The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Cases continue climbing in Madison, Oneida county
CENTRAL N. Y. » COVID- 19 cases just don’t stop climbing in Madison and Oneida counties.
Madison County reported 395 active cases as of dec. 11 on their COVID dashboard. Via a Facebook update on the county’s official page, officials report at least 41 of the active cases are nursing home residents. Officials noted that 23 county residents are hospitalized, six of which are from nursing homes.
Madison County Health Director Eric Faisst said during a Facebook video update Friday that in the past seven days, there have been four COVID- 19 related deaths in the county.
“The increase in positive cases has overwhelmed our system,” Faisst said. Contact tracers are working diligently, but they are unfortunately 24- 48 hours behind in contacting individuals. The county has shared a document outlining what to do if you’ve tested positive for COVID- 19, have been exposed, or are waiting on a test. The county’s guidance includes many specifics, but essentially boils down to: when in doubt, quarantine or isolate until you hear from a health official.
If you suspect or are aware you have the virus and have come into contact with others, let them know so they can quarantine and act accordingly, Faisst said.
Madisoncountyadministratormark Scimone said the county has reduced in- person staffing to 50% out of an abundance of caution and as a result of employees forcedto quarantine due to exposures. Beginningdec. 21 and lasting until Jan. 19, the county will bereducedtoessential in- person operations only. Services will continue to be available, and Scimone asks that residents do not hesitate to call the county offices for help.
Oneida County reported 3,497 active cases on Saturday, Dec. 12. County residents seeking hospital care both in and out of the county totals 137, 20 of which are nursing home residents. On Friday, 17 county residents were in the ICU.
“They’re not numbers, these are people,” Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente stated.
Both counties have gotten more active with the public online recently to share information and help stop the spread of this virus.
Picente shared at a Dec. 9 press briefing that theweekly county infection rate is 8.2%, themohawk Valley region as a whole is at 7.7%. On Friday, Picente said the mohawk valley’s available hospital bed capacity was at 23%, and ICU bed availability was 25%.
The state has ordered hospitals to have at least 25% availability, which Picente said the mohawk Valley had yet to achieve as of his reporting. Hospitals can increase their availability by either adding and staffing more beds, halting elective surgeries, or a combination of the two.
As the county faces potential shutdowns, increased hospitalizations, and several unknowns, Picente said federal stimulus for state and county governments is “essential.” He urged federal elected officials to prioritize this aid and praised those representing N. Y. who a realready fighting for it.
Oneida County may likely fall into one of the state’s redefined colored COVID- 19 zones come next week, Picente said, and that may comewith added restrictions. Shutting down the community is going to come with harsh economic impacts, Picente said, and though the county wants to avoid this, the trajectory it’s on is not promising.
This deep into the pandemic, there’s not much new that officials can say. They continue to repeat the same advice: Wear your mask. Do not congregate with those outside of your immediate household. Wash your hands.
To try and get evenmore of the community involved and aware of the current guidelines, Oneida County is encouraging residents to take a COVID- 19 safety pledge to show their commitment to stopping the spread.
Viewable on the county website, the online pledge asks residents to pledge to follow basic safety guidelines and encourage their peers to do the same.
As anincentive to get more residents to take the pledge, those who participate will get the chance to win a $ 100 gift card to a local business of their choice. The fund-ing comes from fines paid by businesses and organizations for violating countycoVID- 19 violations — a list of the violators canbe foundon the county website.
The county executive said he hopes this will educate and motivate people, while also supporting local businesses that so desperately need relief. “Everybody wins,” he said.
The 100th pledge- taker will receive the gift card, and from there new benchmarks will be chosen to give out more gift cards, Picente said.
Additionally, Oneida County is looking for residents affected by COVID- 19, directly or indirectly, to share their stories firsthand to help raise awareness and shed light on the seriousness of the situation. Stories can be shared anonymously or not, Picente said, by emailing mycovidstory@ ocgov. net. Next week, the county hopes to invite someone to speak via Zoom to share their experience.
“I understand people are fatigued. I understand people want to get together for the holidays. These numbers show otherwise that it’s not a good idea. Whatwedo this yeardependsonwhatwecan and will do next year, and who will be there as a result of that,” Picente stated.
Beginning Monday, Dec. 14, Picente said Oneida County will be employing a system called “Rumble Up,” a peer- to- peer texting technology system, to help relieve contact tracing backlogs that are developing as a result of such steep and continuing increases in COVID cases. The contact tracing process is detailed and time- consuming, Picente said, and this new system will allow the process to be sped up and more efficient.
“If you have been tested, be on the lookout for a text from the Oneida County Health Department, and please follow the information that is provided,” Picente said. Someone from the health department will be directly in touch with individuals later on.
In other news, Picente made a bittersweet and emotional announcement on Wednesday of Oneida County health Director Phyllis Ellis’ retirement. The retirement was pre- planned and expected, he said, but it still hurts to see a close colleague go.
“Phyllis ellis is a great public servant, but really one of my dearest friends, and we’ll miss you,” Picente remarked. He praised her for her accomplishments as health director over the past seven years, highlighting “her steadfast calmness in this office, her direction, her expertise, but also her leadership.” He additionally thank edellis’s family for sharing her with Oneida County all these years. Her retirement is well deserved, Picente said. Her last day will be Dec. 16.
Ellis stated through tears, “I’m leaving my role knowing there is a great team to carry on all of the important ongoing public health strategies that are in place and wish all to remain well during this time.” She thanked Picente and Oneida County for this opportunity in her 40- year health care career to serve as Public health director sine 2013.
She continued, “If this is my last opportunity to address [ COVID- 19], I implore everyone to please continue to follow all of the public health guidelines that we have been talking about throughout this year. We know they work.” These guidelines and the vaccine, when available, are the only tools available to fight this disease, she said. She asked Oneida County to continue being the best community who cares about theirneighbors and peers.