Curran, Kaminsky, Call On The State To Open Beaches Fully

LONG BEACH, NY — With the rise in COVID-19 vaccinations, Long Island politicians, led by Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and New York state senator Todd Kaminsky, are seeking beaches to be open fully to the public.

They sent a letter to the state department of health to eliminate a cap on beachgoers.

"For those of us who live in coastal communities, the beaches are our lifeblood," Kaminsky said in a news conference Wednesday on the Long Beach boardwalk. "They support our businesses all year round. It's very difficult to be a business without having that summer revenue."

Kaminsky said these decisions must be made urgently as next week is May, while Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of the summer, is in a month.

The biggest difference from last season — and the 50 percent capacity restriction — is the large amount people vaccinated across the island. Fifty-two percent of Nassau residents have received at least one dose. That's almost 70 percent of the adult population, according to Curran.

"We are beach people. We are islanders," she said. "It's in our name. It's in our DNA."

Curran said it can be done safely by maintaining social distancing from group to group.

"There will likely be guidance from the state, whatever the percentage is," Curran said. "... But, first the goal is to get to 100 percent capacity and then we can sort out those details."

The CDC provided new guidelines Tuesday for those vaccinated, including how to gather outdoors.