Monday, November 16, 2020

CHAIRMAN’S PRESS RELEASE

COMMUNITY RISE IN POSITIVE CASES CONTINUES

“The county’s incident rate of COVID-19 infections currently stands at 1.44%, which sounds good, but two weeks ago we were under 1%,” said Columbia County Department of Health Director Jack Mabb.

“Our numbers are steadily climbing – it’s almost all community spread now. I’m very concerned about how these numbers will look after Thanksgiving. I realize people are already tired of hearing this, but we all need to weigh the value of taking a chance on our health by spending the holiday in a crowd of people against doing the right things. I know it’s a hard decision. However, you do not want this virus and you don’t want to be in a position where you become positive and pass it on to a loved one who is immunocompromised,” said Director Mabb.

On Monday, Director Mabb reported four new positive cases on Sunday, and eight on Monday. There has been an additional death from the outbreak at Ghent Assisted Living, Ghent, NY, bringing that total to seven. Twenty five individuals are currently hospitalized, with three in the ICU. There are 111 active cases in the county, with 139 individuals in mandatory quarantine.

CORONAVIRUS TESTING SITES

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. 518-719-3600. By appointment only on Wednesdays from 5-6:30 p.m.

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; Rapid Testing, Albany. 518-240-1456. Insurance is billed; Walgreens Rapid Testing, Albany. 518-426-2976.

UPCOMING COVID-19 MOBILE TESTING CLINICS

Future COVID-19 testing clinics by the county DOH remains at the John L. Edwards Primary School in Hudson, and will be on Tuesdays: November 17, and December 1 from 9-11 am The clinics are limited to 100 tests. Preregistration is not required. A form of photo identification will be necessary, and masks are required for entry. These will be nasopharyngeal swabs which are useful in detecting the virus in actively sick people. The kits used at these clinics are part of those purchased with the help of private donations to Columbia County.  Symptoms most typical of COVID-19 include fever, cough, trouble breathing, loss of taste or smell, as well as any symptoms consistent with CDC guidelines.

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.

DONATION INFORMATION

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] 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 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. Every Monday, Wednesday, and 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 Board of Supervisors, Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Health, and the Emergency Management Office.