Serving Williston Park, East Williston, Mineola, Albertson and Searingtown
$1
Friday, January 15, 2021
Vol. 70, No. 3
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK
NHP MAN ARRESTED IN GARDEN CITY
SUOZZI, RICE ENDURE CAPITOL SCARE
PAGES 20-21
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Scramble on for COVID-19 vaccinations Cuomo broadly expands eligibility but says far too few doses available BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z The state has broadly expanded the number of people eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo said far too few doses are arriving to do the job. Cuomo announced last week that the “1b group,” which includes essential workers like teachers, firefighters and public safety officers, grocery store workers, corrections officers, child care providers, public transit employees, those working or living in homeless shelters, and people at least 75 years old, was eligible to obtain the vaccine beginning this week. On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that states allow people ages 65 and older to receive the vaccine, and Cuomo said New York would do so. The state will also extend eligibility to people with compromised immune systems but exactly when has not been specified. Of the seven million people in New York who are now eligible to receive the vaccine, 870,000 are edu-
cation workers, 207,000 are first responders, 100,000 are public safety workers, 100,000 are public transit workers, and more than three million are people 65 and older. “After 10 long months, the expansion of eligibility for additional New Yorkers to begin making their COVID-19 vaccination plan is a light at the end of the tunnel,” Cuomo said on Monday. “The vaccine is the weapon that will end the war, and as we continue to prioritize health care workers as hospital capacity necessitates, New York is proud to have reached this milestone and we strongly encourage all who are newly eligible to schedule their free vaccination appointment as soon as possible.” At the current rate of 300,000 vaccine doses being supplied to the state each week, Cuomo said, patience will be required. “We receive 300,000 dosages per week; that has not changed,” Cuomo said. “The federal government didn’t give us an additional allocation. That’s 300,000 per week. How do you Continued on Page 28
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHEATLEY SCHOOL
On Jan. 7, Wheatley seniors (from left) Anya Chabria, Lucy Zha, Manav Bansal and Victor Li were named scholars in the 2021 Regeneron Science Talent Search. See story on page 3.
Bosworth won’t seek re-election; Wink to run BY R O S E W E L D ON
A longtime colleague, Town Clerk Wayne Wink, said he After decades in public ser- would run for the post this fall. “The pandemic has been vice, Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth has a time of deep reflection,” Boannounced she will not to run sworth, a Democrat, said in a statement released by the town for another term.
on Monday morning. “One of the lessons that has been reinforced for me is the importance of family and how essential the time is that we spend with our loved ones. Continued on Page 36
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