On the front lines of omicron in one LI hospital

Hospitals across the region have been in a third major COVID-19 wave, and today's newsletter gives a glimpse of what it's like inside Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park near the peak of its omicron-fueled surge. This edition also includes Gov. Kathy Hochul's response to school districts reportedly defying the mask mandate, and Biden's plan to make N95 masks free and available for residents. Plus, where some employers' back-to-office plans stand. By Edward B. Colby It 'hit us like a tidal wave' Dr. Mangala Narasimhan, center, checking on a patient inside the medical intensive care unit at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park on Tuesday. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca Newsday spent Jan. 13 inside Long Island Jewish Medical Center at around the peak of its omicron-fueled surge. Newsday's David Olson reports: Nurse Julia Jozefowski sat outside the room of an unvaccinated COVID-19 patient in her 30s, monitoring the ECMO machine that was removing her blood, adding oxygen and pumping the blood back into her body. Advertisements Jozefowski said she sometimes ponders a different reality. In it, the critically ill patients she's caring for, like the woman struggling to survive, are inoculated and likely never would have been hospitalized, much less ended up in intensive care. "It can make you emotional at times when you would do anything for this patient … you push yourself so hard to give these people a chance," she said. "It's hard if you do take that moment to think about if something so much easier could have been done, [like] getting the vaccine." Like other hospitals across the region, Long Island Jewish in New Hyde Park has been enduring a third major COVID-19 wave. Unlike the ones last winter and in spring 2020, this time almost all patients had access to a vaccine that is highly effective at preventing hospitalization. "I thought we were kind of out of it, because we had the vaccine out and everyone was doing well," said Diana Tarello-Ketterer, a labor and delivery nurse. "And then it just kind of hit us like a tidal wave." Read the full story. ICYMI: Every household in the U.S. can get free at-home COVID-19 tests delivered by the U.S. Postal Service by going to COVIDTests.gov. Find this and other ways to access a COVID-19 test in this guide. Advertisements The Biden administration also announced it will begin making 400 million N95 masks available for free to all residents starting next week. The number of new positives reported today: 1,847 in Nassau, 2,056 in Suffolk, 13,474 in New York City and 30,631 statewide. This chart shows how many patients are hospitalized for the coronavirus in the state. Search a map of new cases, and view more charts showing the latest local trends in vaccinations, new cases, deaths and more. See more coronavirus headlines below. Hochul: State weighing options for school leaders that don't enforce mask mandate "It is very disappointing, and we're looking at our options," the governor said on Thursday, responding to a question from Newsday. "I'll just say that. I'm not gonna telegraph here what our plans are. But I take this very seriously, and I believe these school districts have a responsibility to follow what has been set forth." Connetquot psychologist: District not enforcing mask mandate A school psychologist now sick with COVID-19 says the Connetquot School District is not enforcing a state indoor mask mandate for schools. The district said in a statement: "Throughout the pandemic the district has worked to enforce all state mandates within an educational setting." To our community: Newsday readers support our strong local journalism by subscribing. Please show you value this important work by becoming a subscriber now. Subscribe for $1 More than 60% support mask mandates, Mount Sinai South Nassau poll finds A majority of respondents believe face coverings should be required in private businesses, theaters, schools, courthouses and places of worship. Survey says: Omicron delays employers' back-to-office plans About 61% of Manhattan office employers expect average daily attendance to top 50% by the end of March, but 22% were unable to estimate when attendance would surpass that figure, with some basing when to bring more employees back on a decline in coronavirus infections, a business group's survey found. Advertisement U.S. jobless claims rise to 286,000, highest since October The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose to the highest level in three months as the fast-spreading omicron variant disrupted the job market. Newsday's Breaking News newsletter Get breaking news as it happens. Sign up for our email news alerts. SIGN UP LI's Steve Vai reschedules his Paramount concert The guitarist was originally scheduled to headline the Huntington venue on Feb. 25, but due to the pandemic he has moved the gig to Oct. 30. Biden says nation weary from COVID, but U.S. in a better place At a news conference marking his first year in office, President Biden insisted that he has "outperformed" expectations. He said he would likely have to settle for "big chunks" of his signature economic package to break an impasse in Congress. Advertisement Only in Newsday Federal stimulus funds to cover LI pension plans, Schumer says The $725 million from the American Rescue Plan will solve the struggle to make the pension plans solvent after they bottomed out in the 2008 global financial crisis. Advertisement Sign up for more newsletters You can cancel anytime How are we doing? 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