Coronavirus (COVID-19)

COVID-19 Data Dashboard

Dutchess County continues to provide residents the most current information and guidance on this page as well as its Coronavirus hotline 845-486-3555, and its Facebook and Twitter accounts. Please check back frequently.

Dutchess County Coronavirus Information Hotline:  845-486-3555

New York State Department of Health Coronavirus Hotline
1-888-364-3065 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (CDC.gov)Toggle navigation

Quick Links

• CURRENT STATUS & LATEST NEWS
• SYMPTOMS & TESTING
• PREVENTION
• INFORMATION FOR SPECIFIC GROUPS
• DASHBOARDS

A. K. Vaidian, MD, MPH

Commissioner

Contact

• healthinfo@dutchessny.gov
• 845-486-3400
•  Behavioral & Community Health
  85 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 106
  Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
• Subscribe to Updates

Current Status & Latest News

New York State has announced NYS on Pause has been extended, and directs schools and non-essential businesses to remain closed through May 15.

Additional daily updates are available on the New York State Coronavirus website. You can also visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for updates and guidance.

The Department of Behavioral & Community Health continues to monitor individuals who have a confirmed case of COVID-19. We are grateful for these individuals’ cooperation in our mitigation efforts.

News Releases and Videos

• Dutchess County Ready with Additional Care Capacity at Dutchess Community College
• Molinaro to Speak to Business Community during Virtual Contact Breakfast this Wednesday
• Applications Now Open for ‘Dutchess Responds Fund’
• Dutchess County Seeks Residents’ Stories about COVID-19 Pandemic for Historical Survey
• Molinaro Tours Local Organizations Producing Personal Protective Equipment to Contain COVID-19 Spread
• Four Additional COVID-19 Related Deaths Confirmed in Dutchess
• Fifth COVID-19 Related Death Confirmed in Dutchess
• Fourth COVID-19 Related Death Confirmed in Dutchess
• County Launches COVID-19 Data Dashboard

More News

Handouts

• COVID-19 Community Resource Guide Poster (.pdf) – download this poster to post in public spaces and businesses.
• Download a flyer with Best Practices for Businesses During COVID-19 (.pdf)
• Download a Using a Cloth Face Covering as a Mask Flyer (.pdf)
• Download a COVID-19 Community Information Fact Sheet (.pdf) to post in public spaces.
• Help keep our Parks open and safe for all – download a Social Distancing at Dutchess County Parks flyer (.pdf)
• New York State COVID-19 Emotional Support Helpline 1-844-863-9314 (.pdf)
• COVID-19 Public Spaces Safety Poster (.pdf) – Download a flyer to post in public spaces
• Dutchess County COVID-19/Coronavirus Fact Sheet – What You Need to Know (.pdf)
• State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Extend SNAP, TA/MA/SNAP Benefits Recertification Deadlines (.pdf)
• Important information is available for schools, businesses, and residents to protect against respiratory illnesses. A Spanish-language version is also available.

Commissioner of Health Alerts

• April 2020 – Commissioner’s Order regarding children’s camps, campgrounds, seasonal temporary residences, and seasonal communities.
• March 2020 – ALERT & PROTOCOL – Commissioner’s Order for Isolation of Lab Confirmed COVID-19 (.pdf)
• January 2020 – Public Health Alert providing COVID-19 (formerly 2019-nCoV) guidance to area healthcare providers (.pdf)

COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline (.pdf)

Symptoms & Testing

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath/trouble breathing
• Pneumonia

CDC believes at this time that symptoms may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus.

What should you do if you are experiencing symptoms and have traveled to areas of concern or have been in contact with someone who has traveled to these areas or has a confirmed case of Coronavirus?

• Call ahead to your health care provider before seeking treatment in person!
• Additional  steps to help prevent the disease from spreading to people in your home and community at the CDC.

Where can I get tested for COVID-19?

Several sites have opened in Dutchess County for those experiencing symptoms of coronavirus/COVID-19 to be screened.

Testing for Coronavirus in Dutchess County

Prevention

COVID-19 is believed to spread mainly from person to person who are in close contact with one another (less than 6 feet of distance) through respiratory droplets when a person with COVID-19 coughs or sneezes.  It may also be possible for COVID-19 to be spread through touching infected objects or surfaces.

How do I protect myself and my family from COVID-19?

Help stop the spread of Coronavirus and protect yourself and others:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use alcohol based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cough or sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue (not your hands), then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick and take special care to help the elderly and people with underlying health conditions avoid exposure. Call instead of visiting those most at risk. Offer help delivering groceries and other necessities so they can stay at home.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick and even if you feel well, stay at home as much as possible.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a cleaning product that contains bleach.
  • EPA’s list of antimicrobial products registered for use against COVID-19 (.pdf)
• Practice social distancing. Keep at least 6 feet of space between yourself and others whenever possible. Avoid social gatherings and unnecessary appointments.
  • Help keep our Parks open and safe for all – download a Social Distancing at Dutchess County Parks flyer (.pdf)
  • Guidance from the State on protecting yourself when enjoying the outdoors.
• Wear a cloth face mask. A simple cloth face covering should be worn by everyone outside of their home when ample social distancing proves difficult. 
  • Using a Cloth Face Covering as a Mask Flyer (pdf)
  • CDC guidance on creating and using cloth face coverings 
  • How to Make Your own Face Covering (CDC | YouTube)

More than ever, it’s important to stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19, and if you must go out, practice social distancing. While we stay home, don’t let fear and anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic become overwhelming. Here are a few ways the CDC recommends managing stress during these challenging times:  

• Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories and social media.
• Connect with others. Talk with friends and loved ones over the phone or via video chat about your concerns and how you are feeling.
• Take care of yourself. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy meals, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep.

More Info

Remember: If you need to see your doctor, please call them first. Medicare has expanded their ability to use telehealth services during the COVID-19 emergency for common office visits, mental health counseling, and preventive health screenings.

More than ever, it’s important to stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19, and if you must go out, practice social distancing. While we stay home, don’t let fear and anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic become overwhelming. Here are a few ways the CDC recommends managing stress during these challenging times:  

• Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories and social media.
• Connect with others. Talk with friends and loved ones over the phone or via video chat about your concerns and how you are feeling.
• Take care of yourself. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy meals, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep.

More Info

Remember: If you need to see your doctor, please call them first. Medicare has expanded their ability to use telehealth services during the COVID-19 emergency for common office visits, mental health counseling, and preventive health screenings.

Remember: If you need to see your doctor, please call them first. Medicare has expanded their ability to use telehealth services during the COVID-19 emergency for common office visits, mental health counseling, and preventive health screenings.

Update for Thursday, April 16, 2020:

• The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce has created a list of LOCAL PPE suppliers. If you are a local supplier and would like to be added to the list, please email contact@DutchessBNN.com. All employees still interacting with the public, regardless of social distancing, are required to have some kind of face covering under an Executive Order that was announced on April 12 and went into effect yesterday. To view the local supplier list, click HERE.
• In today’s (Thursday) press conference, The governor announced that his New York on PAUSE efforts would be extended until May 15. This will effect businesses deemed non-essential and schools.
• Governor Cuomo also expanded on his proposal to do a phased in reopening of the economy. The phased in reopening will not just be what businesses reopen, but what percentage of their workforce will be allowed to return. It would act in reverse of the 25%, 50%, and 75% reduction plan.
• In the same press conference, Governor Cuomo said businesses will have to show how they can socially distance their workers and customers, and have a plan in place on what happens if an employee develops COVID-19 symptoms.
• Yesterday, Governor Cuomo signed an Executive Order that requires all individuals, not just employees, in public spaces who cannot maintain social distancing to wear a nose/mouth covering. Anyone over 2 years of age, unless it is medically impossible to do so, falls under this order. This order will go into effect tomorrow night at 8PM, and it can be read in full HERE.
• It was announced today that the fund the SBA was using to pay for the Paycheck Protection Program has been exhausted so no more funds are available for businesses. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan application portal has also been shut down due to limited funding, but those who have applied already are still being processed. This is not to mean that you are guaranteed funding if you have applied, but you are currently being processed and funds will be given on a first come-first serve basis. As more information is made available we will update you.
• Scam and fraud schemes have been uncovered of people posing as the SBA to get a business’ confidential financial information. A guide has been put out by the SBA to help individuals identify scam or fraud attempts. It can be found HERE.
• Celebrate National High Five Day today and give a “Dutchess Air Five”. Dutchess Tourism is encouraging all of Dutchess County to show appreciation for our local service industry, with support in the following ways: Purchase gift cards (online or over-the-phone) for later use; Shop online stores or participate in virtual experiences; Share 5-star love with favorite businesses by posting stellar reviews on Trip Advisor, Yelp, Google and on their own sites. Businesses: Promote the initiative on your social platforms using the provided graphic in the link. Help make this initiative go viral locally. For more information, click HERE.

If you have any questions regarding the information in this notification or any other business related concerns and suggestions, please email Contact@DutchessBNN.com. Please do NOT contact elected officials regarding information in this email as they are currently inundated with handling the government response to this crisis. This network was created to help coordinate responses and share the burden, and we ask that you please contact us with any questions or concerns so our elected officials can focus on their task at hand. Thank you for your continued support through this time.

If you were forwarded this email, but would like to be added to the email list, please let us know by emailing contact@DutchessBNN.com

www.dutchessNY.gov

This is Mayor Lee Kyriacou with some Beacon updates.

1. COVID Counts:  In Dutchess, there are over 1,700 active coronavirus cases – 98 are in Beacon.  So, our counts are still rising but slowing down – that means we too are flattening our curve.  In Beacon, we see overwhelming compliance.  That’s great; keep it up – we’re all doing our part.
2. Face Covering:  There’s a lot of confusion about face coverings – let me explain what’s required and what’s not.  Starting Friday evening, the Governor has ordered: “In public, if there’s not social distancing, you must wear a face covering.”  This means:
   • Social Distancing is required; if that’s not happening, then a face covering is required.
   • If you’re outside alone (or only with a household member) è you don’t need a mask.
   • If you’re in a tight public space è you must wear face covering.
   • If you’re at the store and there’s social distancing or a plexiglass barrier è you can wear face covering but it is not required.
   • If you’re at home è nothing is required – other than common sense.
   • Please, be respectful and reasonable in your interactions with others.
3. Census:  I’m seeing TV ad reminders on the census.  So much locally depends on getting everyone counted.  Do it – www.2020census.gov.

Thank you.  Stay well.

Check out today’s video from County Executive Marc Molinaro talking about the critical work being done by our public transit workers. Join us in thanking these #HeroesMovingHeroes, like Shemeka, seen at the end of the video!In Dutchess County as of April 16, 2020 there have been;- 1,975 confirmed cases of COVID-19- 9,584 test administered- 212 recoveriesPOWERED BY

Attention Residents of Beacon Housing Authority

On Wednesday April 15, 2020 Governor Cuomo issued an Executive Order to take effect on Friday April 17, 2020 This executive order mandates that all people MUST wear a mask or face covering in public in situations where social distancing is not possible.

BHA residents and guests must comply with this executive order and wear masks or face coverings in all common areas of the property like hallways, laundry rooms, and elevators. 

KEY POINTS

• The order for face coverings will take effect after a three-day grace period, Cuomo said.
• In outlining a gradual reopening of businesses, Cuomo also said the state is moving toward a “new normal.”
• He said the crisis won’t be over until a vaccine is made available.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday he is ordering all people to wear a face covering while in public as the state works to combat the nation’s worst coronavirus outbreak.

The executive order will take effect after a three-day grace period, Cuomo said at his daily news conference in Albany.

In outlining a gradual reopening of businesses, Cuomo said the state is moving toward a “new normal.”

“Where we’re going, it’s not a reopening in that we’re going to reopen what was. We’re going to a different place,” Cuomo said.

“If you are going to be in a situation, in public, where you come into contact with other people in a situation that is not socially distanced, you must have a mask or a cloth covering nose and mouth.”

More than a third of the nation’s 600,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 are in New York, according to Johns Hopkins University. While the outbreak appears to be leveling off, Cuomo said roughly 2,000 new cases are confirmed in the state every day. He said the economy won’t be able to make a full comeback until there’s a vaccine, which scientists have said will take up to a year and a half.

Rules for wearing of face coverings in New York State stated by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, April 15, 2020.Source: New York State

“It’s over when people know I’m 100% safe and I don’t have to worry about this. When does that happen? When we have a vaccine?” he said. “Until you have a vaccine, until you have the medical treatment, what do you do? How are you building the bridge? Well, it’s going to be a phased reopening.”

Part of that phased reopening is requiring people to wear face masks, he said. Local governments would enforce the order, but fines won’t be issued at this time, he said. It would apply to people on public transit, including subways and buses, as well as in public spaces like grocery stores, he said. It would even apply to people walking on the sidewalk. The covering can be a bandana or scarf as long as it covers their nose and mouth.

“You’re right to go out for a walk in the park, go out for a walk because you need to get out of the house. The dog is getting on your nerves, fine. Don’t infect me. You don’t have a right to infect me,” he said. 

While Cuomo said he’s not going to impose fines right now, he didn’t rule out the possibility. 

“Now, if they don’t accept that and there’s widespread noncompliance, could we go to civil penalty or could I say you can’t be on the trains or buses unless you wear a mask, you could get there.”

He said he hopes New Yorkers follow the rule “because it makes sense.”

Cuomo’s order came nearly two weeks after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its national coronavirus guidelines to recommend wearing face coverings in public places “where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain … especiallyin areas of significant community-based transmission.”

WATCH NOWVIDEO08:45New York Gov. Cuomo outlines gradual reopening of businesses

The CDC stressed at the time that people should maintain social distancing practices – staying 6 feet away from others in public and staying home whenever possible — even if they wear face coverings. 

Health experts say there’s little evidence to show that cloth coverings can protect the wearer from contracting Covid-19 from others. But they may help to prevent people with illnesses from spreading their germs.

Cuomo said that reopening commerce in his state, and the rest of the country, in the absence of a vaccine for the coronavirus would also hinge on testing people for Covid-19 and tracing the contacts of those people who test positive.

“The more testing, the more open the economy,” Cuomo said.

The Democratic governor repeatedly said the federal government needs to help expand the capacity for testing, noting that there are not currently enough tests available to do the level of screening that will be needed.

“We cannot do it without federal support, and I’ve been saying it for days,” Cuomo said. In addition to increasing test capacity, he said the federal government would have to help states fund what would be “an army” of tracers to identify people who have had interactions with infected people.

WATCH NOWVIDEO01:01Wondering if insurance will cover the coronavirus – here is what you need to know

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by TaboolaSponsored LinksFROM THE WEB

Update for Wednesday, April 15, 2020:

• County Executive Molinaro participated in a Virtual Contact Breakfast this morning with the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce. If you were unable to attend, or want to rewatch the webinar, you can watch the full recording HERE.
• The New York Department of Health has issued the Interim Guidance for the requirement that businesses offer face masks to employees that must interact with the public. The guidance can be found HERE.
• In today’s (Wednesday) press conference, Governor Cuomo said that he did not expect this difficult time to end until a vaccine is created. He did say that the healthcare system has stabilized, which is a good sign that the social distancing measures have been successful so far
• In the same press conference, Governor Cuomo said that there is a blueprint for how they will reopen the state. It will be based on a multi-phase approach using criteria to determine who can reopen. The criteria for each tier will be; 1) How essential is the business? 2) What is the risk of infection spread? 3) What practices and precautions the businesses can implement? More information will be provided when it is released by the governor’s office.
• He also said he would be signing an Executive Order that would require any individual in public who cannot maintain social distancing to wear a nose/mouth covering. There is still a lot of ambiguity to this announcement and a copy of the Executive Order will be included when it is released. The policy will go into effect on Saturday.
• Tomorrow at 3PM, be sure to honk your horn twice to support all those in the MTA and public transit systems who are working everyday to make sure essential workers are still able to get to work. This is part of the #HeroesMovingHeroes campaign to show our appreciation to an often overlooked but vital part of our state, regional, and local economy.
• Celebrate National High Five Day tomorrow and give a “Dutchess Air Five.” Dutchess Tourism is encouraging all of Dutchess County to show appreciation for our local service industry, with support in the following ways: Purchase gift cards (online or over-the-phone) for later use; Shop online stores or participate in virtual experiences; Share 5-star love with favorite businesses by posting stellar reviews on Trip Advisor, Yelp, Google and on their own sites. Businesses: Promote the initiative on your social platforms using the provided graphic in the link. Help make this initiative go viral locally. For more information, click HERE.
• The Dyson Foundation will host a webinar tomorrow starting at 11AM, that will focus on how non-profits can remain economically viable through COVID-19. The webinar, “Nonprofit Financial Planning in Response to COVID-19”, can be registered for in advance by going HERE.

If you have any questions regarding the information in this notification or any other business related concerns and suggestions, please email Contact@DutchessBNN.com. Please do NOT contact elected officials regarding information in this email as they are currently inundated with handling the government response to this crisis. This network was created to help coordinate responses and share the burden, and we ask that you please contact us with any questions or concerns so our elected officials can focus on their task at hand. Thank you for your continued support through this time.

If you were forwarded this email, but would like to be added to the email list, please let us know by emailing contact@DutchessBNN.comPOWERED BY

Dutchess County’s Recovery Center stands ready as needed should local hospitals exceed their capacity to care for those impacted by COVID-19. This past Saturday, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro joined Assistant Commissioner Cathi Tegtmeier and other representatives from the Department of Behavioral & Community Health as nearly 50 Dutchess County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers, who will assist in staffing the Recovery Center, were trained in the facility’s operational structure. Although staff is trained and prepared and the facility is ready for patient admission, it is not expected it will be necessary to open the facility this week as local hospital bed capacity has remained stable. Hospital capacity is evaluated daily, looking out three days, to determine if it is necessary to open the recovery center.

Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro directed the establishment of the Recovery Center last month to ensure Dutchess County would have enough beds to care for everyone throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as assist the local hospitals meet Governor Cuomo’s order to hospital capacity increase by 50% now, and plan for 100%.

County Executive Molinaro said, “We are grateful to our outstanding team from the Department of Behavioral & Community Health and all of our dedicated MRC volunteers for their diligent work to prepare this Recovery Center. While we hope we will never need to utilize the Recovery Center based on the current trend in hospitalization, it is important to have this resource ready to care for people as we do not yet know when we will reach our apex with this virus. We must all continue to do our part – stay safe, stay home and if you must go out, social distance with a face covering to stop the spread of this disease.”

County Executive Marc Molinaro joins DBCH Assistant Commissioner Cathi Tegtmeier for a tour of Dutchess County’s Recovery Center at DCC and offers thanks to the MRC volunteers staffing the center. Click above to watch a short video of the tour.

In the event local hospitals have limited bed capacity, the Recovery Center will be available to serve individuals who can be discharged from hospital care but still need appropriate support service to continue their recovery before returning home. The Recovery Center will provide safe housing and/or support of activities of daily living for individuals discharged from acute care.

Dutchess Community College’s Conklin Hall Dormitory serves as the location for the Recovery Center, with 176 rooms and 457 beds on 4 different floors. Total capacity will vary based on number of guests requiring single room and/or access to private bathroom per their care plan.

Staffing for the Recovery Center consists of approximately 50 medical and nonmedical professionals from multiple disciplines, primarily MRC volunteers. Housekeeping and security services are jointly provided by DCC staff and MRC volunteers.

In the last month, more than 200 additional people have joined the volunteer ranks of the MRC of Dutchess County, many of them nurses and other healthcare professionals. These volunteers have been instrumental in the response to COVID-19 in Dutchess County, assisting with monitoring those quarantined, staffing the Coronavirus hotline, making deliveries and now staffing the Recovery Center as needed.

Cathi Tegtmeier, Assistant Commissioner of Behavioral & Community Health said, “Under the leadership of County Executive Molinaro, Dutchess County has been proactive in establishing this Recovery Center that, if needed, will reduce the stress our local hospitals caring for COVID-19 patients. This facility, staffed by a dedicated contingent of medical professionals and trained volunteers, will provide a venue for those still recuperating from COVID-19 — but not needing hospitalization — to do so in a safe, contained building before being released home. Having this resource offers our healthcare community some peace of mind that there is a relief valve available to them if needed.”

Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) has worked in cooperation with Nuvance Health on the establishment of the Recovery Center. DBCH and Nuvance Health coordinate each day to assess current hospital capacity and determine if there is a need to utilize the Recovery Center within the next three days. Currently, hospital census numbers remain stable and it is not necessary to house guests at the Recovery Center.

Dutchess County Government continues to provide residents the most current information on its COVID-19 Community Impact Dashboard, and further updates and guidance are available on its website, http://www.dutchessny.gov/coronavirus, its Coronavirus hotline, (845) 486-3555, and its Facebook and Twitter accounts.

www.dutchessNY.gov

Watch today’s update from County Executive Molinaro about the two Facebook/TeleTown Halls he’s hosting tomorrow, including the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce forum in the morning.In Dutchess County as of April 14, 2020 there have been:-1,801 confirmed cases of COVID-19-8,546 tests administered-196 people have recoveredPOWERED BY