1st Suffolk Coronavirus Patient In Hamptons; Town Talks Safety

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — With the first Suffolk County coronavirus patient —a man in his 40s employed at the Greenport Harbor Brewing Co. in Peconic — being treated at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital and 22 SUNY students who had been studying abroad now housed in Southampton campus residence halls, town officials are speaking out on how to stay safe.

"We have received assurances from hospital officials that the individual is, and has been, in isolation in the hospital and all necessary precautions have been taken as part of their plan," Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said in a statement. "We are hopeful that this individual continues to improve in condition and turns into another survival success story.

"Unrelated to the presence of the confirmed coronavirus case at the hospital, is the arrival of university students at the Stony Brook Southampton campus from Europe. The state brought these students back to remove them from areas of heightened concern for coronavirus overseas."

All of the students were screened before arriving at the campus and none of them have any signs or symptoms of the coronavirus, according to Schneiderman. Their isolation at the Stony Brook Southampton campus "is being done out of an abundance of caution by the state and not the result of any of them being sick," he said.

"We have confidence in the site security and monitoring plans of state and county," Schneiderman continued. "Although we share in the sentiments of our residents, in that we wish this was not occurring here, we do not fear for any increased risk to the community based on the plans indicated to us."

He said the town is "carefully and constantly monitoring" the regional and local coronavirus situation, in regular communication with counterparts in other towns, and continuously reaching out to obtain the most current information from state and county officials.

The town is also trying to acquire additional sanitizing and protective supplies for staff and facilities.

The best protection, however, town officials said, is good hygiene and social distancing, something that has been encouraged with town employees and residents.

Members of vulnerable populations, including the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions that might compromise their immune systems, are "strongly encouraged" to limit social interactions and take extra precautions.

The town urged residents to follow these steps to decrease community risk:

- Social distancing: Maintain at least 3 feet of distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

- Avoid touching your face: Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth, which can then enter the body and make you sick.

- Practice respiratory hygiene: Cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Dispose of the tissue immediately.

-Keep work/public spaces clean: Regularly wipe downs desks, counter surfaces, tables etc. with disinfecting spray or wipes.

- Stay home if unwell: If you have a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention. Call the doctor in advance and stay isolated.

- The most effective preventative measure is frequent and thorough hand washing.

For additional information or if residents have specific questions or concerns, a 3-1-1 number has been activated by the county to attempt to address issues. Residents with questions can dial 3-1-1 during business hours for additional information.