The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
‘ DANGEROUS’ NUMBERS
Uptick in COVID cases reported in Oneida and Madison counties
Oneida county cases have been on the rise reaching the highest active case- total reported for the county to date. In just a singleday cases roseby 108.
“If I could call a state of emergency on top of a state of emergency, I would do just that because these numbers are very dangerous,” Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente said at an emergency press conference Friday.
He’s calling on the community to act smart and help fight COVID- 19.
As of Nov. 13, 2020, Oneida County has 625 active cases, which nearly doubles the county’s highpoint during its May- June peak. Picente warned that this striking number didn’t come out of no where; the increase has been trending for some weeks now.
Madison County Chairman John Becker also acknowledged during a brief Facebook video message that 60 active cases in the county as of Friday is an uptick worth taking precaution over. The last time the county cases were this high was back in late- May early-June according to county data.
“This is the surge thatwe were told about for the fall. It is not coming — it is already here,” Picente said.
Picente held a press conference first on Nov. 9 regarding the rising state of emergency, and held a second emergency press conference on Friday, Nov. 13 spurred by the triple- digit
“If I could call a state of emergency on top of a state of emergency, I would do just that because these numbers are very dangerous.” — Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente
case increase reported that same day.
Areas across the state are seeing an influx of cases causing alarm. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has already set forth new state- wide limitations and subjected cluster areas to “zoned” rules. Parts of neighboring Onondaga County with soaring COVID- 19 numbers have been declared in the yellow zone requiring testing at schools and limited gatherings. Getting to zone orange and red comes with increased limitations.
Picente says he and the county government will take every action they can to reduce the virus’s spread and avoid state intervention.
“I do not want to close this community. I want to keep this community moving forward, but we can only do that if we do it together,” he stated. He referred to a pile of fines on his desk issued to local businesses not following protocols; appropriate legal action will be taken, he said. Businesses need to follow the rules.
Oneida County government will be restricting its number of visitors, spreading out employees, and alternating days of work in certain areas. Picente is encouraging other governments to do the same, adding, “We need to be sure that our work force is safe and able to handle the services thatwe are required to provide.”
The county executive said he will be sending out a notice to municipalities, advising them to institute mandatory testing among their workforce every two weeks until further notice. He will be exploring the possibility of making this an executive order.
Getting tested is something Picente said he has done dozens of times since the pandemic began — usually once every two weeks.
That community spread could wipe out entire departments is one of picente’s greatest concerns. Imagine this: it’s the middle of winter with snow, ice, and bad weather battering the roadways. Now imagine a township’s public works department gets hit with COVID- 19. Some employees are sick and others who worked closely with those who test positive must now quarantine. That scenario could because for unplowed roads and a lot of havoc, especially if compounded across multiple areas, he said.
Already the county has faced a similar situation in their Child Advocacy Center. ( CAC), according to Picente. He reported that a large wedding held in Trenton, which failed to adhere to social distancing, gathering capacity, and mask- wearing mandates, resulted in a cluster of positive cases and close contacts. As a result, a county police officer who attended the wedding spread the virus to CAC employees, “effectively shut[ ting] [ it] down,” he remarked.
Group ignoring protocols have started to become a trend. day ci dents Groups that Picente reported mon-day that over 20 different high-risk behaviors have recently resulted in over 100 cases and 10 times that many people in quarantine.
The fact that one positive case can lead to multiple quarantines is a real issue .“That’s what will shutdown the economy. That’s what will shut down the county first,” Picente remarked. The county currently has 1,389 people in quarantine, excluding active cases in isolation. Those in quarantine can no longer go to work and may have to be on lockdown for up to two weeks.
If the county continues on the trajectory it’s on, drastic action will be taken in the next few days. Though Picente thinks “The community is going to shut itself down,” at the rate it’s going. He warned that another shut down likely won’t come with federal stimulus checks, increased unemployment checks, and payroll protection aid like before.
Testing in Oneida County has also been trending upward the past few months, at one point 4.4 thousand people were tested in one day according to county data. Close contacts of cases seeking results to ensure they too aren’t infected are likely contributing to this rising number.
Infected persons needing hospitalization have also been on the rise. As of Nov. 13, 22 county residents with COVID- 19 are hospitalized in the county, six are receiving care out of the county. The county executive pointed out that it was only weeks ago that just one resident was seeking hospital care with COVID- 19. Picente said the county has done a “remarkable” job so far keeping the infection rate low and testing rates up compared to other parts of the state; residents need to remain vigilant, get tested, and follow the protocols to curb the current surge in cases.
Oneida County Director of Public Health Phyllis Ellis said the infections right now are widespread and affectmultiple sectors. Picente recognized that schools and other areas that have concrete safety plans in place have not been the issue, but rather, it’s been the general public convening indoors and in large numbers without protocols that has been the root of the recent increase.
Adults that participate in afterschool activities such as sporting events have also contributed to the climbing case count, Picente said, and this includes both parents and coaches. Church gatherings have also been a notable issue. Picente called on community leaders to step up and stop this trend.
Many people think that as long as their gatherings stay under a certain number, masks or distancing is not necessary with people they’re close to, but that’s just not the case, Picente says. If the state limits gatherings to 10 people, that’s ten people following all the other protocols— This is something that many people are forgetting.
“The same people that have been gathering at events in their backyard [ in warmer weather] have now moved inside,” allowing the virus more easily to spread, he remarked.
Subsequently, the county Health Department is in need of volunteers to assist tracking the rise of COVID- 19 cases, especially since staff have had to face infections of their own.
“Our Health Department has been working 24 hours a day seven days a week to keep this virus at bay, butwe are at a crucial point in this fight,” Picente said.
The Health Department is seeking volunteers to help make phone calls related to tracking COVID- 19.
All volunteers will be required to sign a HIPAA agreement and liability waiver. Theymust also complete the John Hopkins contact tracing training program which is available online. Volunteers will beasked to commit to at least one full day per week of in- person service at the County Office Building in Utica.
Those interested in volunteering should send their name, contact information and availability to volunteer@ocgov.net.
“We continue to encourage all community members to remain vigilant against COVID- 19 by taking the necessary precautions that we know help stop the spread: wear a mask, socially distance yourself, and avoid gatherings,” Ellis said, adding, “Flu season is upon us. Help protect yourself and your family and get the flu vaccine.”
County officials continue to ask that residents who are not feeling well stay home and isolate from others. Those who receive a COVID- 19 test due to symptoms or a recent exposure should quarantine until their results are in.
Additionally, the health department is falling behind in tracing an overwhelming number of cases and contacts; if you’ve tested positive and are able to communicate with those you’ve been in contact with, do it, Picente says.
Those who test positive should stay home until contacted by the health department and be prepared to identify their possible contacts that they might have exposed. Those who believe they’ve been closely exposed to COVID- 19 should stay home. If youbelieve you have come in contact with a positive case, advise that person to identify you during the health department’s investigation as a contact to him or her.
Some people who come down with this virus bounce back quickly or don’t feel very sick at all. That’s great for them, Picente said, but there’s a bigger picture at play. Formany who contract COVID- 19, it is an uphill battle that unfortunately has resulted in death for 135 county residents.
He reported 1 out of every 25 positive Oneida County cases has resulted in a COVID- 19 related death. “If that doesn’t scare you, if that doesn’t make it important for you to adhere to these guidelines, I don’t know what else there is I can say.”
Though news of a vaccine on the horizon is promising, Picente emphasized, “Nothing has changed since March. We are still in the same pandemic we were in before.”
Free state- provided testing continues at Griffiss Internationalairport. Appointments are required by calling 1- 888- 364- 3065. Riteaid in new hartford is also a nocost testing option. Several other facilities offer testing throughout the county that may ormay not come with a cost depending on a person’s insurance. Oneida county resources for testing are available online.
Madison County will be hosting free mobile test clinics on Thursday, Nov. 19 and Dec. 3 at 138 North Court St., Madison County Office Building, Wampsville, NY. Appointment slots are from 4 p. m. – 8 p. m. Call 315- 4642582 and select option 0 to set up an appointment. High wait times on the phone may be expected at this time.