Despite continuous vaccination efforts throughout Nassau County and Long Island, the number of new, daily coronavirus cases has neared 100 for the past week, with positivity rates increasing and the new Delta Variant present.
According to state Health Department statistics as of Wednesday morning, Nassau County’s positivity rate was at 2 percent, with a seven-day positivity rate of 1.8 percent. While the numbers pale in comparison to some of the numbers during the peak of the pandemic last year, the increase in daily cases throughout the county has hovered around triple digits for nearly two weeks, figures showed.
Nassau’s statistics are also higher than the statewide positivity rate of 1.7 percent with a seven-day average of 1.3 percent. Long Island as a whole has seen sharp upticks in positivity rates since July 1, when the daily positivity rate was at 0.6 percent. As of Wednesday, according to the latest statistics, Long Island’s 2 percent single day positivity rate was tied for the third-highest throughout the 10 state regions. Its seven-day positivity rate of 1.7 percent trailed only the Capital Region in New York.
With rates continuing to climb, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran once again advocated for residents to get the coronavirus vaccine as quickly as possible.
“Nassau County is in a strong position thanks to our high vaccination rate, but highly contagious COVID-19 variants like Delta underscore the need to keep getting shots into arms,” Curran tweeted last week. “The more residents who roll up their sleeves, the stronger our defense against variants will be.”
According to state Health Department figures, Long Island has more than 1.4 million fully vaccinated people for third place in the 10 state regions, trailing only the Mid-Hudson and New York City. Over 1.5 million people have received at least one dose of the vaccine, second only to New York City, according to the figures.
The state Health Department, which also breaks down vaccination rates by zip code, found that the 11042 zip code of New Hyde Park has the lowest rate at 20.8 percent of people vaccinated. That zip code, however, consists primarily of businesses south of the Northern State Parkway and along Marcus Avenue.
The next lowest vaccination rate throughout the North Shore areas is the 62 percent featured in the 11024 zip code of the Great Neck Peninsula, made up by the village of Kings Point. The next lowest one rate also resides in Great Neck, with the 11023 zip code at a 65.4-percent rate, according to the figures. This zip code incorporates parts of the Villages of Great Neck and Saddle Rock, along with Great Neck Gardens and Harbor Hills.
The highest vaccination rate, of 83.6 percent, also is featured along the Great Neck peninsula, with the 11020 zip code, consisting primarily of the Village of Lake Success and University Gardens. Some of this zip code is also made up of Great Neck South Middle and High School, North Shore Hebrew Academy, and the Fresh Meadow Country Club.
The statistics also show vaccination rates of 81.3 percent in Roslyn, 80.6 percent in Albertson, 79.2 percent in New Hyde Park’s 11040 zip code, 77.2 percent in Williston Park, 76.7 percent in Port Washington, 75.9 percent in Mineola, 75.7 percent in Great Neck’s 11021 zip code, 75.3 percent in Roslyn Heights, 72.3 percent in Manhasset, and 69.3 percent in Floral Park.
In total, the 13 North Shore zip codes average a 70.1-percent vaccination rate. Without the 20.8-percent figure in the 11042 zip code, the average increases to 74.2 percent.
