Friday, January 22, 2021
Vol. 81, No. 4
$1
SERVING PLAINVIEW, HICKSVILLE, AND LEVITTOWN
School designated as testing site
Local assemblyman backs return of high school sports BY GARY SIMEONE
Dr. Mary O’Meara, Superintendent of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District, Dr. Perry Frankel, President and Medical Director of Advanced Cardiovascular Diagnostics with his staff members and community members receiving testing at Jamaica Avenue School. The Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District has partnered with Advanced Cardiovascular Diagnostics to provide free COVID-19 rapid antigen testing to all members of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District community. Testing takes place at the Jamaica Avenue School at 85 Jamaica Avenue, Plainview NY. Last week, senior citizens from the community had their own designated testing time to provide them with a safe, uncrowded environment to get tested.
“We know that testing people frequently plays a crucial role in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 throughout our community,” said Dr. Mary O’Meara, superintendent of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District. “We are extremely appreciative to Dr. Frankel and his team at Advanced Cardiovascular Diagnostics for providing testing resources and making the testing process seamless for our school community.” Testing will take place every Monday, Wednesday,
and Friday from 9:20 a.m.– 3:00 p.m. for the foreseeable future. Samples are collected outdoors to prevent the spread of the virus and are processed inside the building. The tests have a positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 97.5%. In order to protect students, staff and community members, the District encourages all residents to continue to take steps to slow the spread of COVID-19 and take advantage of this new valuable resource.
The Mid-Island Times & Levittown Times is Published every Friday by Litmor Publishing Corp. Periodical Postage paid at Hicksville, N.Y. 11801 Tel 931-0012. USPS 3467-68 Postmaster: Send Address Changes to: The Mid Island & Levittown Times 821 Franklin Ave., Suite 208, Garden City, N.Y. 11530. Meg Norris Publisher
Long Island assemblyman, Ed Ra, wants to see full contact high school sports, like football and lacrosse, return to the field of play. Ra, of Nassau County’s 19th legislative district, supports legislation that would pave the way for these sports to resume their schedules in the spring season. “This dates back to last summer, when State Governor, (Andrew) Cuomo, and the state DOH (Department of Health) issued their guidelines on high school sports,” said Ra. “At the time they allowed for low to medium risk sports like tennis and cross-country to resume, but sports like football, basketball and lacrosse, which were deemed high-risk for COVID-19 transmission, were indefinitely postponed.” Ra said a colleague of his, assemblyman Colin Schmitt, of the 99th legislative district, in Rockland County, initially proposed the legislation last summer. “We actually held a press conference and rally last August, in front of the Section VIII administration center in Garden City, showing our support for the return of full contact high school sports,” said Ra. Nassau County’s Section VIII governing body, (NYSPHSAA) gives the final word on allowing for inter scholastic athletics to begin play or to resume their seasons. As of now, the organization has decided
against the return of sports deemed to be high risk for the transmission of COVID-19. Ra said that surrounding states such as Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, have held their football seasons in the fall and many of the school’s basketball seasons are currently underway. “From the data I’ve seen so far in other states, I believe there has been one positively identified case of the coronavirus, from the resumption of their sports seasons. I know that parents and student-athletes, particularly on Long Island, are frustrated with the current situation.” He said that with the spring sports season around the corner, he’d like to see updated and revised guidelines from the state on when sports considered high-risk can begin their seasons. “I think the issues arise not from physically playing the games, but from off the field activities when individuals are not following proper protocols, like the mask wearing and social distancing,” said Ra. “For many of these student -athletes who had a lost season last spring, this maybe their final chance to play high school sports. Not playing could be detrimental to their education and the possibility of not getting into the college of their choice.” Ra said it was important to move quickly on a decision to resume See page 13
New art form on display at Library PAGE 6 Blood drive at Woodbury Jewish Center
PAGE 4