Wednesday, February 17, 2021

From the Columbia County Board of Supervisors

CHAIRMAN’S PRESS RELEASE

WEATHER FORCES 2ND VAX DOSE POD POSTPONEMENT Weather conditions in the Kentucky area have led to the postponement of both the Thursday, February 18, and Friday, February 19, scheduled second dose PODS, said Columbia County Department of Health Director Jack Mabb on Wednesday. Both PODs will be rescheduled. Everyone with an appointment will be contacted to verify their new appointment. At this time, Director Mabb said the DOH is tentatively looking to schedule PODS for those in the comorbid and 1B categories for next Friday, February 26. These PODs will be announced when vaccine delivery becomes certain.

“The weather has really put a crimp in the delivery of vaccine doses. One snowstorm after another is not doing us much good when it comes to vaccine delivery,” said Director Mabb.

CHAIRMAN, DOH DIRECTOR ASK GOV TO CONSIDER VAX SITE County Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell and county Department of Health Director Jack Mabb have issued a direct appeal to Governor Andrew Cuomo for the consideration of expanding the current ColumbiaGreene Community College vaccination site into a mass vaccine distribution site.

In a letter to the governor, Chairman Murell and Director Mabb stated, “We currently have a well-established mass vaccination site with Columbia-Greene Community College, which has been in use by the county Department of Health for vaccine distribution since the beginning of January. It would require little in the way of further preparation, on both the part of the site or our Department of Health, to expand the number of doses we could administer on any given day.”

“Based on experience,” they added, “we believe the Columbia County Department of Health alone is capable of administering upwards of 1,000 doses per day, which would put us well within the goal of vaccinating everyone in-county who would like a vaccine to receive it by the end of July.”

CASES REMAIN ‘PERSISTENT ‘

Midday Wednesday, county Department of Health Director Jack Mabb reported 18 new cases of COVID-19 among county residents, bringing the to-date total to 3,437. “The numbers continue to be persistent,” he said. At this time, there are 199 active cases in Columbia County, with 290 in mandatory quarantine. Twenty-five individuals are hospitalized. There have been a total of 83 deaths from the virus since the beginning of the pandemic.

ADVISORY: Please note that the numbers distributed in Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell’s coronavirus press releases are morning results provided to the county Department of Health via the state reporting system. Updated numbers are issued again by the state in the afternoon, ordinarily past the time this press release is distributed. Consequently, there may be discrepancies in the numbers that appear here versus the final daily numbers shown on the DOH website and elsewhere.

NYS Dashboard & Other COVID Vaccine Info Links:

CDC COVID Vaccine Info:

COUNTY VACCINATION INFORMATION PHONE LINE

The Columbia County Department of Health has introduced a dedicated telephone number for those inquiring on their vaccination eligibility: 518-697-5560. The line is active Monday through Fridayfrom 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This phone line provides general info about vaccine availability in Columbia County. It does not determine eligibility for the vaccine. To check on vaccination distribution procedures and other vaccine-related information, residents may to consult the New York State Department website at https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov

The Columbia County Department of Health does not have the authority to define vaccination categories.

COUNTY DOH CONTINUES TO URGE PATIENCE

As work continues to resolve issues pertaining to coronavirus vaccine distribution in New York State, Columbia County Board of Supervisors Health & Human Services Committee Chair Rob Lagonia has compiled the following Q&A list to help clarify questions county residents may have regarding the county’s vaccine efforts.

For additional information, visit https://www.columbiacountynyhealth.com/news/covid-19-vaccineinformation

You may also contact the New York State COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline at 1-833-697-4829 or https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov to register for the vaccine in the Capital District area.

Residents are advised to understand that by calling the state hotline, or going to the website and registering to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, travel somewhere outside of Columbia County may be necessary to receive it.

CORONAVIRUS TESTING SITES (as of 1-8-2021)

New York Testing Site, University at Albany. By appointment only at 888-364-3065 or www.covid19screening.health.ny.gov;

WellNow Urgent Care, 446 Fairview Avenue, Hudson. 518-267-3496. May be out-of-pocket costs;

Columbia County Department of Health, 518-828-3358. Check www.columbiacountynyhealth.com for scheduled walk-up and drive-thru clinics;

Greene County Department of Health, by appointment only on Wednesdays from 5-6:30 p.m., 518-719-3600;

Also, Community Care Physicians, Latham. 518-863-3600. 12-7 p.m.;

Priority 1 Urgent Care, Guilderland, 518- 867-8040;

Whitney Young, Albany, 518-465-4771;

Rite Aid, Colonie, 518-267-3496;

CareMount Medical Urgent Care, Rhinebeck, 844-484-6564;

CVS-Valatie, 518- 758-2200;

CVS-Red Hook, 845-758-9612.

Also, Central Med Urgent Care, 1662 Central Avenue, Albany, 518-240-1456, bills insurance;

Walgreens Rapid Testing, 41 Holland Avenue, Albany, 518-426, 2976.

EmUrgentCare locations offer COVID-19 tests for patients without symptoms at the following locations: 98 Wolf Rd., Albany; 11835 US-9W, West Coxsackie; 2976 US-9W, Saugerties; 5 New Karner Rd., Guilderland. The telephone number for all locations is 518-264-9000. Check for out-of-pocket costs.

Price Chopper test locations with testing hours from 7-9 a.m. on Tuesdays: Chatham, Clifton Park, Latham, Troy, Wilton. Other Price Chopper locations and times: Ft. Edward, Tuesday, 7-10 a.m.; Glenmont, Wednesday, 7-10 a.m.; Johnstown, Tuesday, 7-11 a.m.; and Schenectady, Wednesday, 12-2 p.m.

Pine Plains Pharmacy: 2965 Church Street, Pine Plains, 518-398-5588. Monday-Saturday by appointment only.

AT-HOME COVID-19 TEST AVAILABLE

LabCorp currently offers an at-home COVID-19 test at

This test does not detect antibodies or immunity. It is designed to determine active infection with the virus that causes COVID-19.

After completing a short eligibility survey, choose a billing option, which can be through personal insurance, the use of federal funds to cover the cost of this test on your behalf if you’re uninsured, or with a credit card. The test kit will arrive via FedEx. After collecting and returning your sample, the average time to deliver results is one-two days from when your sample is received at the lab, according to LabCorp.

COUNTY DOH FLU SHOTS AVAILABLE

The flu vaccine will be offered by appointment only at the regularly scheduled immunization clinic every Tuesday from 1-3:30 p.m. at Columbia County Department of Health at 325 Columbia Street, Hudson. An evening immunization clinic is also available on the third Tuesday of each month from 4-6 p.m. All clinics are by appointment only. The flu vaccine is the best protection we have from the flu and its complication, and has become even more critical in the time of COVID-19. Talk to your doctor before getting the flu shot if you have ever had a serious allergic reaction to eggs or a previous flu shot, or have a history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

The DOH accepts the following insurance plans: Blue Shield of North East New York, CDPHP, Fidelis, Medicare Part B, MVP, Medicaid, and United Health Care. Other senior plans may be billed, including some Blue Cross Blue Shield plans. If you are uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for a lower fee or no fee for the flu vaccine. All others are expected to pay a fee of $42 for the flu vaccine, with the exact cash amount or checks accepted. Debit or credit cards are not accepted.

COUNTY STILL ACCEPTING MASK DONATIONS

Those wishing to donate cloth masks to the county stockpile may contact the county Emergency Management office at 518-828-1212 or [email protected]. Or Supervisor Rob Lagonia at [email protected]

OTHER 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 can be 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.

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

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 press release on the coronavirus situation Monday, and Thursdays. 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.