Columbia County Department of Health Update

Below you can find the breakdown of TOTAL confirmed, positive cases of COVID-19 in Columbia County.
https://www.columbiacountynyhealth.com/…/coronavirus-covid…/

Ancram 7
Canaan 10
Chatham 17
Claverack 9
Clermont 4
Copake 17
Germantown 8
Ghent 18
Greenport 13
Hillsdale 12
Hudson 33
Kinderhook 41
Livingston 8
New Lebanon 4
Stockport 2
Stuyvesant 9
Livingston Hills 2
Pine Haven 37
Barnwell 134

Columbia County Update

Friday, May 29, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

FROM: Chairman Matt Murell

CAPITAL REGION LOOKS TO PHASE 2 OPENING

“The Capital Region remains on track for Phase 2 reopening on Wednesday, June 3,” said Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell on Friday.

The Capital Region is composed of Albany, Rensselaer, Greene, Columbia, Saratoga, Schenectady, Washington and Warren counties.

According to New York State’s New York Forward website (https://forward.ny.gov), businesses allowed to begin the process of reopening are offices; real estate; essential and Phase 2 in-store retail; vehicle sales, leases, and rentals; retail rental, repair, and cleaning; commercial building management; and hair salons and barbershops.

Partial guidance for businesses reopening under Phase 2 is available on the New York Forward site. Guidelines and templates relating to business reopening plans can also be found there.

The New York Forward website notes that the following businesses remain closed:

• Malls; specifically, any indoor common portions of retail shopping malls with 100,000 or more square feet of retail space available for lease; however, any stores located within shopping malls, which have their own external entrances open to the public, separate from the general mall entrance (e.g. strip malls), may open;
•  Dine-in and on premise restaurant or bar service, excluding take-out or delivery for off-premise consumption;
•  Large gathering/event venues, including but not limited to establishments that host concerts, conferences, or other in-person performances or presentations in front of an in-person audience;
• Gyms, fitness centers, and exercise classes, except for remote or streaming services;
• Video lottery and casino gaming facilities;
•  Movie theaters, except drive-ins; and
•  Places of public amusement, whether indoors or outdoors, including but not limited to, locations with amusement rides, carnivals, amusement parks, water parks, aquariums, zoos, arcades, fairs, children’s play centers, funplexes, theme parks, bowling alleys, family and children’s attractions.

IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENTS

TWO CORONAVIRUS TESTING CLINICS

Tuesday, June 2nd 10:00am-12:00pm: at the John L. Edwards Elementary School in Hudson Sunday, June 7th 10:00am – 1:00pm: at the Columbia County Fairgrounds in Chatham Signup instructions and further instructions regarding the clinics can be found on the Health Department’s webpage on the Columbia County website https://www.columbiacountynyhealth.com/, or by calling 518-828- 3358.

COLUMBIA COMEBACK MEETING

Monday, June 8th, at 1:00pm: Columbia Comeback Meeting. The meeting is open to the public and can be accessed at https://columbiacomeback.com. Columbia Comeback was established by Chairman Murell as a resource for local businesses as they work to safely and successfully reopen under state guidelines.

Resources……..

BUSINESS REOPENING TOOLS

Phase One of New York Forward, which began on Wednesday, includes construction, manufacturing and wholesale supply chain; retail for curbside pickup and drop-off or in-store pickup; agriculture, forestry and fishing; as well as low-risk business and recreational activities, including drive-in movie theaters and some outdoor activities. Guidelines and templates relating to reopening plans can be found at: https://columbiacomeback.com/resources/phase-one/ Also, New York State has recently added a “Reopening Tool,” designed to let businesses know when they may reopen in a particular region. It can be accessed at: https://www.businessexpress.ny.gov/app/nyforward

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: www.columbiacountyny.com and the Emergency Management Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/columbiacountyemergencymanagementoffice

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.

Reminders……….

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.

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 should 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.

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.

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.