Chairman’s press release

‘AGGRESSIVE’ COVID-19 SPREAD CLOSES COUNTY CLERK, DMV

The offices of the Columbia County Clerk and the Columbia County Department of Motor Vehicles, located at 560 Warren Street, Hudson, will be closed through March 19 owing to a significant outbreak of COVID-19, said Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell on Tuesday.

The closing of the office for the 10-day time frame, instituted in the effort to mitigate against further spread of the virus, corresponds with current CDC guidelines.

Anyone who has conducted business with either the County Clerk’s office or county DMV from March 1 through 9 are advised by the Columbia County Department of Health to remain vigilant for symptoms of COVID-19 infection, and seek testing if they should appear.

There are currently seven confirmed cases of the virus among the 23 staff — a 30 percent infection rate — who work in the two offices. “This is a significant exposure, not only in terms of numbers but of how quickly it got into the staff and how quickly it has spread,” said county Department of Health Director Jack Mabb.

“This appears to be a very aggressive, particularly virulent form of the virus,” added Director Mabb. “Because of that, we have asked the state health department to look into the possibility this outbreak has been caused by the UK variant.”

The county Health Department will be testing additional personnel from the two offices as the week progresses.