a four-year period (March 2020 to February 2024). Additionally, vaccination independently reduced the risk of Long Covid in patients who had received the vaccination prior to contracting the infection.

Conducted by a team of researchers at the Renaissance School of Medicine (RSOM) at Stony Brook University, in conjunction with the Stony Brook World Trade Center (WTC) Health and Wellness Program, the study may serve as a foundational assessment of Long Covid patients in the post-pandemic era. To date there are few studies with such a patient sample size that investigates what puts patients at risk for Long Covid and what causes this chronic condition.

The findings are published early online in the February edition of The Lancet Regional Health – Americas.

“While it is possible that the causes of Long Covid could be many and variable depending on the patient population studied, with this cohort the evidence is clear that by having Covid numerous times, patients became more at-risk for developing Long Covid,” says lead author Sean Clouston, PhD, Professor, Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine in the RSOM, and Program in Public Health.

He adds that after adjusting for relevant demographic, lifestyle, and clinical variables, the findings reveal a statistically significant association between experiencing multiple Covid-19 infections and the risk of experiencing PASC (aka Long Covid).

The patients were identified from a group of more than 2,500 first responders who previously had Covid and are prospectively monitored for infection complications by the Stony Brook WTC Health and Wellness Program. The 475 identified with Long Covid by the Program’s physicians, led by Benjamin Luft, MD, Director of the Program, continually experienced Long Covid symptoms ranging from fatigue, mental fog, other neurological conditions, as well as multiple respiratory problems and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Given that some of the first responder patients have had symptoms over the years related to their environmental exposures, such as respiratory illnesses, Long Covid symptoms were identified and charted separately and after each subsequent Covid infection.

Since there is no diagnostic test for Long Covid, the researchers followed the World Health Organization’s guidelines as to identifying Long Covid. They identified participants with Long Covid as having experienced the continuation or development of at least one new symptom that emerged within three months after their initial Covid-19 infection and persisted for at least two months without other concurrent medical explanation. In contrast, those without such experiences after having Covid were placed in the non-Long Covid group.

“There are some possible pathogenic mechanisms that cause Long Covid, but the entire spectrum of its risk factors remains unknown,” explains Dr. Luft, a co-author, the Edmund D. Pellegrino Professor of Medicine in the RSOM, and an infectious diseases specialist. “This is why our study and future ones are so important. Identifying specific risk factors such as re-infection or lack of vaccination can assist in better understanding and managing the condition.”

The authors point out that the safest way to avoid contracting Long covid is to prevent the infection in the first place. However, they emphasize that the role of vaccination in the risk of developing Long Covid cannot be underestimated. They wrote, “Among those who later developed PASC, we found that the risk of PASC was much higher among individuals who were unvaccinated at the time of their first (Covid-19) infection.”

Dr. Luft adds that the vaccine is imperfect, and of those who develop Covid – even though vaccinated – are at risk and should take measures to mitigate the severity of infection.

This research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging (NIA) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) – grants (NIH/NIA R01 AG049953), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – grants (CDC/NIOSH U01 OH011864) and (CDC/NIOSH U01 OH012275).

 

 

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By Daniel Dunaief

They don’t always follow the same path with any two sufferers, but people who have migraines can and often do find themselves with symptoms including head pain, discomfort, numbness and nausea that make working, caring for family members or functioning difficult.

Dr. Sharon Nachman. Courtesy Stony Brook Medicine Facebook page

Among the first symptoms listed when COVID-19 became a pandemic in 2020, headaches can and have become more severe for people who become infected and then endure additional symptoms in the ensuing weeks and months.

People with migraines often suffer from a throbbing headache, nausea, sensitivity to light and loud noises that worsen with movement.

The other associated features can be “just as disabling as the pain,” said Dr. Noah Rosen, director of the Headache Program for Northwell Health. “Now that we see some of the symptoms cross over with long COVID symptoms, that becomes more salient.”

At this point, amid anecdotal evidence of migraines and long COVID, health care providers can’t say conclusively whether an infection with the current strain of the virus presents any more risk of developing migraines sometime after an infection than they were with earlier strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

“There’s no central reporting of symptoms,” said Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. “If you get a vaccine and you have an adverse event, you can report it. There’s no such thing for long COVID.”

Indeed, with people continuing to pass along the virus in schools, workplaces, crowded subways and other places where people gather in confined indoor spaces, the long COVID population has “overtaken any ability to track those symptoms,” Nachman said.

Nachman added that migraines could be a symptom of something else.

“It’s hard to say a true cause and effect” with regard to a particular symptom, as some immune systems may have such a strong response that they are creating autoimmune problems.

Migraines are also seen in patients with autoimmune diseases, Nachman said.

For some patients, doctors may want to do a full immune workup to make sure they are not having an autoimmune reaction.

As for long COVID symptoms, people “across the board” are developing various maladies after contracting the illness that caused the pandemic, Nachman said.

While it’s unclear at this point whether migraines or other specific symptoms increase amid the current strain of long COVID, doctors urged people who have underlying medical conditions to get tested when they develop symptoms.

“Fewer people are actually treating the acute phase,” said Rosen. “There was some evidence that early treatment with Paxlovid can reduce the risk of long-term COVID.”

Indeed, people in high-risk groups can lower the chance of dealing with additional symptoms, called sequelae, after an initial infection.

Treatments

While numerous treatments are approved for migraines, it is unclear which might be best for people who develop these extreme and potentially debilitating headaches in the aftermath of COVID.

“Many of the new treatments haven’t been specifically looked at for post-COVID” migraines, said Rosen.

Migraines can become enough of an interruption to daily life that people alter their behaviors in between episodes, during the so-called interictal period.

Even without the pain, migraine sufferers can avoid activities because they are afraid of a trigger.

This can affect people’s social interactions or their job choices, among other decisions.

“If people are noting that they are unable to do things that they were doing before or are avoiding certain tasks, they need to step up in treatment,” said Rosen.

In terms of treating migraines, Rosen suggested that beneficial pharmacological options, such as triptans, have been around since the 1990s.

Triptans are a group of medicines that treat migraines by changing how blood circulates in the brain and how the brain processes pain signals, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Rosen said Imitrex and Maxalt are used to treat migraines during the mild phase.

“Early treatment can lead to shorter symptoms or less medicine being used and less disability,” Rosen said.

The average migraine lasts about four hours. A migraine that lasts more than 72 hours is described as “migrainosis,” which can be disabling and can require a combination of medications.

People can reduce the risk of migraines through some lifestyle modifications, such as ensuring sufficient hydration, not skipping meals, getting regular sleep, avoiding stress or engaging in behaviors that improve resilience to stress, and exercise, Rosen said.

Migraines affect about 12 percent of the population. Additionally, anyone with a migraine has about a 70 percent chance of having a first-degree relative — a parent, sibling or child — who also has migraines, according to Rosen.

Researchers have identified over 40 genes associated with migraines, which makes determining a specific genetic link complex, Rosen said.

With a link between migraines and hormones, women suffer from them at about a three-to-one ratio to men.

Other triggers

Migraine sufferers often try to identify triggers that can bring on these painful and disturbing episodes that can cause fatigue and discomfort even after the episodes end.

Many people are sensitive to environmental changes, like low barometric pressure from storms or excessive changes in temperature.

All of those are increasing amid climate change, which has had a significant effect on migraine sufferers, Rosen said.

Obesity, which is a health issue for the country, can also affect migraines.

“That places an additional burden on the health of people who suffer” from migraines, said Rosen.

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Photo courtesy Metro Creative Graphics

By Daniel Dunaief

While the fall provides a break from the summer heat and a respite for exhausted parents who coordinate and carpool for recreational activities, it also can trigger a return to more concentrated time indoors.

Dr. Sharon Nachman, Chief of the Division of Pediiatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.
File photo

That can trigger the beginning of the flu season, as students and their families share much more than the lessons of the day and stories about teachers and classmates.

Timing shots can be a delicate balance, as the antibody coverage from these shots is typically about three months.

With the peak flu season often occurring during December and January and even into February, Dr. Sharon Nachman, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, suggested that residents receive their vaccines in a few weeks.

“Getting a vaccine in October is probably the right time,” Nachman said.

Dr. Gregson Pigott, Commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, added that the timing for Covid vaccinations is somewhat trickier.

“Because the evolution of new variants remains unpredictable, SARS-CoV2 [the virus that causes the disease] is not a typical ‘winter’ respiratory virus,” Pigott explained in an email.

The county health department recommends that residents stay up to date with their vaccinations.

“Individuals should speak with their healthcare providers for advice that is specific to them,” Pigott added.

Simultaneous shots

Doctors generally recommend receiving both shots at the same time, if people are eligible and the timing for each vaccine is right. Residents who are unsure about their eligibility should speak with their healthcare providers, Pigott explained.

Dr. Gregson Pigott, Suffolk County Health Services commissioner. File photo

The flu and Covid are viruses that change over time, creating a battle between the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture vaccinations and the viruses that attempt to evade them.

Each year, the vaccines attempt to provide the best match against the dominant or most likely strains.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “determines if the vaccine will protect against a circulating virus by conducting laboratory studies on circulating flu viruses,” Pigott explained in an email. “Updated 2024-2025 flu vaccines will be trivalent” and will protect against H1N1, H3N2 and a B/ Victoria lineage virus.

Vaccine manufacturers create immunizations based on the flu strain circulating in the southern hemisphere during the recent season.

“We expect that those are what’s going to hit us in our winter,” Nachman said. “The science is there. We know generally what types will be rolling around. We could hit or miss it by a subtype.”

Nachman added that the flu vaccines represent educated guesses about the type of microbe that might cause illnesses.

“The educated guesses are still better than no vaccine, which will, for sure, not cover you at all,” Nachman said

As for the Covid immunization, doctors added that it is also likely to change as the virus that caused the pandemic mutates.

Nachman said people should plan to get the Covid shot around once a year.

“I don’t think we’re going to go to more often” than that, Nachman said.

During the summer, when an infectious strain of Covid surged across the county, state and country, Nachman said the data is not available to determine how much protection a vaccine provided.

“Only on TV do computer models work instantly,” Nachman said.

She suspects that the Covid shot offered some protection for residents, who may not have been as sick for as long as some of those who dealt with a range of symptoms.

Concussion awareness

With the start of a new school year and the beginning of contact sports like football, school districts are continuing to ensure that coaches and athletes follow concussion protocols.

“Schools have done a nice job thinking and talking about it,” said Nachman. “Coaches know you can’t throw [student athletes] out and say, ‘You’ll do fine,’” after a head injury.

Nachman suggested that area athletes may engage in activities that are not connected to the schools and that may involve head injuries that people ignore.

“We know what’s happening with school-regulated” sport, but not with those that are outside the academic umbrella, she added.

As for the emotional or psychological impacts of a divided and bitter electorate during an election year, Nachman said people are under considerable emotional stress.

“The social media echo chamber is making it worse,” she said. The abundance of misinformation on both sides is causing mental anguish.

“Election times are very stressful and I think, in particular, this election may be even more stressful,” Nachman said.

Nachman urges people to minimize their time on social media and to create down time from electronics during meals.

As students move up a grade and into new places, they also can endure stressors, peer pressure and bullying. She suggests that parents understand what their children are seeing online.

Newborn RSV protection

Children born in March or later are eligible to receive an approved shot called Beyfortus, which, in 80 percent of cases during clinical trials, prevents the development of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

The Beyfortus monoclonal antibody will make a “huge difference” for newborns and their parents, Nachman said. Last year, Stony Brook had numerous hospitalizations in children under one year of age.

“We’re not going to have those children coming into the hospital,” Nachman said. “That’s amazing and is a huge step forward.”

When newborns get RSV, doctors don’t have an effective treatment for the virus and typically treat the symptoms.

The mortality rate from RSV is low, but the morbidity is high. Newborns who contract RSV can end up developing chronic asthma.

As with any shot, Beyfortus can have side effects, with the most common including rash and pain, swelling, or hardness at the site of the injection, according to AstraZeneca and Sanofi, which manufacture the antibody.

Beyfortus is covered by insurance and is under the vaccine for children program and numerous private health insurance plans. Parents can opt out of the shot. Nachman suggested they should understand what they are opting out of when they make that decision.

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Stony Brook doctor, tending to a newborn baby. Courtesy Stonybrookchildrens.org

By Daniel Dunaief

Water inside a house isn’t just bad for the structure, it can also be damaging to your health.

Local health care professionals suggested that Stony Brook residents whose basements flooded from this weekend’s heavy rainfall should be careful about the growth of mold or mildew, which can be especially problematic for anyone with chronic breathing issues.

“People can inhale spores over a period of time and can develop respiratory symptoms,” said Dr. Sunil Dhuper, Chief Medical Officer at Port Jefferson’s St. Charles Hospital.

People with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis and emphysema “need to be particularly concerned about some of these issues,” he continued.

Dr. Sharon Nachman, Chief of Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, suggested that residents of Stony Brook, who experienced a localized 10 inches of rain this weekend, should “aggressively clean” their basements, from any standing water, as mold and mildew can start growing within a few days.

“You won’t see it because it’s small,” but people should dry the walls and under the floorboards and carpet, she said. “You want to get the water out.”

Local doctors, also, recommended dumping standing water off any surface that might become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, who can carry the West Nile virus.

At this point, the County Department of Health believed the West Nile threat wasn’t likely particularly high.

“The heavy rains and wind might have washed away adult larvae and adult mosquitoes,” Dr. Scott R. Campbell, Laboratory Chief in the Arthropod-Borne Disease Laboratory at the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, explained in an email.

“Wet springs and hot, dry summers — in which mosquitoes and birds may congregate at limited sources of water — may be conducive to higher West Nile virus transmission.”

The heavy rain, which was triple the usual average for the entire month of August, according to Weather Spark, likely reduced area mosquitoes.

Local medical care professionals suggested that residents should still remove standing water as a way to protect themselves against any remaining mosquitoes.

Congenital viral infection

Apart from the impact of local flooding, doctors discussed a host of other medical issues.

New York State has been testing newborns, since last fall, for congenital cytomegalovirus, or CMV, which infected mothers can give to their unborn children.

The testing so far has shown that CMV is less prevalent than previous estimates.

The state started the one-year study of the virus to track children who might develop symptoms, such as hearing loss or learning challenges, later on.

“The earlier you identify babies with hearing deficits, the sooner you can act, and there will be fewer ramifications on their intellectual development, as a result of it,” said Dr. Andrew Handel, pediatric infectious diseases expert at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, and a co-leader, along with Dr. Nachman, of one of the 11 units across the state.

Dr. Sharon Nachman. Courtesy Stony Brook Medicine Facebook page

Earlier medical sources estimated that the infection rate for newborns was about one in 200 babies. But, with about 300 newborns testing positive, the rate is closer to one in 325.

The percentage of symptomatic babies is tracking with previous expectations, at around 10 percent. Symptoms of congenital CMV at birth include hearing loss, jaundice, low birth weight, seizures and retinitis.

“Our numbers are matching up with the 90 percent” of those who have the virus, but are asymptomatic, Handel added.

“That’s why we feel screening is so important.”

For the asymptomatic newborns, about 10 percent will develop permanent hearing loss, which is why doctors are tracking them so closely.

The virus, which is a relative of the Epstein Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis, is spread through direct contact with body fluids, such as tears, saliva or urine. Over half of all adults have had a CMV infection, with some studies estimating the rate as high as 80 percent.

Adults can shed the virus for a few weeks after contracting it, while children can shed it for a few months.

While all newborns will receive CMV screening after birth, parents have five days to opt out of any link to a report of the presence of the virus in their children.

At this point, fewer than one percent of parents are opting out of the testing. Some of the parents aren’t interested in the test, others don’t believe it’s useful, while some believe their babies look fine, and don’t want the additional test.

Most parents appreciate the opportunity to gather information about their children’s health. Patients are “grateful the state has this program,” said Dr. Sunil Sood, Systems CMV specialist at Northwell Health.

At Stony Brook and other hospitals, doctors are monitoring those babies who test positive.

The County Department of Health supports the testing, as well.

“Routine screening of newborns for [congenital CMV] will help identify affected infants early on so they can receive appropriate follow-up and treatment,” Cynthia Friedman, Director of Public Health Suffolk County Department of Health Services, explained in an email.

“Infants who screen positive … should be followed closely by their pediatricians and referred to specialists as needed to ensure early detection of problems with hearing, vision or development so that appropriate care and support can be implemented.”

Once the funding for the testing runs out, which will be around October, hospitals around the state will no longer perform the test.

Parents can ask for a urine test, which doctors estimate could cost between $50 and $100, but which insurance, likely, won’t pay for — especially if the child is asymptomatic.

Legislators, including Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal (D-NYC) plan to introduce a bill in January that would fund tests, in future years.

“We would advocate that that become a permanent part of infant testing,” said Sood. “There are diseases that are far less common than CMV that have made it into the newborn testing programs.”

Immunization

Amid pushes by some pharmacies to encourage people to get flu shots, health care experts suggest waiting until closer to late September, or early October, for the inoculation.

“Vaccine efficacy is about three to four months,” said Nachman. “If you get it in August, when the flu season hits in January, you may not have much protection.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends similar timing, around September or October.

At the same time, Nachman expects a new batch of Covid vaccines will be available around September.

She recommends getting both shots at the same time, which increases both vaccines’ effectiveness.

Pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer, and BioNTech, recently reported that a single combined shot for Covid and flu was not effective against influenza B, which means that people interested in receiving vaccines this fall should plan to get two shots.

Covid numbers

As for Covid, the current strain has made the rounds this summer.

“Everybody and their neighbor had Covid,” said Nachman, who added that the virus has spread across all ages. Covid was “clearly more infectious than what we had in the spring” and people were sicker for longer.

While the number of infected people has decreased, the start of the fall semester could trigger an increase.

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By Daniel Dunaief

For the first time since May 2023, Brookhaven National Laboratory required masks on site at its facility starting on Jan. 8, as the rate of hospital admissions for the virus that caused the pandemic climbed.

Following the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force, BNL, which is a Department of Energy-sponsored site, reinstituted the mask policy once Covid admissions climbed above 20 per 100,000 people in the county, as determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

The CDC level rose to 24.8 on the evening of Jan. 5 and the lab re-implemented its mask requirement on the following Monday. Area doctors said they’ve seen an increase in illnesses tied to Covid, particularly after people traveled during the December holidays.

“We’ve seen a lot more Covid,” said Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. 

Dr. Nachman said people who are talking to friends and neighbors are hearing regularly about those who are sick with Covid.

Stony Brook University Hospital is not requiring masking at all times. The hospital is recommending that people consider wearing masks. Medical staff entering patient rooms are wearing them.

People walking into the hospital will see “more people wearing masks” in general, she added. In addition to Covid, hospitals in the area are also seeing a “huge amount of flu,” Dr. Nachman said.

 

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By Shannon L. Malone, Esq.

Shannon L. Malone, Esq.

Members of the community have been inquiring about how the courts have dealt with their calendars for personal injury cases caused mainly by motor vehicle accidents during more recent variants of COVID-19. Clients are naturally concerned about their health and the progress of their personal injury cases. 

Moreover, people who have gotten into various types of accidents while last year’s Omicron variant was raging wonder if they, or we, should be doing anything different. Finally, with the recent uptick in COVID-19 reported by the media, we are receiving additional inquiries of this nature over the summer. 

Just ‘how open’ were the courts before the Omicron variant became widespread?

Before the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus became prevalent, the courts in Suffolk County and throughout the state were beginning to “open up” and conduct “in person” appearances for conferences and other matters. 

Trials started when these appearances became more commonplace and seemingly conducted without danger to the court personnel, litigants, and lawyers. First, the court scheduled criminal trials in cases with incarcerated defendants, and then serious felony trials began in the fall of 2021. 

Next, the court started trying civil cases as a backlog of personal injury accident trials had developed. The judges throughout the state were encouraged to reduce the backlog, as it is well known that personal injury cases arising out of car accidents, slip and fall incidents, and medical malpractice usually settle only when a trial is about to begin. Therefore, the need to schedule trials became essential. 

What happened to trials that were scheduled before the Omicron variant became widespread? 

Just as civil trials for personal injury cases were beginning to be held with little or no noticeable spread of the virus, by the end of 2021, the Omicron variant hit New York State and most of the country. 

Several personal injury trials had been completed by jury verdict or settlement in Suffolk County; however, as 2022 began, the Omicron variant caused a pause in starting most civil personal injury trials. While a few such cases proceeded to trial while Omicron was spreading, the cases that involved several parties, such as multi-car accident matters, were postponed until the variant subsided.

What is the status of personal injury cases as of the Summer of 2023? 

Despite the emergence of the apparent new strain of COVID-19, the entire country clearly is enduring its spread. Whether it is a result of the vaccines, people developing immunity, or the availability of medications, most cases seem to be relatively mild. As a result, the courts are operating as they were in 2019, and trials are proceeding in virtually all personal injury cases. 

Needless to say, if you have a case pending or were involved in an accident that caused personal injury, be sure to keep in touch with your lawyer or consult with an attorney if you haven’t done so already, as no one can predict how new variants of the virus will evolve. 

According to epidemiologist Nathan Grubaugh of Yale University, “Delta was never going to be the last variant—and Omicron is not going to be the last one, as long as there is a COVID-19 outbreak somewhere in the world, there is going to be something new that emerges.” 

Shannon L. Malone, Esq. is an Associate Attorney at Glynn Mercep Purcell and Morrison LLP in Setauket. She graduated from Touro Law, where she wrote and served as an editor of the Touro Law Review. Ms. Malone is a proud Stony Brook University alumna.

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By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

The clock didn’t care about COVID-19.

Time marched forward at the same pace that it always has, and yet, the pandemic, which altered so much about our experiences, seemed to alter the fourth dimension.

Initially stuck in homes, we developed new routines, worked at kitchen tables or desks and spent considerably more time with family members and our pets throughout the day than anticipated.

For students, the pandemic altered opportunities and created challenges unseen for a century.

And yet, each year, as in this one for our daughter, the annual rite of passage of a graduation following an amalgam of typical and unique experiences awaits.

As these students march to “Pomp and Circumstance,” listen, or half-listen, to graduation speakers and glance at their supportive families who are thrilled to mark the milestone, celebrate their achievement and come together, what will be going through the minds of these new graduates?

Some may reflect on the typical academic stresses and achievements that helped them earn their diploma. They will consider the hours spent on lab experiments, the late-night workouts at the gym before a big game, and the endless rehearsals for shows and performances. They may bask in the attention of friends they made from around the country or around the corner.

They also might consider the parts they missed or the sudden change from their expected pathways.

Students, who were studying abroad, suddenly needed to return home as quickly as possible. They had to make sure they had their passports and visas, booked flights, and cleared out of rooms that might have just started to feel like home.

Others, like our daughter, raced back to their dorms from spring break, packed everything up and drove home.

As the weeks and months of uncertainty caused by a pandemic that gripped the country for more than two years progressed, some students recognized that they would not have some opportunities, like studying abroad. They might have filled out forms, learned important words in a different language, and chosen classes carefully that they couldn’t take.

Student-athletes, actors and artists, many of whom worked hard for months or longer together, were on their own as fields and stands stood empty.

These students may recognize, more than others, that plans may need to change in response to uncertainty caused by health concerns, storms or other issues.

Amid these disruptions and changes in routine, students and their families needed to pivot. They connected with friends online, entertained themselves at home, often on electronic devices, and tried to learn online.

Undoubtedly, they missed learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom. I heard from numerous students about lowered expectations and abridged syllabi, with American History classes designed to go to 2016 that stopped in 1945, at the end of World War II.

It will be up to students to fill those holes and to recognize the opportunities to become lifelong learners.

Indeed, as people search for a label for these graduates, perhaps the list will include the pivot generation, the empty stadium generation, and the virtual learning generation.

Historically, commencement speakers have exhorted graduates to embrace the opportunity to learn, to question the world around them and to seek out whatever they need.

After the pandemic adversely affected some of the students, perhaps some of them will learn and develop a stronger and more determined resilience, enabling them to keep their goals in sight even amid future uncertainties.

In the meantime, they and we can embrace the normalcy of a routine that allows them to watch the familiar clock as it slowly moves through the minutes of a commencement address.

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By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

COVID caught me. After two and a half years of bobbing and weaving, trying to elude the virus, I finally have been felled. It’s like being shot on the last day of the war. 

I did all the right things. I avoided crowds, driving back from my South Carolina vacation at the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020 instead of using my return plane ticket. I stopped going to the opera and to Broadway shows in New York City. I didn’t eat in restaurants, even after they reopened, for fear of who might be harboring pathogens at the next table. We closed the office to all but those with appointments. We ordered masks for the staff by the dozens and hand sanitizer by the gallon. We practiced social distancing at the bank, that is, before the bank closed its doors and moved away. We stopped holding events, such as “People of the Year” and “Cooks, Books and Corks” and “Reader’s Choice” that might turn into superspreaders. My family and I zoomed rather than visited. Our family holiday celebrations and vacations were suspended. And we took to our computers, to the extent we were able, for everything from classroom learning to shopping for toilet paper.

Remember all that?

Well, as much as we would like to declare the pandemic over, as President Joe Biden (D) recently did, the virus is still with us. I stopped social distancing, then recently became casual about wearing my mask. I started getting together, first with family, then with close friends, then with business colleagues. Recently, I have been eating inside a couple of restaurants. I stopped asking every repairman to please wear a mask in my house. I pushed COVID phobia way down in my consciousness.

Then I got it.

There are, of course, some differences between catching COVID early on and now. The health care professionals know so much more now about treating the disease. Hospitalizations are fewer but still some 32,000 daily, intubations are less common. But people are still dying, some 400-500 a day, to put numbers on it. Through Sept. 19, Suffolk County reported more than one death per day for the month, according to the Suffolk County Department of Health.

“We’ve had two million cases reported over the last 28 days, and we know underreporting is substantial,” Dr. Michael T. Osterholm, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Minnesota, was quoted in the Tuesday edition of The New York Times. He continued that COVID-19 was the No. 4 cause of death in the country.

Many of us were feeling what Biden was expressing. Yes, we have vaccines and medicines now that successfully hold the pathogen at bay, and most people have every expectation of recovering. Nonetheless, it has been a dreaded disease, especially for those of a certain age or with underlying conditions. With me, it started as a little dry cough throughout the afternoon, hardly noticeable. By nightfall, the cough had deepened and a headache began. The next day, the miserable irritation at the back of the throat started. By the end of the day, my temperature began to climb, eventually four degrees, and my body ached.

Of course, my doctor was on vacation that week, but the backup staff responded valiantly. They called me in for THE test, and when it was positive, they gave me three options. I could go to the Emergency Room and get an infusion of monoclonal antibodies, which would take an hour (not including the inevitable wait.) They could phone in a prescription for paxlovid, and I could take three pills in the morning, then three at night, for five days. They spelled out the side effects of both treatments, which didn’t sound too cheerful. Or I could just monitor the situation, drinking plenty of liquids, taking some Tylenol and see how it goes.

I chose the paxlovid.

Yes, it causes a metallic taste after it’s ingested. But it seems to have worked. 

Will I be as cavalier about relaxing precautions? No, I don’t think so. It is possible to get it again, and I REALLY don’t want it again.  I will get the next booster when I am eligible, I will continue to wear a mask regardless of what those around me are doing, and I will limit my dining, to the extent possible, to the great outdoors.

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By Raymond Janis 

At the Shea Theatre, Suffolk County Community College Ammerman campus, County Executive Steve Bellone (D) delivered his State of the County address May 18.

The county executive started his speech with a moment of silence to honor the lives lost in the Buffalo gun tragedy. 

“We continue to grieve for those who were lost, for the Buffalo community and, most importantly, for the families that have been directly impacted by this incomprehensible act of hate,” he said. “We must speak out against hateful rhetoric that is contrary to the American creed and stand up for what we do believe. This requires that we continue to celebrate our diversity here and recognize it for what it is — a strength.”

County legislators onstage during the event, above. Photo from Bellone’s Flickr page

COVID-19 recovery

The county executive acknowledged the many challenges of leading the administration through the public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “In March of 2020, life as we knew it shut down,” he said. “The world came to a halt and Suffolk County was at the epicenter of the COVID-19 global pandemic in our state and in our nation.”

Bellone reported that the county has lost over 4,400 residents to the virus. As normalcy slowly returns, he said that the pandemic has taught valuable lessons.

“One of the clearest takeaways for me is the importance of public service,” he said. “During this county’s darkest hour, our employees did it all. While much of the rest of the world was on lockdown, county employees ensured critical operations did not stop.” He added, “It is fitting that this year’s State of the County is here at Suffolk County Community College’s Ammerman campus as this was the location for one of our first mass-vaccination sites.”

Human resources 

One of Bellone’s points of emphasis during the address was the need for greater human resources personnel in county government. Despite its size, Bellone said that the county government still operates without a fully functional human resources department. 

“Human resources, to the extent that it has existed in this government, has been done on an ad hoc basis,” the county executive said. “Commissioners or department heads who are not human resource professionals perform these functions when a problem occurs or a crisis arises.”

Bellone considers this no way to run an organization, especially one as large and impactful to the lives of residents as the Suffolk County government. He likened human resources to military supply units.

“Operating departments without effective human resources is like the military trying to operate without its supply units,” he said, adding, “You can have the best fighting force in the world, but if those support units are ineffective, the mission will be undermined.” 

Through the addition of the latest HR software and new organizational practices, he suggested the county can save $18 million per year in payroll operation costs alone. 

Investing in the future

The county executive called the Long Island Rail Road a critical asset. “Nearly two centuries after its tracks were laid, that initial investment is still reaping extraordinary returns for the region,” he said. 

Bellone said the county is taking two significant leaps forward with both the East Side Access and Third Track projects. 

The county executive announced a new project called the Midway Crossing, which proposes to create two new public facilities which have long been under consideration: the Long Island Convention Center and a north terminal at MacArthur Airport. 

“It is crazy that a region of our size and significance, of nearly 3 million people, with incredible innovation and natural assets, adjacent to the largest and most important city in the nation, has no convention center,” he said. “A convention center would bring thousands of people and businesses to our region every year from other parts of the country, importantly bringing new dollars into our local economy.”

In a grand plan, Bellone envisions this convention center will be connected to both a new state-of-the-art north airport terminal at MacArthur Airport and to the main line of the LIRR. 

“The convention center attendees would conveniently and easily fly in and out of MacArthur Airport, and if a flight wasn’t available they would still have the ability to take the train from either JFK or LaGuardia,” he said. “Every great region must have a great regional airport and no one can deny that Long Island is one of the great regions in the nation.”

Bellone also foresees other opportunities to integrate the regional economy along the Ronkonkoma Branch line of the LIRR. He proposes relocating the “wholly underutilized” Yaphank station to create the Brookhaven National Laboratory Station, “effectively connecting this global institution to MacArthur Airport and the larger innovation ecosystem in the region by mass transit.”

Environmental quality

County Executive Steve Bellone, above, delivers the State of the County address. Photo from Bellone’s Flickr page

The county executive highlighted some of the environmental initiatives that his administration is working on. He said this region is currently on the front lines of the battle against climate change.

“As an island, we know that we are on the front lines of climate change,” Bellone said. “By taking action, we are not only helping to protect our region in the future, but we are creating economic opportunities in the near term as well.”

He also discussed the need for more charging stations as drivers throughout the county continue to transition to electric vehicles. He announced that two-dozen public libraries in each of the 10 towns in the county have partnered with the administration in the development of a charge-sharing network.

Suffolk County has also emerged as one of the centers of the offshore wind industry in the region, according to Bellone. “This is an industry that will have a more than $12 billion economic impact on New York,” he said. “Suffolk County is well positioned to benefit from the new supply chains and the creation of approximately 7,000 new jobs.”

The county has also reached out to businesses and collaborated with local colleges to establish workforce training programs that will prepare residents for these new jobs. 

Opioid crisis

Exacerbated by the pandemic, ending the opioid epidemic remains near the top of Bellone’s list of priorities. He said opioids have wreaked havoc upon the county, causing horrific damage for users and their families.

“After years of steady progress, the pandemic created unprecedented circumstances of fear, isolation and anxiety that led to an increase in overdoses — 374 confirmed [fatal] cases last year alone,” he said. 

“If we want to be part of the solution, then we need to do what the Greatest Generation did: Put our heads down and build. Build our families first and then do our part to build stronger communities.” — Steve Bellone

The Greatest Generation

Bellone concluded his address on a positive note. With war again raging in Europe, the county executive reminded the audience of the example of the Greatest Generation.

“The attack on Ukraine is the kind of naked aggression against a sovereign nation in Europe that we have not witnessed since the end of World War II,” he said. “The images and the videos that we see coming out of Ukraine are absolutely devastating and heartbreaking.” He added, “I don’t think that it is any coincidence that after more than 75 years of peace in Europe, forged by the sacrifices of American veterans, that we’re seeing this kind of aggression happen just as this Greatest Generation slowly, but inevitably, fades into history.”

Bellone said it is important to honor the legacy of the Greatest Generation as these Americans had laid the foundation for a future of peace. “They won the war and then they came home and built a better future for all of us,” he said. “If we want to be part of the solution, then we need to do what the Greatest Generation did: Put our heads down and build. Build our families first and then do our part to build stronger communities.” 

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Many doctors are suggesting people learn to live with the virus and begin returning to usual activities such as going to the movies. Photo from Pixabay

Dr. Gregson Pigott went to the movies this week.

While the activity would be considered mundane in 2019, the decision to go to the theater to catch a flick is yet another example of how local doctors, or, in this case, commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, is practicing what he preaches.

“We need to learn to live with the virus,” said Pigott, who has also been to a few Brooklyn Nets basketball games. Pigott, who is not using a mask except in situations where it is required, such as on a plane or on public transit, suggested people are “trying to resume life as it was pre-COVID.”

While the percentage of positive tests has risen, the numbers haven’t raised any alarm bells.

The percentage of COVID positive tests increased to a seven-day average of 2.6% as of April 2, according to figures from the New York State Department of Health.

That figure is higher than it had been in the weeks prior, when the percentage dipped below 2%.

“I certainly expected this,” Dr. Sean Clousten, associate professor of Public Health at Stony Brook University explained in an email. “I suspect this increase is due to unmasking at public schools because many kids who are infected are asymptomatic or the symptoms are different.”

Pigott said the current symptoms for the newer variant of omicron, called BA.2, which is becoming the dominant strain across the country and through much of the world, includes stuffy noses, scratchy throat and a slight cough.

Clousten added that the symptoms can also appear more like a bad stomach bug.

Second booster

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration approved a second booster for people over 50 and for those who are immunocompromised and who had a first booster more than four months ago.

Pigott said he would urge people who are over 65 or those who are immunocompromised to consider getting another jab.

“Most of the general population is fine with the three-shot regimen,” Pigott said. “Your body will recognize any kind of COVID infection and deal with it quickly.”

Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, indicated in an email that Stony Brook has been “advocating for switching vaccines.”

Switching vaccines could mean triggering a different response to the shot for the second booster, Nachman added.

Data about a second booster shows that the shot provides “good protection” against serious COVID, Nachman said. “Will it protect against any infection (meaning you might get a runny nose, cough or upper respiratory infection)? Not really.”

Nachman urged people to consult with their primary care doctor to decide whether to take a booster. What people are doing and where they are going can and should affect that decision.

Finally, daily activities such as going back to a crowded office or starting to take New York City transit could be “excellent reasons” to get a booster, she said.

Nachman plans to get a booster, although she is working on the best timing for another shot.

“Before I travel abroad is key to making sure I have my booster and am protected,” Nachman added.

Conferences

Nachman is encouraged that people are returning to in-person conferences and other activities.

“It will be great to have people starting to get back to routine living, and that means being with other people,” she explained in an email.

She urged people to stay at home if they don’t feel well.

“Now is not the time to push to go to that meeting or get together with extended family, since you might just be responsible for getting someone else sick,” she explained.

She suggested people should be patient and understanding of others who choose to wear masks or continue to practice social distancing.

“Don’t shame anyone who is wearing a mask,” Nachman advised. “If that is what it takes to get them together with you in public, go for it.”

In another sign of a return to a pre-pandemic life, Pigott suggested that the Health Department was planning to direct more resources to tracking illnesses like Lyme disease.

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