Suffolk Parks Mandates Masks For Unvaccinated Visitors To Offices

SHIRLEY, NY — The Suffolk County Parks Department is now requiring unvaccinated visitors to wear masks inside its parks offices due to the increase in COVID-19 cases.

Visitors who show proof they have been inoculated against the virus are not required to wear a mask indoors, according to a post Wednesday on the department's Facebook page.

As of Aug. 16, 280 new cases were reported in Suffolk, and five percent of those tested were positive on Sunday, according to the county's website. There was a four percent positivity rate on a seven-day average and four people died.

One hundred and forty-two people were hospitalized, which represented a decrease of three in 24 hours. There were 26 new admissions to the hospital, and 27 patients were in the Intensive Care Unit, which is a decrease of two in 24 hours. Twelve of those ICU patients were intubated.

County officials advised anyone interested in becoming vaccinated, to visit Suffolk's COVID-19 Vaccine website to view the county’s schedule of clinics at suffolkcountyny.gov/vaccine.