“We are hopeful we will not be as hard hit as some of the downstate counties but we don’t know that yet,” said Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen on Monday as community testing starts again.

Karen Ziegler, the director of the county’s Victim and Sexual Violence Center, tells people who may be suffering abuse as they are isolated in their households, “We want you to know we are available for you 24/7.” The center’s hotline phone number is 518-447-7716. 

McCoy said the outbreak in the county, now in its fourth week, is not expected to peak for another 18 days, naming April 23 as a potential apex for the outbreaks. “It’s going to get worse … We’re going to get to the top and then we’ll go down,” he said.

“By the end of the week, our numbers will probably double,” said Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy as community testing resumes on Monday.

Price Chopper has followed ever-changing CDC guidelines as it works with local, state, and federal officials, she said. 

Albany County has a free mental-health helpline — 518-269-6634  — open every day.

Homemade masks will be accepted by the county’s health department for agencies that don’t have enough of what they need.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today that the state will open a new COVID-19 mobile testing site for the Capital District in partnership with Albany Medical Center, St. Peter’s Health Partners, and the University at Albany. The drive-through site requires an appointment — call 888-364-3065 — and will open Monday at UAlbany.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has postponed the state-set date for voting on school budgets until June 1 or later. The Guilderland School Board is looking at cuts to maintain a substantial fund balance while staying within the levy limit.

The county’s health commissioner, Elizabeth Whalen, said her department could not have had the response it has had without the Medical Reserve Corps volunteers.