Columbia County Department of Health Update

As of 12 PM on April 26, 2020:

– Columbia County has had 13 community members that have passed away from COVID-19
-152 positive cases of COVID-19
-77 of the 152 cases have recovered from COVID-19
– 15 of the positive cases are hospitalized, 3 of those hospitalized are in the ICU
-We have received 1,154 test results completed for Columbia County residents
-142 residents are under mandatory quarantine and 24 under precautionary quarantine

Sunday, April 26, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

FROM: Chairman Matt Murell

COVID-19 AUTUMN/WINTER RETURN EXPECTED

“I’m definitely concerned about the return of COVID-19 in the fall,” said Columbia County Department of Health Director Jack Mabb on Sunday.

“Now,” he added, “there’s another component to this, which the CDC dropped on us this weekend. It appears that you may not develop immunity to the virus after having contracted it once. If there is no immunity, how effective would a vaccine be?”

Meanwhile, said county Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell, “I would advise everyone to get a flu shot this fall. Having either the flu or COVID-19 is bad enough, but to wind up with both at the same time would be a terrible situation. And, if you have the flu and are infected with COVID-19 at the same time, there’s a good chance that doctors won’t know what exactly is going on and what the treatment should be.”

“This could be a very long-term struggle,” said Mabb. “Those of us who are working day-to-day expect to be at it day-to-day for a long time, as the virus may well return in waves. Long-term, our society is going to be much different going forward. We can’t go back to normal because normal clearly didn’t work.”

“Everything I’ve read and the discussions I’ve been involved in indicate that we can experience a COVID-19 resurgence in the fall and winter. Since we have more information now on the virus, we are somewhat better prepared, but it’s important to keep our guard up as New York State lifts restrictions,” added county Emergency Management Director David W. Harrison, Jr.

SUNDAY’S STATEWIDE COVID-19 STATISTICS

As of Sunday morning, said county Director of Emergency Management David W. Harrison, Jr., New York State reported that 777,568 tests for COVID-19 had been administered statewide. Of that number, 282,143 yielded a positive result. There are currently 13,433 individuals hospitalized, with 1,184 newly hospitalized. At this time, statewide 16,599 have died from the virus.

DONATION INFORMATION Monetary: Monetary donations intended for the purchase of coronavirus testing kits and much-needed equipment for emergency responders, medical personnel, and others on the front lines of the coronavirus fight are advised to send a check in care of Columbia County, with coronavirus noted in the memo field. The check be Matt B. Murell Chairman Kelly S. Baccaro Clerk Ronald L. Knott Deputy Chairman James J. Guzzi Deputy Chairman sent to the Columbia County Controller’s Office, 401 State Street, Hudson, NY 12534. All money received is being placed in a dedicated account.

PPE: Those wishing to make donations of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as N95 masks, face shields, and gowns, are advised to contact the Emergency Management Office at 518-828-1212. If no one answers, leave a message and someone will return the call.

Food: Donations should be directed to the county Office for the Aging (518-828-4258) and local food pantries.

Masks: Those interested in donating masks should contact Austerlitz Town Supervisor and county Health and Human Services Committee Chairman Rob Lagonia at [email protected]. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s five or 100, we need every one,” said Lagonia, who recommends that those wishing to help out with mask donations consult CDC guidelines at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diycloth-face-coverings.html

Currently, Ocean State Job Lot stores are offering free fabric for use in the construction of masks in a “Mask Fabric For Free” campaign. Visit any Ocean State location for the fabric, which is said to be of a high-quality cotton/polyester blend available in two sizes. Further information is available on the Ocean State Job Lot website. Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts is offering free mask kits. Those seeking to acquire a kit are advised to order online for curbside pickup. The Greenport store telephone number is 518-828-2621. Current store hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

AVAILABLE SERVICES Family Assistance Network: As part of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Columbia County Emergency Management has asked leaders in the human services and spiritual areas of our community for help, Director of Emergency Management David W. Harrison, Jr., said Saturday. The individuals were asked to form a Family Assistance Network to provide information to assist county residents who may be dealing with someone close to them who passed away as a result of the COVID-19 virus. Information on where someone can reach out for help is posted on various websites, including the Columbia County website and Emergency Management Facebook page. Hotline for Elderly and Vulnerable: Columbia County Sheriff David Bartlett has established a hotline for the elderly and vulnerable in our county, including those with medical conditions or are disabled, who would welcome a deputy checking on their well-being on a daily basis. The number for the hotline is 518-828-0601, extension 1400.

SELF-ISOLATION Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell continues to urge anyone migrating from outside Columbia County to self-quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival. “Everyone should consider they are a carrier of the coronavirus,” said Murell.

DISCLAIMER It is the county’s intention to issue accurate information regarding the coronavirus situation under conditions that can change by the minute. For the most up-to-date, accurate information, visit the County Department of Health’s website at https://www.columbiacountynyhealth.com/home/coronavirus-covid-19 or their Facebook page @: https://www.facebook.com/Columbia-County-Department-of-Health-469399129790791/. The state’s coronavirus website, with up-to-the-minute information, can be located at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home. The county will issue a daily press release on the coronavirus situation every afternoon at 4. The releases can be found on the Columbia County website and the Facebook pages of the Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Health, and the Emergency Management Office.