The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
UPWARD TREND
Oneida County reports more COVID-19 deaths and cases
UTICA, N.Y. » Since COVID-19 first hit Oneida County, there have since been 400 confirmed cases reported. Now, the County is rallying to distribute PPE and plan for the future as the virus continues to make its mark.
224 cases remain active in Oneida County, with 26 admitted to hospitals; 23 inside the county, three outside. A new death was reported on April 29, bringing the COVID-19 related death toll to 17.
“17 is way too many,” Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr. stated as he shared his condolences for those who have lost a loved one during this pandemic.
The governor has shared his plans for what reopening the state will look like, and along with that, has given Oneida County the green light for medical facilities to start performing elective surgeries, Picente announced.
“That opens up a very critical part of our community wellness,” Picente commented.
Oneida County Director of Public Health Phyllis Ellis shared that facilities looking to start performing these surgeries will have a lot of planning to do beforehand to ensure a smooth, safe, and effective reopening process. More details will follow in the coming weeks.
In addition to this sanction from the state, a new testing site is expected to start operating shortly in Oneida County alongside testing already occurring in the county hospitals and the Rite Aid in New Hartford. Increasing testing is a strategy that may give officials a better understanding of this virus to make wise decisions moving forward.
In regards to wearing masks and slowing the virus’s spread, the county’s Public Health Order “requiring residents to wear a face-covering while indoors in any public place or in any public outdoor environment where the public gathers and social distancing cannot be maintained” will go into effect May 1 at 12 p.m. Businesses are expected to enforce this requirement and not allow patrons without face coverings
into their stores.
This order does not pertain to individuals who should not wear face masks for safety reasons, which includes children under two years of age, those with breathing problems that are complicated by wearing a mask, and those who are unable to remove a face mask on their own.
“This is important,” Picente stated as he shared how imperative it is that everyone complies with this order. A vast majority of businesses welcome this order, he said, and a vast majority of residents are following it. The order is to help crack-down on the smaller percentage of people and businesses that are not complying or enforcing the use of face coverings in public spaces.
Those who don’t comply are putting people at risk, he said urgently.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that the virus can travel on individuals who don’t appear to be sick; this makes it crucial that everyone practice the face mask recommendation to avoid spreading the hidden virus to others.
Picente explained the nature of how the virus can spread when individuals aren’t wearing cloth masks. The mask-wearer is protecting those around them by wearing a cloth shield to keep their own droplets away from others. But, if just one person is not wearing a mask, this person could potentially be exposing everyone around them who is wearing one. The more people with masks, the more who are protected.
Medical grade masks may work a bit differently and offer greater protection, but due to limited supply at this time, such masks are reserved for medical personnel and healthcare professionals who need them most. Cloth masks continue to be the recommendation for the greater public.
The CDC recommends that cloth masks:
• fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
• be secured with ties or ear loops
• include multiple layers of fabric
• allow for breathing without restriction
• be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape
To help ensure all residents have access to a cloth face covering that do not already, Oneida County has ordered thousands of masks to be distributed across the county. Villages, towns, and cities will be distribution points, Picente stated, and residents should check frequently with their local government to find out more details. Beyond local municipalities, Oneida County Government will make cloth masks available on May 1 at two locations:
@TX Body:• Oneida County Office Building, 800 Park Avenue in Utica from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Oneida County Department of Social Services Office, 300 W. Dominick Street in Rome from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
As a reminder, these are not the only distribution points, and local municipalities will likely be offering cloth masks shortly. Stay up to date on your local government’s postings to learn more about retrieving a face mask.
More public exposure warnings have been announced over the last few days, and these announcements can be found on Oneida County’s website.
The latest public exposure announcement is as follows:
@TX Body:• On April 25, 2020, an Oneida County resident who has tested positive for COVID-19 was at the Hannaford Supermarket located at 4593 Commercial Drive in New Hartford and the Walgreens located at 4855 Commercial Drive in New Hartford between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Risk to the public is low as the person was wearing a mask. Anyone who was in those stores during that time period should monitor themselves for symptoms until May 9 and contact their health care provider if symptoms develop. You do not have to automatically self-quarantine. In other news, 14 school districts including Remsen, Clinton, Whitesboro, Sauquoit, Oriskany, Waterville, Westmoreland, New Hartford, New York Mills, Holland Patent, Camden, Vernon-verona-sherrill, Adirondack, and Brookfield received over 3,800 gallons of free milk Wednesday to distribute locally in an effort headed by the Dairy Farmers of America, Inc., American Dairy Association North East, and Dean Foods Company.
Picente stated in a Facebook post, “The COVID-19 crisis has dealt a major blow to the dairy farmers of this county. As we work together with our state and federal representation to find solutions to their plight, we thank them and the others from our region who have donated this milk to the families of our Oneida County.”