Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Chairman’s press release

BARNWELL COVID-19 OUTBREAK CONTINUES RISE

Columbia County Department of Health Director Mabb today said the Grand Rehabilitation & Nursing facility in Valatie’s COVID-19 outbreak continues its upward trend. Currently, 16 residents and 11 staff are infected with the virus, up from 11 and eight, respectively, reported last Friday. County DOH recorded a total of 12 new cases of the virus last Friday, with three on Saturday, six on Sunday and Monday combined, and nine as of midday today.

Also Tuesday, Director Mabb said 525 local QUESTAR III students ages 12-15 have signed up to receive the vaccine, which the county DOH is in the process of making arrangements to administer over the course of the next couple weeks. There are approximately 2,000 students enrolled in QUESTAR III education services. Vaccination opportunities are posted on the county DOH website at columbiacountynyhealth.com

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.

COUNTY VACCINATION RATE

As of Monday, May 17, the Columbia County Department of Health had administered 10,202 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Second doses now number 8,485. The vaccine administered is Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson. Note: J&J – a one dose vaccine — is added as a first shot. The total number of Columbia County residents by all vaccine providers, as shown on the NYS COVID-19 vaccine tracker website: 27,085 have completed the vaccine series. 31,745 have received at least one dose, or 53.0 percent of the county’s 59,916 population. 62.9 percent of the county’s over-18 population has received at least one shot.

COUNTY DOH SCHEDULES WEEKLY VAX HOURS

Beginning Tuesday, May 25, the Columbia County Department of Health every Tuesday will offer weekly COVID19 vaccinations at its 325 Columbia Street, Hudson location during the hours of 1-4 p.m.

UPDATED MASK GUIDELINES

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo said Monday that as of tomorrow, Wednesday, May 19, fully vaccinated New Yorkers may cease wearing a mask, as the state will be adopting the Centers for Disease Control’s recently issued new mask and social distancing guidance for vaccinated people. The governor said individual private venues and businesses have the authority to add additional guidelines to the state guidelines and CDC guidelines. The new CDC guidance includes exceptions where masks and social distancing will still be required, including public transportation, hospitals and health care clinics, correctional facilities and long-term care facilities.

SENIORS & HOMEBOUND RESIDENTS – DO YOU NEED VACCINATION REGISTRATION HELP?

Columbia County Seniors and/or homebound residents in need of assistance getting themselves registered for the COVID-19 vaccine are encouraged to contact the county call center Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The telephone number is 518-697-5560.

COUNTY VACCINATION INFORMATION PHONE LINE

The Columbia County call center dedicated to helping those requiring assistance with vaccine registration is active Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The dedicated telephone number is 518-697-5560.

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

New York Testing Sites by appointment only at 888-364-3065 visit http://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 https://www.pixel.labcorp.com/at-home-test-kits/covid19-test-home-collection-kit. 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 onetwo days from when your sample is received at the lab, according to LabCorp.

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

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 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. Every Friday, the county will issue a press release on the coronavirus situation. 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.