In the time of coronavirus, with schools across the state closed, Fiero said, “Joan and I decided they would be the best way we could help.”

Albany County currently has 517 people under mandatory quarantine and 234 people under precautionary quarantine. People under both kinds of quarantine follow the same regimen.

ALBANY COUNTY — As New York, like the rest of the nation, is faced with a shortage of ventilators to help patients with severe cases of COVID-19 to continue to breathe, a Cohoes company has come up with a machine to fill the gap.

“A lot of other needs are arising,” said Elizabeth Whalen, Albany County’s health commissioner, on Monday as the National Guard prepared to deliver food to quarantined residents and the county executive announced that he asked the governor to waive state laws to enable IDAs to make direct loans to businesses.

He was a senior “with multiple underlying medical issues,” Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy said in a release; he died at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany.

“Are we going to put life on hold?” asks Guilderland Supervisor Peter Barber.

Stephen Giordano, director of Albany County’s department of mental health, made several suggestions for managing stress in the time of coronavirus. “Exercise heals us emotionally,” he said. “Sleep is critical for the immune system. So is eating.”

“Wake up. Stop being selfish,” Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy urged residents on Wednesday as cases of COVID-19 soar downstate and people continue to leave their homes here and gather.

“Depending on how things evolve and if it is needed, we can be available, if all the planets align,” said a spokesman for The Grand, referring to its 17 facilities across New York State that might house overflow patients from hospitals in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

“There are still people that feel we are overreacting,” said Steven Hanks, chief clinical officer of St. Peter’s Health Partners. “We are in support of the governor’s increase of at least 50 percent.”