“The way I like to think about it,” said Declan Duffy of missing the last half of his senior year at Albany Academy, “it’s taking the place of our final. It’s the hardest test we’ve had to go through in our lives but the easiest preparation. All we need to do is stay inside and keep each other safe.”
“It’s trial and error,” said McCoy on reopening. He had earlier mentioned the possibility of split shifts so workers could be spaced apart in their workplaces. “We’ve never been down this road,” he said on Saturday.
The recent spike in positive cases of COVID-19 is the result of widespread testing in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, said Albany County commissioner of Health Elizabeth Whalen. Her department is now testing some asymptomatic workers in hopes of identifying employees that may be infected but unaware.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand supports the creation of a Health Force, which she described as “an AmeriCorps for health care.” She explained, “We’d train a million workers over the next two months.” These workers would do testing and contact tracing and, once a vaccine is developed, administer the vaccine.
The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York is, according to its director, eager to help people who need a lawyer’s advice when facing the repercussions of the shutdown meant to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today that all schools and colleges in New York will remain closed for the rest of the academic year and will continue to provide distance learning.
“If you live with an essential worker, you have a job, too,” said Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen, naming: practicing good hand hygiene, wearing a mask in public, adhering to social distancing guidelines.
“I believe we came up with a local law to support solar energy while being mindful of vistas and scenic views,” said Guilderland Supervisor Peter Barber.
On Tuesday, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced 12 steps that must be taken by regions across the state as part of an evolving phased reopening plan. One of those steps is that each region has to set up a testing regimen, prioritizing people with symptoms and people who have come into contact with someone who has a confirmed case of COVID-19.
Urgent-care centers, said Jonathan Halpert, M.D., are “uniquely positioned” to help with COVID-9. New York State has about 800 urgent-care centers, with about 30 in Albany County, he said.
