LOCAL EFFECTS
Saratoga County officials discuss latest COVID-19 information
BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. » As the Capital Region began the reopening process on Wednesday, Saratoga County leaders provided the latest information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic’s local effects in a Facebook Live online broadcast.
Saratoga Hospital clinical nurse coordinator Aric Butts, Saratoga Springs City School District superintendent Dr. Michael Patton and Saratoga County Clerk Craig Hayner all participated in the panel discussion, held Wednesday morning at the Saratoga County offices in Ballston Spa, along with Saratoga
County Public Health director of patient services Cathy Medick.
During the update, Medick shared that Saratoga County has seen a total of 434 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the start of the outbreak. This includes 70 active cases, 349 recovered and 15 deaths.
As of Wednesday morning, six Saratoga County COVID-19 patients were hospitalized while 8.873 have been tested.
Among the COVID-19 patients at Saratoga Hospital, Butts said there has been a recent decrease in those who are severely sick.
The hospital is not overcrowded at this time, according to Butts, who works in the emergency department.
Many policies and practices have been implemented at Saratoga Hospital to help protect both staff and patients, such as screening all patients, limiting visitors and wearing proper personal protective equipment, he shared.
Despite these measures, Butts said some patients are avoiding the healthcare system because they are concerned about becoming infected while at a medical facility.
“We don’t want the community to delay seeking healthcare because of this fear,” he said. “You are going to be safe, you are going to be protected here in the hospital. It’s one of the safest places you can be, probably, just because of our infection control that we’ve had within.”
As businesses prepare to reopen to the public, stores and restaurants will need to take extra safety precautions as well.
“It is the responsibility of every business to have their own safety plan to keep employees and customers safe while reopening,” Medick said.
Beyond this written plan, “It’s very important that we do everything right so that we can keep moving forward towards Phase 2,” Medick said, warning that if people don’t do the correct thing, it could stall the region’s progress. She advised that individuals take personal responsibility by continuing to
social distance, wearing masks in public, washing their hands, avoiding large groups and staying home if they are ill.
“Don’t push the boundaries, I’d say, at this point,” Medick continued. “We are going in the right direction, but we all have to still be vigilant.”
Especially with Memorial Day weekend approaching, “I caution people not to get in large groups,” Medick said. “That is something that could put our progress back and increase cases.”
To safely celebrate, Medick suggested activities like visiting a drive-in movie theater, barbecuing, playing games, creating driveway chalk art and going for a hike, walk or bike ride either alone or with members of the same household.
While some figure out how to safely spend the holiday weekend, folks at Saratoga Springs City School District are trying to find a responsible way to celebrate its graduating Class of 2020.
“We are so extremely proud of our students, the efforts they have made over these last several weeks,” Patton said between answering inquiries about graduation, summer school, and the upcoming school budget vote and board of education election.
Hayner, head of the Saratoga County Clerk’s office, also responded to viewer questions regarding matters such as driver’s licenses, vehicle registrations, while sharing how the department - which usually sees about 1,400 visitors per day - is operating while the office is closed to the public.
“This pandemic was the first time in my career,” Hayner said, that we actually had to look at ways to slow volume down.”
Though business operations are now starting to ramp up as the Capital Region reopens, it will not be quick, according to Medick.
“It’s a slow, step by step process,” she said, sharing details about each of the four reopening phases in the NY Forward Reopening Plan, which can be viewed online at https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor. ny.gov/files/atoms/files/NYForwardReopeningGuide. pdf.
This Facebook Live session and other weekly COVID-19 updates from the county are posted on the Saratoga County Office of Emergency Services Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SaratogaOES.