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The latest issue of Golden Living News for Seniors is now available!
January 15, 2021
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Topics include:
- Holiday and Winter Weather Advisories
- Making Good Use of a Snow Day
- Wanted: Dutchess Representatives for NYS Senior Citizens of the Year
- COVID Vaccine Scams?
- Other Aging News Online
View or download this issue on DutchessNY.gov (.pdf) >>>
UPDATE FROM GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO ON THE EFFORTS COMBAT THE CORONAVIRUS
| Originally posted on January 14, 2021. New York is pushing forward to conduct more tests, add hospital beds and make it easier to get the COVID-19 vaccine across the state, but we need New Yorkers to stay vigilant and take safety precautions as the virus is still spreading. Unfortunately, vaccine supply from the federal government remains extremely limited. Washing hands, wearing masks and social distancing are vital tools New Yorkers must use to stop the spread. We’re moving through a difficult period in our history, and I know COVID fatigue has set in and New Yorkers crave normalcy, but we will get through this together and come out on the other side. Here’s what else you need to know tonight: 1. New York State and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital launched a new vaccination site for eligible New Yorkers in Washington Heights. This new site, at Fort Washington Armory in Upper Manhattan, was made possible thanks to a partnership with Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Irving Medical Center. The site is offering vaccinations to New Yorkers age 65 and up and appointments can be scheduled online through the NewYork-Presbyterian Connect Online Patient Portal. Appointments are required. 2. Total hospitalizations fell to 8,823. Of the 212,589 tests reported yesterday, 13,661, or 6.42 percent, were positive. There were 1,536 patients in ICU yesterday, up 35 from the previous day. Of them, 956 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 202 New Yorkers to the virus. 3. New State-run vaccination sites are coming soon. Today the first vaccinations began at a drive-thru vaccination site at Jones Beach on Long Island. More sites will come online shortly, including sites in Buffalo, Rochester and Plattsburgh. All vaccination sites are by appointment only. For New York State-run sites, if you are eligible you can make an appointment at ny.gov/vaccine if there are appointments available. 4. The Finger Lakes has the highest rate of COVID hospitalizations by population. There are 830 hospitalizations in the Finger Lakes, which represents 0.07 percent of the region’s population. The Capital Region has 520 hospitalizations (0.05 percent); Central New York has 323 hospitalizations (0.04 percent); Long Island has 1,658 hospitalizations (0.06 percent); the Mid-Hudson Region has 1,015 hospitalizations (0.04 percent); Mohawk Valley has 309 hospitalizations (0.06 percent); New York City has 3,292 hospitalizations (0.04 percent); Southern Tier has 249 hospitalizations (0.04 percent); and Western New York has 517 hospitalizations (0.04 percent of its population). The North Country, with 110 hospitalizations (0.03 percent), has the lowest rate of hospitalizations due to COVID. 5. New York has conducted over 28 million tests to date. Getting tested regularly is a good way to help ensure your health and the health of those around you. If you are experiencing COVID symptoms or believe you may have been exposed to someone positive for COVID, get tested. Find a testing site near you. You can also call 1-888-364-3065 to make a free appointment at a New York State-run testing location. Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: Syracuse-born musician Post Malone is donating 10,000 pairs of Crocs to support frontline workers. In partnership with the nonprofit Musicians on Call, the shoes—popular with nurses and other health care workers—will be distributed to staff at 70 hospitals across the country to thank them for their efforts during the pandemic. Ever Upward, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo |
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo State of The State Update
| We began vaccinating new groups of New Yorkers while I also laid out my 2021 State of the State agenda to defeat COVID and build a stronger New York than ever before. It is a long tradition for the governor to give an annual update on the state of our state. In the past, I have given this speech in a convention hall filled with people. This year, of course, it is virtual. This pandemic has been a challenging and transformational moment for our state and our nation. COVID has changed New York and so we must plan for what the state will look like post-COVID. Watch the first parts of my 2021 State of the State address and read the proposals.  The theme of my State of the State is Reimagine | Rebuild | Renew. We must build back stronger, and recognize that while there is no going back to the time before COVID, we can go forward. Please join me tomorrow morning as I deliver the fourth and final part of my 2021 State of the State address. 11:30 AM Governor Cuomo Delivers the Fourth Part of the 2021 State of the State Address Streaming Live from: The New York State Capitol Albany, NY 12224 https://www.governor.ny.gov Ever Upward, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo |
COVID-19 Vaccine Update from County Executive Marc Molinaro
January 12, 2021
 January 12, 2021 State Expands Eligibility – Vaccine Supply Remains Very Limited Earlier today, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced New York State residents age 65 and older are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination through the State’s phased immunization process. The complete list of who is currently eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination can be reviewed at New York State Phase 1a and 1b eligibility. Residents who are eligible for the vaccine are asked to remain patient, as the supply of vaccine doses counties have received from the state, including Dutchess County, remains extremely limited. Prior to today’s announcement expanding eligibility, the governor said it would take an estimated 14 weeks to immunize all eligible residents in the state’s Phase 1a and 1b priority groups. The demand for vaccine in Dutchess County far exceeds the current supply, which has already been exhausted for appointments at the County’s Points of Dispensing (PODs) scheduled for this week. Dutchess County will alert residents when more vaccine and additional appointments at its PODs are available. Please do not call the Department of Behavioral & Community Health to schedule an appointment – the call center has been overwhelmed with thousands of calls and we do not want you to be further frustrated to simply learn there are no current appointments available. We cannot schedule future appointments until we receive confirmation from New York State about when we will receive vaccine allocations. New York State has opened a vaccination hotline (1-833-697-4829), which is available to residents from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days per week to schedule appointments for eligible residents. We encourage you to check www.dutchessny.gov/covidvaccine for updates on available appointments at the County-operated PODs, when more vaccine is made available to Dutchess County. There you can also access the State’s Am I Eligible? online tool, which will list local providers offering the vaccine, as it becomes available. Please note, many of the locations listed have not yet received vaccine from New York State, so please be patient. You can also sign up to receive emails about Coronavirus Information & Vaccine Updates, including announcements of vaccine appointment sign-ups, by using the blue button on our Coronavirus website at dutchessny.gov/coronavirus. Once again, there are no appointments currently available at the PODs established by Dutchess County Government due the limited number of doses made available to the County from New York State. We are advocating to receive more vaccine as quickly as possible from the State and will keep you posted as more vaccination appointment opportunities are available. |
A MESSAGE FROM THE MEDICARE TEAM
 What you should know about the COVID-19 vaccines As vaccines become more widely available, it’s important to keep taking steps to slow the spread of COVID-19. – Limit gatherings with others. – Practice social distancing. – Wash your hands frequently. – Wear a mask in public. Once the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available to you, here’s what you should know: You will need 2 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for it to be effective. When you receive your first dose, make sure to schedule your second dose. Medicare covers the COVID-19 vaccine, so there will be no cost to you. State governments are handling the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Look for updates from your state and local officials as more doses of the vaccine become available for additional priority groups. Visit CDC.gov for additional trustworthy information on the COVID-19 vaccines. Sincerely, The Medicare Team |
Project Hope is New York’s COVID-19 Emotional Support Helpline.
These services are provided virtually and can be accessed via the number listed below
NY Project Hope helps New Yorkers understand their reaction and emotions during COVID-19. Through an emotional support helpline, educational materials, and trusted referrals, NY Project Hope helps people manage and cope with changes brought on by COVID-19.
Project Hope Crisis Counselors understand what you are going through. Talking to them is free, confidential, and anonymous. Talk to someone who is trained, knowledgeable and never judges. Sometimes it helps to talk with someone you don’t know.
Emotional Support Helpline: 1-844-863-9314
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THERE IS ALWAYS HELP FOR YOU…
The Coronavirus pandemic has affected us all. Find resources that can help you with everything from finances to assistance for the elderly.LEARN MORE
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IT’S JUST GOOD TO TALK IT OUT
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CHANGES CAN BE HARD TO HANDLE
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COVID-19 Update from Health Commissioner Dr. Anil Vaidian
In his latest briefing, Dr. Anil Vaidian, Commissioner of the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health, discusses how New York State’s expansion of its COVID-19 vaccine eligibility today has impacted the limited local availability of the vaccine the state has distributed to Dutchess County.
Dr. Vaidian also explains how the vaccination process will take months to complete — the governor last week, for example, stated vaccinating eligible New Yorkers in Phases 1A and 1B will likely take 14 weeks — while providing several options for local residents to receive updates about the process, including Dutchess County Government’s Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as the County’s free Dutchess Delivery system, which sends updates about specific topics, including COVID-19 and its vaccine, directly to residents’ email inboxes.
He also provides residents with the New York State COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline, which residents can call to schedule a vaccination appointment.