State Will Conduct Antibody Testing for First Responders and Transit Workers Starting Next Week
Confirms 10,553 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State – Bringing Statewide Total to 282,143; New Cases in 57 Counties
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the state is expanding diagnostic testing criteria to include more frontline New York workers – a direct result of rapidly increasing diagnostic testing capacity. The expanded criteria will now allow all first responders, health care workers and essential employees to be tested for COVID-19 even if they aren’t symptomatic. The state will continue to expand testing criteria as testing capacity increases.
Governor Cuomo also announced he will issue an Executive Order allowing pharmacists to conduct diagnostic testing for COVID-19. This action will unlock a network of over 5,000 pharmacies as COVID-19 testing locations and help the state build a collection network to meet laboratory capacity and increase overall testing capacity.
The Governor also announced the state is continuing to conduct antibody testing for frontline health care workers, including at four hospitals and health care systems in New York City today. The antibody testing will be conducted at Bellevue Hospital, Elmhurst Hospital Center, Montefiore Medical Center and SUNY Downstate Medical Center which is currently being used only for COVID-19 patients. Additionally, the state will begin conducting antibody testing for first responders and transit workers starting next week, including MTA employees and transit workers, New York State Police and the New York City Police Department.
“We know that testing is a key component of re-opening the economy and getting to a new normal, and New York State is already doing more tests per capita than any state or country,” Governor Cuomo said. “We’ve been working with the federal government to increase the capacity of labs that process these diagnostic tests, and now we need more collection sites so we continue to ramp up our testing across the state. I am issuing an Executive Order allowing our state’s 5,000 pharmacies to conduct diagnostic testing for COVID-19, which will greatly increase our testing capacity and allow us to expand eligibility for these tests to the frontline workers and essential employees who have been going to work and interacting with the public throughout this crisis.”
Finally, the Governor confirmed 10,553 additional cases of a novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 282,143 confirmed cases in New York State.
Posted: April 25th, 2020 under Heathcare News, State Government News.
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By John T. Ryan
Plattsburgh – Reacting to the rapid spread of the coronavirus, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an Executive Order closing New York State schools through May 15th. They could potentially reopen on May 18th. At the April 24th Clinton County Health Department COVID-19 briefing Dr. Wooter Reitsema, CVPH Vice-President of Population and Information Services and an infectious disease specialist offered his personal opinion on whether or not schools should reopen. He emphasized he was not speaking for CVPH.
He stated, “Opening schools would be folly. It would be crazy, not just to the safety of the children and staff, but to the safety of everybody at home who the children come home to. Some of those people work in essential services and hospitals. We will eventually have to reopen schools while COVID-19 is still circulating. We will also by that time have a lot more data, a lot more science, a lot more rapid testing capacity where we can do real-time rapid testing We will be better prepared. We are not yet prepared. As good of a job as the Health Department is doing with contact tracing, as good of a job as CVPH is starting to do with testing we are not prepared for that as a community. We will see a surge in this community if we reopen schools. That’s my personal opinion I do not say that on behalf of CVPH, but I think many at CVPH would share that opinion.”
Immediately prior to Dr. Reitsema’s remarks Dr. Mark Davey, Champlain Valley District Superintendent of Schools, said Governor Cuomo’s instructions are being followed at this time, but local superintendents are having continuous conversations on the reopening issue always keeping the safety of students, staff and the community in mind.
Posted: April 25th, 2020 under County Government News, Education News, Heathcare News, Northern NY News.
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Clinton County Health Department COVID-19 case update for April 25, 2020
Lab-confirmed positive – 60, Recovered 44, Deaths 3
Probable* – 3, Suspect 2, Deaths 1
Suspect** – 42, Recovered 38, Deaths 0
Active Cases – 17
Tested – 573
*Probable = Individuals tested for COVID-19 with inconclusive test results.
**Suspect = Individuals suspected of having COVID-19 based on clinical assessment (by a medical provider)
Posted: April 25th, 2020 under County Government News, Heathcare News.
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Despite near-Depression level job losses, a new poll shows those who have lost their jobs are widely optimistic that they will come back after the pandemic is over. The AP/NORC Center for Public Affairs Research Center poll showed nearly 1 in 4 households responded that an adult in their home had lost income due to coronavirus. But 78% of respondents said those jobs would definitely or probably return when things return to normal. The poll also showed optimism from respondents on the future of the economy, with 45% of respondents saying they believe the economy will improve over the next year.
Here’s what else you need to know about COVID-19 in the U.S.:
• There have been more than 872,000 coronavirus cases in the United States, and more than 50,000 people have now died.
• Georgia state officials are moving ahead with plans to allow some nonessential businesses to reopen, even as coronavirus deaths increase statewide. Other states have started making plans for some businesses to reopen, too.
• Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, says the country is in a “very critical time right now” as it pulls back from coronavirus mitigation.
Posted: April 24th, 2020 under Business News, Heathcare News.
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| Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that NYS will provide child care scholarships to essential workers. |
| Essential workers include first responders such as health care providers, pharmaceutical staff, law enforcement, firefighters, food delivery workers, grocery store employees and others who are needed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
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| Child care costs will be covered with $30 million in federal CARES Act funding for essential staff whose income is less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level – or $78,600 for a family of four – and will be paid at market rate for each region statewide.
Essential workers can use the funding to pay for their existing care arrangement. .
The Governor also announced the CARES funding will also be used to purchase supplies for child care providers statewide who remain open, including masks, gloves, diapers, baby wipes, baby formula and food.
Child care resource and referral agencies will receive grants totaling approximately $600 per provider.
Essential workers who need child care and child care providers who need supplies should contact their local branch of the Child Care Coordinating Council of the North Country:
- Plattsburgh: Family Connections Resource Center available at (518) 561-4999 or toll-free at 1-800-540-2273;
- Malone: Familes R Us available at (518) 481-7281.
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Posted: April 24th, 2020 under Heathcare News, State Government News.
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| NYS Department of Health is partnering with Attorney General Letitia James to investigate nursing homes who violate Executive Orders requiring these facilities to communicate COVID-19 test results and deaths to residents’ families.
Governor Andrew Cuomo previously issued Executive Orders and the Health Department and CDChave issued guidances requiring nursing homes to: |
- provide personal protective equipment and temperature checks for staff; isolate COVID residents in quarantine;
- separate staff and transfer COVID residents within a facility to another long-term care facility or to another non-certified location;
- notify all residents and their family members within 24 hours if any resident tests positive for COVID or if any resident suffers a COVID related death;
- readmit COVID positive residents only if they have the ability to provide adequate level of care under DOH and CDC guidelines.
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Additionally, Governor Cuomo and Attorney General James announced NYS will increase staffing through the NYS professional staffing portal and expand training and technical assistance for nursing homes to use the professional staffing portal.
NYS will also continue to provide PPE to these facilities on an emergency basis, and families of nursing home residents who are concerned about the care they are getting can file complaints by calling (833) 249-8499 or by visiting www.ag.ny.gov/nursinghomes. |
Posted: April 24th, 2020 under Heathcare News, Law Enforcement News, State Government News.
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Michelle LeBeau, president of CVPH and Alice Hyde, said her hospitals have received about $6.8 million and $1.2 million in federal aid, respectively.
Current projections show that by the end of September — the end of the fiscal year for University of Vermont Health Network facilities — CVPH will have a deficit of $27 to $28 million, while Alice Hyde’s will sit at around $11 million, she added.
Source: Hospital presidents discuss COVID-19 impact | Coronavirus | pressrepublican.com
Posted: April 24th, 2020 under Heathcare News, Northern NY News.
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From the office of Congresswoman Elise Stefanik
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik voted this evening to replenish the Paycheck Protection Program, provide additional funding for hospitals, fund EIDL small business disaster loans and grants, and fund expanded COVID-19 testing. Additionally, following Congresswoman Stefanik’s advocacy, this legislation gives agriculture businesses eligibility for EIDL assistance. This is phase four of Congress’ response to the COVID-19 crisis.
“The Paycheck Protection Program provided critical relief to many small businesses in the North Country, but many more are still in need of loans,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “Today, the House once again came together to provide much-needed relief for the American people – small businesses, hardworking families, farmers, hospitals, and healthcare workers. This legislative package replenishes the PPP, provides additional funding for hospitals and further testing for COVID-19 and makes agriculture businesses eligible for EIDL assistance – a provision I called for weeks ago that is critical to the North Country. As always, I encourage constituents with questions and concerns to reach out to my office. Together, we will combat and ultimately beat COVID-19.”
The Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act:
Provides an additional $310 billion in PPP loans
Provides an additional $10 billion for Emergency Economic Injury Disaster (EIDL) grants
Appropriates an additional $50 billion for the Disaster Loans Program Account
Allows agricultural enterprises with less than 500 employees to receive EIDL grants and loans
Provides an additional $75 billion for reimbursement to hospitals and healthcare providers to support the need for COVID-19 related expenses and lost revenue
Provides $25 billion for necessary expenses to research, develop, validate, manufacture, purchase, administer, and expand capacity for COVID-19 tests
Posted: April 23rd, 2020 under Congressional News, Heathcare News, Peru/Regional History, Political News.
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The House of Representatives was poised to pass a nearly $500 billion package for small businesses and medical institutions. “Millions of people out of work,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. “This is really a very, very, very sad day. We come to the floor with nearly 50,000 deaths, a huge number of people impacted, and the uncertainty of it all.” The Senate passed the bill earlier this week. Meanwhile, 1 in 6 Americans are now out of work because of the coronavirus. Another 4.4 million people filed for unemployment this week.
Here’s what else you need to know about COVID-19 in the U.S.:
• There have been more than 847,000 coronavirus cases in the U.S. and more than 47,000 deaths.
• More states and local governments have announced their plans for reopening, with some areas working to reopen businesses as early as this week.
• More evidence is emerging that more New Yorkers had coronavirus than the number of positive tests. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said a study of antibodies for the virus is preliminary but shows much higher exposure than previously believed.
• Some states are rethinking the timeline of coronavirus in their areas after discovering that the highly infectious disease started killing people earlier than previously reported.
Posted: April 23rd, 2020 under Heathcare News.
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