COVID-19 POSITIVE CASES ON RISE AROUND COUNTY

Columbia County Department of Health Director Jack Mabb said Monday that 45 residents and eight staff members of Ghent Assisted Living, Route 66, Ghent, have now tested positive for COVID-19. Two individuals have died as a result of the outbreak that hit the facility last week.

“In addition, there are a number of clusters popping up around the county,” said Director Mabb. “There are now 62 active cases in the county, with 99 in mandatory quarantine. Nineteen are hospitalized.”

At the Ichabod Crane Central School District, one elementary student has tested positive for the virus, with approximately 20 individuals in mandatory quarantine as a result. On Monday, the district shut down and was deciding whether or not to open the remainder of the week. It has also begun the process of contact tracing.

Director Mabb recited a number of positive cases showing up around the county: one Livingston Hills resident, one at the Fireman’s Home, one county worker, and a private day care provider conducting testing because of their connection to the school community.

“There seems to a critical mass with this virus when it gets into the community. Any one of these cases could blow up on us, or not. But I think we have a handle on it right now,” said Director Mabb.

A recent executive order by Governor Cuomo moves enforcement of face coverings and social distancing to civil proceedings. Local law enforcement, code enforcement officials, and now public health staff can write citations and bring in violators for a hearing under state public health law.

“Health departments already have the hearing structure in place for underage tobacco sales and other violations,” said Director Mabb. “Health department have a hearing officer. That’s why the governor has done this, because enforcement can be done through the public health law. He has elevated the local enforcement effort through the utilization of the hearing structure already in place at local health departments – it creates a mechanism for people to brought in for a hearing.”

Under state public health law, any individual who encourages, promotes or organizes a non-essential gathering may be fined up $15,000 per day. The penalty for failure to wear a mask at the appropriate time, or the failure to properly social distance, may be up to $1,000.

“What everyone should understand is that the Department of Health is not the face mask police,” added Director Mabb. “We’re not going out and processing individual complaints about people walking down the street not wearing a face mask. On the other hand, if there’s an establishment with people flowing in and out and nobody’s wearing a mask, we will cite them. Further, we have been and will continue to respond to businesses whose employees ignore wearing face masks. We will go out and continue to educate, but if the violation occurs again, we can now write a citation.”

Regarding non-essential gatherings, Director Mabb said, should the department – for instance – hear about a large upcoming wedding, it must inform those involved that they will violate the governor’s executive order and can potentially be fined up to $15,000.

“The governor’s executive order provides a tool to county governments to enforce violations,” said county Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell. “We are all aware that we need to wear a mask, wash our hands, and maintain social distance. Now there is a mechanism for fining someone who fails to do what’s necessary to help keep this pandemic under control.”

“These are state-mandated fines we have to adhere to. There are potential financial consequences to us by the state if we don’t,” said county Health Committee Chair Rob Lagonia. “It would be disastrous to individuals and the local business community if we were forced to shut everything down again. We as county leaders have an obligation to keep all the businesses open to the best of our ability. If in fact we have to impose these state mandated fines, we would do that as a last resort — we would have no choice. Please do not put us in this position. We do not want to see our county businesses go backward.”