We are looking out the window at the mounds of snow and then looking even farther past them to the Spring…
We’re hiring for the Spring Crew!
If you or anyone you know is interested- please pass this along.
We will be working from the end of March until the beginning of June about 3 afternoons a week. (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays with an occasional Saturday.)
Dutchess County, NY sent this bulletin at 02/03/2021 10:35 AM EST
Dutchess County to Receive 700 Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment Scheduling at www.DutchessNY.gov/COVIDvaccine
Poughkeepsie, NY … The Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) will receive 700 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine this week from New York State and will open appointment scheduling online at www.dutchessny.gov/COVIDvaccine today, Wednesday, February 3rd at noon for eligible individuals in Phase 1a and 1b as determined by New York State’s Phased Distribution Plan.
DBCH will operate two Points of Dispensing (POD) Vaccination Centers this week by appointment only.
Thursday, February 4th 12pm to 5pm Former JCPenney store, Poughkeepsie Galleria 2001 South Road, Poughkeepsie
Saturday, February 6th 10am to 2pm Dover High School 2368 Route 22, Dover Plains
The appointment scheduling link will be posted today – February 3rd at DutchessNY.gov/COVIDvaccine at 12pm. Those who are registered for notifications will receive the appointment scheduling link via email or text. Appointments will fill quickly.
Residents can register to receive notification when new vaccination appointments are open for scheduling at the County’s COVID-19 vaccine information webpage at dutchessny.gov/covidvaccine.
Please note, appointments CANNOT be made by calling Dutchess County’s Coronavirus Information Call Center or the Department of Behavioral & Community Health as appointments must currently be made online through the State-operated registration system.
This week’s vaccine allocation, while still well below the County’s distribution capacity, is a small increase from the 600 doses received in each of the past two weeks, as a result of additional supply being provided by the Federal government. New York State has directed the additional 100 doses received are to be used to vaccinate Phase 1a eligible staff and residents of facilities certified or operated by the NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD).
County Executive Molinaro had already begun this initiative last month in Dutchess County, with DBCH and Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) of Dutchess County volunteers conducting a mobile ‘pop up’ vaccination site at New Horizons Resources in Pleasant Valley where 60 individuals who receive support and services from New Horizons Resources, Abilities First, ARC of the Greater Hudson Valley and the Taconic Developmental Disabilities Services Office, among others, were vaccinated. The mobile sites will continue at various facilities over the next several weeks.
County Executive Molinaro said, “We share residents’ frustration in lack of available vaccine supply and the constraints of using New York State’s online system to schedule vaccination appointments. Dutchess County has the capacity to be putting thousands of shots into arms each week, but like others across the state, we are constrained by supply limits. We recognize the frustration of spending hours online looking for appointments, so we continue to try to streamline the process to make it easier to be informed. Last week, we quickly notified residents who signed up for vaccine alerts about newly opened appointments at the closest state-run mass vaccination sites. This week, we are providing notice that appointments for this week’s Dutchess County sites will open today at noon, providing eligible residents notice of scheduling opportunities. We know these appointments will fill up fast but remind residents that this is a months-long vaccination process, and everyone will have an opportunity to receive their shot, if they so choose. We appreciate residents’ patience as we all work through this state-run process, and Dutchess County will continue to provide vaccination updates, when they’re available.”
Registered individuals should be prepared to show identification (i.e. driver’s license, pay stub, work ID) to verify eligibility for Phase 1a and 1b classification. Scheduling for second dose appointments will occur at the vaccination site as vaccine requires two doses for full effectiveness. Vaccine supply remains very limited from the state and federal government and supply allocations are not guaranteed. All appointments should be considered tentative and are subject to cancellation if Dutchess County does not receive expected allocation.
As vaccinations continue, all residents are reminded to continue with coronavirus safety measures – wearing a face mask, frequent hand washing and physical distancing – to stop the spread of COVID-19.
COVID-19 vaccine remains in limited supply and residents are urged to remain patient as demand far exceeds supply. Dutchess County continues to provide updated information about COVID-19 vaccine availability on its webpage www.DutchessNY.gov/COVIDvaccine. This webpage includes status updates, as the County receives information from New York State, about allocations for the week and current appointment availability.
Winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories are in effect across the Hudson Valley. Residents of BHA are advised to take precautions and avoid unnecessary travel. The BHA office staff will be working remotely today. If you have an emergency please contact 911 otherwise office staff can be reached via the main number (845) 831-1289 or via email.
We are excited to announce the launch of Aging Connected, our new national campaign dedicated bringing one million American seniors online with high-speed internet by 2022.
It has become clear that the digital divide among older adults is a public health crisis which has only been exacerbated by the pandemic. With this in mind, OATS partnered with the Humana Foundation to commission new research by leading academics on the digital technology gap to quantify the digital divide among seniors and demonstrate the depth of the digital crisis.
Based on the findings of the report – Aging Connected: Exposing the Hidden Connectivity Crisis for Older Adults – nearly 22 million American seniors 65 and older still lack broadband access at home. The digital landscape is more uneven in rural areas, where American seniors are 1.6 times more likely to lack home internet service. The lack of digital connection in the age of coronavirus worsens an already difficult crisis for older Americans; more than 80% of COVID-19 deaths were people over the age of 65.
In addition, the digital divide only exacerbates the social divisions and inequalities that American seniors—many of whom are challenged by poverty, poor health, racism, and isolation—already face. Existing programs to help seniors get online are showing promise, but much of the country still lacks significant low-cost internet offerings or age-friendly initiatives.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate communities, it is more critical than ever before to ensure seniors can access and use internet-based technology to access a range of virtual health resources – from telehealth services, to managing online medical records, and creating greater social connections by reaching out to family and friends via technology.
Through Aging Connected, OATS is bringing telecommunications companies, nonprofit service providers, and public sector agencies together to help bring American seniors online and expand affordable broadband access. Currently, older adults and caretakers can visit AgingConnected.org or call the Aging Connected hotline at (877) 745-1930 to find low-cost internet options – some as low as $10 a month – that may be in their area. OATS will also be announcing additional private and public partnerships in the future to help bridge the digital divide for older adults.
We look forward to sharing more news with you and working together on this campaign.
Sincerely,
Thomas Kamber Executive Director, Older Adults Technology Services (OATS)
Introducing: Aging ConnectedGetting More Older Adults Online We are excited to announce the launch of Aging Connected, our new national campaign dedicated to closing the technology adoption gap for older adults. With generous support from the Humana Foundation, we have a goal of bringing one million seniors online with high-speed internet by 2022.
Did you know that nearly 22 million seniors 65 and older in the United States still lack broadband access at home? Aging Connected is helping to connect older adults across the country with low-cost internet options and learning opportunities through Senior Planet. If you’re a new internet user, you can visit seniorplanet.org/aging-connected to find a selection of introductory classes curated just for you.If you’d like to learn more about this initiative and help get friends and family online, visit agingconnected.org to find out more and use our low-cost internet search tool.Learn more about Aging Connected
Anderson Cooper clashes with MyPillow creator over therapeutic (Entire Interview Part 1)
1,521,364 views•Aug 18, 202022K3KSHARESAVECNN12M subscribersSUBSCRIBEDCNN’s Anderson Cooper grills MyPillow creator Mike Lindell regarding his claims that oleandrin is a potential therapeutic for coronavirus.
To ultimately be successful in winning this war against COVID we need greater supply of the vaccine and we need all New Yorkers to continue practicing COVID safe behavior.
Earlier this evening, President Biden announced allocations to states will go up 16 percent and that we can count on that allocation for the next three weeks. So far, we’ve been going week to week and now with advance notice we can plan better and that is good news.
New York stands ready to administer more vaccinations the moment we receive more supply. However, even with this increased allocation, supply is likely to continue to be extremely limited in the near term. Here’s what else you need to know tonight: 1. Total hospitalizations rose to 8,831. Of the 162,938 tests reported yesterday, 11,064, or 6.79 percent were positive. There were 1,544 patients in ICU yesterday, up 22 from the previous day. Of them, 1,006 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 162 New Yorkers to the virus. 2. The Biden administration also announced that it would “soon be able to confirm” the purchase of an additional 200 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. These additional doses, if secured by the federal government, would not arrive until the summer and will not solve the immediate supply crunch. We are in communication with the Biden team about this and other supply issues. 3. As of 11:00am today, New York’s health care distribution sites have administered 93 percent of first dose vaccinations. We administered 1,210,339 first doses out of a total allocation of 1,304,050 first doses (this data excludes the federally run Long Term Care Facility program). These sites have administered 74 percent of first and second doses. New Yorkers can track the State’s vaccination progress through the NYS Vaccine Dashboard. 4. The application deadline for COVID Rent Relief is February 1, 2021. Last month, I signed an Executive Order expanding eligibility for New York State’s COVID Rent Relief Program so more rent relief can be provided to New Yorkers. Learn more about the program. 5. Remember, mental health resources are available for New Yorkers who need them. As we continue through the winter we can’t underestimate the mental and emotional strain of the pandemic. New Yorkers can visit headspace.com/ny for free mindfulness resources or call our support hotline at 1-844-863-9314.
Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: Inspired by a woman in Michigan, Mary Kate Tischler and her 6-year-old daughter of Seaford, NY, set up a “Sharing Table” to help give back to their community. The two collected non-perishable goods from their home and set up a table outside their home with a sign to share that anyone passing by could take what they needed—or drop off their own pantry items. This community-minded spirit is what New York is all about. If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State’s Coronavirus Updates here.
Poughkeepsie, NY … Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro announced the County’s Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) has confirmed this week’s COVID-19 allocation from New York State and has opened new appointment slots for eligible individuals in Phase 1a and 1b as determined by New York State’s Phased Distribution Plan. Dutchess County will again receive 600 doses of COVID-19 vaccine this week from New York State, well below the County’s distribution capacity.
DBCH will operate one Point of Dispensing (POD) Vaccination Center, by appointment only, this week and appointments must be made online at the link below:
There will only be one location this week to allow the Poughkeepsie site to test higher throughput capacity in preparation for larger vaccine allocations in the future.
County Executive Molinaro said, “Our POD vaccination sites have been exceptionally efficient thanks to our dedicated Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers, public health staff, Public Works and Dutchess County Sheriff Deputies and others. We have the capacity to vaccinate thousands of people every week, but supply remains the issue. We will continue to push for more supply because we have the capacity to put a lot more shots in arms. But until greater supply is available, we urge everyone to try to remain patient and keep up the safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
Please note, appointments CANNOT be made by calling Dutchess County’s Coronavirus Information Call Center or the Department of Behavioral & Community Health as appointments must currently be made online through the State-operated online registration system.
Registered individuals should be prepared to show identification (i.e. driver’s license, pay stub, work ID) to verify eligibility for Phase 1a and 1b classification. Scheduling for second dose appointments will occur at the vaccination site as vaccine requires two doses for effectiveness. Vaccine supply remains very limited from the state and federal government and supply allocations are not guaranteed. All appointments should be considered tentative and are subject to cancellation if Dutchess County does not receive expected allocation.
Governor Cuomo last week noted it will take up to seven months to vaccinate all who are now eligible in Phase 1a and 1b based on current projected vaccine availability. Eligible residents should anticipate it may be several weeks, or even months, before they can get an appointment as demand far exceeds supply.
Last week, New York State provided new guidance for facilities currently receiving vaccine allocations to prioritize specific subgroups in the Phase 1a and 1b eligible population. Governor Cuomo issued an Executive Order outlining prioritization as follows:
Local health departments and county governments receive allocation for and must prioritize essential workers in the 1b category.
Hospitals receive allocations for and must prioritize healthcare workers.
Pharmacies receive allocation for and are to prioritize individuals that are 65 years and older.
New York State mass vaccination sites receive allocation for and are to prioritize 65+ and essential workers in the 1b category.
Dutchess County continues to provide updated information about COVID-19 vaccine availability on its webpage www.DutchessNY.gov/COVIDvaccine. This webpage includes status updates, as the County receives information from New York State, about allocations for the week and current appointment availability.
As vaccinations continue, all residents are reminded to continue with coronavirus safety measures – wearing a face mask, frequent hand washing and physical distancing – to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Residents can register to receive notification when new vaccination appointments are open for scheduling at the County’s COVID-19 vaccine information webpage: www.dutchessny.gov/covidvaccine.
The BHA office does close due to inclement weather and dangerous driving conditions. We recommend that you call ahead if you have an appointment and the weather is questionable.
