Fire Island Hopes to Keep Coronavirus Out, Asking Seasonal Residents to Quarantine

Fire Island still doesn’t have a single case of the Coronavirus despite being tucked away in the hot spot of Suffolk County. As the summer season approaches, however, Fire Island officials hope to keep it that way by asking seasonal residents to take specific guidelines to keep the virus out.

The barrier island is in a unique predicament, as the population inflates from about 400 year-round residents to 20,000 during season when summer residents flock to the popular summer vacation haven. Fire Island officials now ask seasonal residents to quarantine for two weeks before arriving and two weeks after. The quarantine is not mandatory, but officials are recommending the quarantine to mitigate the risk of any resident getting sick.

“I want to avoid any perception of this ‘don’t come here, the locals against the seasonals,’” Suzy Goldhirsch, president of the Fire Island Association told Newsday. “That’s not what it’s about, and we’ve gotten a lot of positive support from our residents on how we are encouraging people to be responsible.”

Goldhirsch also said the year-round residents of Fire Island have been asked to adhere to the same guidelines to ensure the safety of everyone on the island. With limited medical services available, Fire Island would not be able to handle a spread of the virus like other parts of New York.

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