 Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Updates Quarantine Guidance Following Change by New York State Department of Health Quarantine time period adjusted from 14 days to 10 days Following a guidance change for COVID quarantine requirements from the New York State Department of Health, the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) has amended the quarantine time period for individuals exposed to COVID-19 from 14 days to 10 days following the last exposure if no symptoms are reported during the quarantine. This change is effective immediately. Quarantine for individuals exposed to COVID-19 ends after 10 days, without a test required, IF there are no symptoms reported during the quarantine period. Additionally, exposed individuals must: Continue daily symptom monitoring through Day 14 Continue to strict adherence to prevention measures – use of face coverings, hand washing and physical distancing. If any symptoms develop, IMMEDIATELY self-isolate and contact your health care provider or the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health to determine if you should seek testing. OR just simply “seek testing” An “exposed” individual, or “close contact” are individuals who were within six feet of a person who tested positive for COVID -19 for 10 minutes or more total in a 24-hour period when the person was contagious. Contagious is defined as two days before symptoms began (or two days before positive test if there are no symptoms). “This is an important change that aligns New York State guidance with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidance and will help end confusion on quarantine timelines,” said Dr. Anil Vaidian, DBCH Commissioner. “Though the quarantine period is now shorter, individuals exposed to COVID-19 should remain vigilant. Anyone who develops symptoms while under quarantine OR through day 14 from the last date of exposure, should assume they are infectious and immediately isolate themselves and seek a diagnostic test,” said Dr. Vaidian noted. The New York State DOH’s updated guidance can be found here: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/12/covid19-health-advisory-updated-quarantine-guidance-12.26.20.pdf) Quarantine documents and other information on the Dutchess County Government website will be updated this week. New York State and local contact tracers are also being advised of the guidance change. www.dutchessNY.gov     Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or delete your account (including all subscriptions) at any time using your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your address to log in. If you have any questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact support@dutchessny.gov. This service is provided to you at no charge by Dutchess County, NY.   |
New York State Department of Health Quarantine time period adjusted from 14 days to 10 days
January 4, 2021
NYS Coronavirus Update: Update: 89,000 New Yorkers Vaccinated To Date — Happy Holidays
December 24, 2020
| December 23, 2020. We’re in a footrace between the vaccination program and the growing spread of COVID. So far, 89,000 New Yorkers have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose. 22,000 New Yorkers received their first dose at 90 nursing home facilities, during just the first two days of a federal-private partnership program in which New York is participating. As we continue to roll out the vaccine, I remind all New Yorkers to stay vigilant, especially over the holidays—wear a mask, social distance, continue to wash your hands. Celebrate smart. Happy holidays, New York. PROGRAMMING NOTE: The Coronavirus newsletter will not publish tomorrow, December 24th, or Friday, December 25th. We will resume on Monday, December 28th.  Photo of the Day: A boy picks out a toy as part of New York State’s annual holiday toy and coat drive. I thank donors for their help in distributing more than 7,300 toys, coats and school supplies across the state. (Photo by Don Pollard) Here’s what else you need to know tonight: 1. Total hospitalizations rose to 6,864. Of the 204,361 tests reported yesterday, 11,937, or 5.84 percent, were positive. There were 1,166 patients in ICU yesterday, up 40 from the previous day. Of them, 633 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 164 New Yorkers to the virus. 2. The State is working on a plan to allow fans to attend the Buffalo Bills’ first home playoff game in more than two decades under strict COVID-19 protocols. Under the proposal, which is being developed cooperatively between the Bills and the State Department of Health, fans in attendance would be required to receive a negative COVID-19 test result before being allowed into the stadium and contact tracing would be conducted after the game. 3. The Department of Financial Services issued guidance that will help expand New York’s hospital capacity. DFS is directing insurers to suspend certain preauthorization and administrative requirements to help hospitals implement New York’s “surge and flex” protocol. With today’s action, hospitals will be able to quickly transfer patients between hospitals, better balance patient load and more. 4. The New York State Department of Health has authorized the use of extra doses that have been found in Moderna vaccine vials. We have learned that many 10-dose vials of the Moderna vaccine have enough of the vaccine for 11 doses. (The Pfizer vaccine, similarly, found to have extra doses.) The Department of Health issued guidance on administering these extra doses. Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: The legendary Charles W. Howard of Albion, NY, who was one the most famous Santa Claus portrayers in history, will have a road in his hometown named in his honor. Howard, who died in 1966, took up the red-and-white mantle (and beard) after being dissatisfied with existing Santa Claus performers. He started at local department stores and later opened the first Santa School in Albion, where he taught hundreds of Santa’s helpers to look, dress and act like elves—helping spread the season’s cheer to countless children. He played Santa for 18 years in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and even consulted on the 1947 holiday classic Miracle on 34th Street. Ever Upward, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo |
NYS Coronavirus Update: Wadsworth Lab Is Researching U.K. Virus Variant — 50,000 Vaccine Doses Have Been Administered
December 23, 2020
This update provided by NYS Gov. Andrew Cuomo
With Christmas and Kwanzaa coming up this week, followed by New Year’s Eve, we all need to do our part to stop the spread. And we can do so by celebrating in different ways this year. This year I encourage New Yorkers to celebrate smart so the virus doesn’t spread to the point where the hospital capacity is at risk. It’s been a long year and I do hope New Yorkers celebrate the holidays—but please celebrate smart.
Here’s what else you need to know tonight:
1. New York’s Wadsworth Laboratory has begun aggressive research of the new, more contagious COVID-19 strain discovered in the U.K. Already, Wadsworth has looked at more than 3,700 virus sequences identified in New York. It has yet to find the U.K. variant present in any of the random samples. Additionally, Wadsworth and the Department of Health have made agreements with six hospitals from across the State to obtain additional samples for further research and are making arrangements with other hospitals to do the same. If the variant is already here, we want to know, and we want to be able to aggressively trace it.
2. To date, 50,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered throughout New York. The state has received 630,000 doses thus far and expects to receive another 300,000 doses next week.
3. Virgin Atlantic has also agreed to require pre-departure COVID tests before passengers leave from the U.K. to New York. This is the third major airline to require a COVID-19 test before allowing passengers to board planes traveling from the United Kingdom to New York. I thank British Airways, Delta Airlines and Virgin Atlantic for this agreement.
4. Total hospitalizations rose to 6,661. Of the 164,868 tests reported yesterday, 9,716, or 5.89 percent, were positive. There were 1,126 patients in ICU yesterday, up 31 from the previous day. Of them, 614 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 139 New Yorkers to the virus.
5. It’s important we continue our vaccination program through the holidays. With Christmas and Kwanzaa rapidly approaching, I call on hospitals, nursing homes, and medical personnel to continue providing vaccinations throughout the holidays to ensure nursing home patients and frontline health care workers are protected as quickly as possible.
Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: Last night, stargazers and photographers looked up at the night sky to witness “The Great Conjunction,” a celestial phenomenon where Saturn and Jupiter appear extremely close together in the sky. Also dubbed “The Christmas Star,” an event of this caliber last occurred 800 years ago. The two planets won’t appear this close together again until 2080.
Ever Upward,
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Molinaro Hosts 50TH COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall Forum to Update Residents
December 22, 2020
Poughkeepsie, NY … Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro today hosted his 50TH virtual town hall forum, providing the latest information on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination efforts, and other important topics and updates to residents.
These Town Halls have been a vital source of connection and information sharing for residents during this pandemic. Since mid-March, County Executive Molinaro has shared updates on the County’s extensive response efforts, shared critical statewide updates, and has answered thousands of questions from business owners, families with school aged children or relatives in care facilities, and concerned citizens feeling isolated and uncertain during these unprecedented times.
An archive of each of the County Executive’s online conversations, including today’s event, is available on Dutchess County Government’s YouTube page.
Among the highlights of today’s discussion:
• County Executive Molinaro updated residents on the most current data available on the Dutchess County COVID-19 Community Impact Dashboard:
o 340,798 tests completed to date
o 10,405 confirmed cases to date
o 1,657 current active cases
o 103 current hospitalizations
o 215 deaths to date
o 8,533 recovered to date
o 6.33% Dutchess County 7-day rolling average positivity rate as reported by the State DOH.
• County Executive Molinaro reminded residents to stay home and avoid gatherings with those not in your household as much as possible this holiday season. If residents are with others outside their household members, they can keep themselves and their families safe by wearing a mask even around friends and family, maintaining safe physical distance and keeping up with good hygiene practices like washing hands and covering coughs and sneezes.
• There are currently no cluster zones within Dutchess County. Cluster Zones are determined and initiated by New York State; to see the complete list of metrics and restrictions, view the NYS Cluster Action Initiative webpage. The Cluster Action initiative also includes a hot spot zone map where you can look up cluster zone locations by address on the State’s website.
• County Executive Molinaro gave an update on the State’s Regional Vaccine Hubs and vaccine distribution progress in Dutchess County. The Hubs, which will be led by local hospital systems, will work with communities to develop regional distribution of both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines that both require two doses. Since last week, doses continue to be given to high-risk hospital workers including emergency room workers, ICU staff and Pulmonary Department staff. Starting this week, staff and residents at all 13 skilled nursing homes in the county will be receiving the first dose of the vaccine. The County Executive reminded residents to remain vigilant with safety precautions – hand washing, physical distancing, minimizing social gatherings, and wearing a mask – as the vaccine will not be widely available to the general public for several months, yet.
• Dutchess County continues to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and help low- and moderate-income residents and small businesses with more than $2.3 million Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding distributed through the County’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV) program. County Executive Molinaro announced today new initiatives being implemented – eviction prevention program and local municipal projects for senior citizens. These new initiatives are in addition to the small business grant program and the childcare relief scholarships already underway. The County has allocated CARES funding as follows (some of these programs have been previously announced, others are being implemented):
• Nearly $1.3M in eviction prevention to ensure housing stability;
• More than $450,000 in economic development relief for small businesses;
• Over $400,000 to childcare to assist parents balancing work and student remote learning;
• More than $150,000 for local municipal projects promoting food security and safety for seniors.
• County Executive Molinaro also updated residents that additional rent relief assistance is now available through the State’s COVID Rent Relief Extension Program, which has been extended and expanded to help low-income residents stay in their homes. The program is now accepting applications now through February 1st. Additionally, residents who applied previously and were denied do not need to re-apply; the State will review their application under the new criteria and make a new determination.
County Executive Molinaro’s next online forum will take place on Wednesday, January 6th at 3 p.m. and can be viewed on the County’s Facebook page. As with previous virtual forums, American Sign Language interpreters will translate the live conversation.
Important update on COVID-19 vaccines
| Initial doses of the vaccine will be made available to priority groups. |
 Important update on COVID-19 vaccines You’ve likely heard the good news that COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna have been approved by the FDA. There will initially be a limited supply of the vaccine. Initial doses of the vaccine will be made available to priority groups, such as: Health care personnel Residents of long-term care facilities, like nursing homes Pharmaceutical manufacturers are now working to distribute the vaccine to federally- and state-approved locations to start the vaccination of priority groups. State governments will handle the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Look for updates from your state or governor as more doses of the vaccine become available for additional priority groups. While you’re waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine, continue to follow CDC’s tips on protecting yourself and others — including social distancing, frequent hand-washing, wearing a mask, and limiting gatherings. Remember: Medicare covers the COVID-19 vaccine, so there will be no cost to you when it becomes available. Sincerely, The Medicare Team This message is paid for by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It was created and distributed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. You’re receiving this message because you signed up for email updates from the Medicare Team. Please contact support@subscriptions.cms.hhs.gov if you have questions or problems with your subscriptions. |
FREE GROCERIES IN BEACON NY … Please review information below and share with friends and family
COMESTIBLES GRATIS EN BEACON NY … Por favor, revise la información a continuación y compártala con amigos y familiares
A Message from NYS Gov. Andrew Cuomo … December 21, 2020.
As we roll out our vaccination program, it’s critical that underserved communities are not left behind. These communities, which are predominantly communities of color, got hit the hardest during the pandemic, which laid bare existing disparities in our health care system. We’re doing everything we can so that New York is equitable in vaccine outreach and provides a model for the nation. To that end, today we announced the new NYS COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Task Force, co-chaired by Secretary of State Rossana Rosado, Attorney General Letitia James, National Urban League President & CEO Marc Morial, and Healthfirst President & CEO Pat Wang. This Task Force will break down barriers to vaccination, build confidence in the vaccine and ensure there is a fair and equitable distribution of the vaccine across the state.  Photo of the Day: Freda Bernhardt, 101, of Rochester receives the COVID-19 vaccine—one of the first to do so as part of the federal nursing home vaccination program that began today. (Photo courtesy of Jewish Home of Rochester) Here’s what else you need to know tonight: 1. Delta and British Airways have agreed to require pre-departure COVID tests before passengers leave from the U.K. to New York. In the wake of a new, more contagious variant of the COVID-19 virus found in the United Kingdom, British Airways and Delta Airlines have voluntarily agreed to our request to require their passengers to receive a negative COVID-19 test before they travel from the United Kingdom to New York. With this move, New York joins the list of 120 countries with a similar requirement on flights from the U.K. I have also asked Virgin Atlantic, the third major airline that services travel between the U.K. and New York, to do the same. The first virus came to New York via Europe, and we don’t want history to repeat itself with this new variant. 2. Total hospitalizations rose to 6,331. Of the 156,510 tests reported yesterday, 9,007, or 5.75 percent, were positive. There were 1,095 patients in ICU yesterday, up 50 from the previous day. Of them, 613 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 109 New Yorkers to the virus. 3. As of this morning, more than 38,000 vaccine doses have been administered in New York State. This is the highest reported total of any state in the nation thus far. The first 346,200 doses of the Moderna vaccine are expected to begin arriving in New York today, with an additional 120,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine expected later this week. 4. New York State began administering vaccines to nursing home residents and staff. The first nursing home residents began to be vaccinated today as part of a federal program that partners with pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens to vaccinate nursing home residents and staff at nursing home facilities. There are 618 facilities across the state that will participate in the program. 5. To help with vaccination efforts, New York is developing Community Vaccination Test Kits. These kits will provide communities, particularly those located within health care deserts, with the supplies and resources needed for standing up vaccination sites. They will include materials such as schematics on assembling the space, chairs and tables, computers and other equipment needed to administer the vaccine. Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: When New York became the global epicenter of the pandemic in the spring, many health care heroes put themselves on the line to fight tirelessly against the virus. To thank our health care heroes for their tireless work throughout the pandemic, the Greenwich Village Chelsea Chamber of Commerce produced a video to express our universal appreciation for all they have done for New York and for the nation. Watch it here. If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State’s Coronavirus Updates here. Ever Upward, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo |
Latest Edition of the Golden Living Newsletter … News for Seniors of Dutchess County.
December 18, 2020
| You are subscribed to Golden Living – News for Seniors for Dutchess County, NY. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Golden Living News for Seniors – December 21, 2020 Note: the Office for the Aging (OFA) will be closed for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays on Friday, December 25th and Friday, January 1st. Clients of our Home Delivered Meals (HDM) program will receive their meals for those days in advance of the holidays. If You’ve Never Heard of OFA… COVID Scams Continue New York DMV Impersonation Scams, Too Thanks for Being There Other Aging News Online Read more…https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/Aging/OFA-Golden-Living-News-for-Senior-Citizens.htm www.dutchessNY.gov Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or delete your account (including all subscriptions) at any time using your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your address to log in. If you have any questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact support@dutchessny.gov. This service is provided to you at no charge by Dutchess County, NY. |
NY Gov. Cuomo Holds News Conference … Update on COVID -19 Within NYS
Streamed live on December 16, 2020