After caring for thousands of patients battling COVID-19, Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) has received the coronavirus vaccine and has begun vaccinating hospital workers at the highest risk of exposure. Kisa King, a resident in the Department of Emergency Medicine at SBUH, received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, administered by Ian Pak, a pharmacist at the Hospital.

“I am so excited and thankful to be a part of the solution,” said King. “Not only does this mean that I can continue delivering care to my patients, but it also means I am providing protection to my family, friends, and community.”

Based on guidance from the New York State Department of Health, more than 250 personnel working in emergency rooms, critical care units, and other high-risk hospital units are scheduled to receive the vaccine at SBUH by the end of the day. The vaccine administration will be staggered in such a way as to ensure staff has the ability to continue providing necessary patient care. Stony Brook Medicine expects to receive additional doses of vaccine in the coming weeks.

This major milestone comes after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the first emergency use authorization for a vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals 16 years of age and older. The emergency use authorization allows the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to be distributed in the U.S. The vaccine has been found to be more than 90 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 after two doses.

The Village of Port Jefferson recently held a competition to design a series of sculptures in the Village for collecting recyclable materials and also to raise awareness about single-use plastics and the dangers of waste in aquatic ecosystems. Stony Brook University senior Michael Manning’s “Shellfish Recycling Bin” and Art Professor Nobuho Nagasawa’s “Sea Turtle” were the two winning designs.

Port Jefferson Trustee Rebecca Kassay and Mayor Margot Garant collaborated with Karen Levitov, director and curator of the Staller Center’s Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery, to establish another synergistic relationship between the Village and the University. The Village’s competition was open exclusively to Stony Brook’s sculpture MFA students and undergraduate sculpture students working with Nagasawa. A total of 11 proposals were submitted and reviewed by a selection committee, and three finalists were invited to present their proposals via Zoom. 

“Shellfish Recycling Bin” is a human-scale crab that will collect recyclables at Rocketship Park and “Sea Turtle” will be placed at Harborfront Park. Both locations are highly visible to locals and visitors. The sculptures will be accompanied by plaques that credit the artists and provide information about the sculptures’ function as recycling containers and reminders of the dangers of plastic waste to the local ecosystem.

Read the Full Story: SBU Collaborates with Village of Port Jefferson to Create Recycling Sculptures | | SBU

On Saturday, October 24, the SBU Center for Prevention and Outreach’s SB IMPACT Coalition partnered with the Town of Brookhaven to provide a drive-thru wellness event. They kicked off Red Ribbon Week, a 10-day drug-free awareness campaign, by offering the community an opportunity to safely dispose of expired prescription drugs.

The event took place at the Port Jefferson Station Chamber of Commerce office housed in an old train car. The clear weather made it easy for community members to drive through, handing in more than 80 pounds of outdated prescription medication without having to leave their vehicle.

“It was a very successful event,” said Alana Marino, College Prevention Coordinator for the Center for Prevention and Outreach. “We were proud to partner with the Town of Brookhaven’s Council District 3, Drug Prevention Coalition, to orchestrate this event. Both our coalitions are passionate about community safety and wellness.”

The SB IMPACT Coalition group was not only proud of their success, but they were especially pleased to have orchestrated this wellness day event in the midst of a pandemic. The results of their efforts were very gratifying, and they appreciated the community’s willingness to step up to keep others safe.

Read the Full Story: Drive-Thru Wellness Event Collects 80 Pounds of Expired Medication