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.

ALBANY COUNTY — In the midst of the pandemic, Albany County is particularly concerned about its “vulnerable populations,” said Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen and last weekend did an extensive investigation of “cases and contacts.”

“We have people downstate who need food. We have farmers upstate who can’t sell their product. We have to put those two things together,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced results of the second phase of statewide antibody testing, which showed 14.9 percent of New Yorkers have antibodies to COVID-19. Results from the first round of these finger-prick blood tests showed that 13.9 percent of New Yorkers had had the disease. The rates are far higher downstate than upstate.

The state will adjust its phased reopening plan, Governor Andrew Cuomo said, as it continues to monitor the hospitalization rate, the infection rate, and the number of positive antibody tests, as well as the overall public health impact.

The food that the National Guard is distributing to quarantined county residents, like the food being distributed to pantries, is “not just canned food,” says Mark Quandt, executive director of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. Rather, it includes produce, meat, milk and other dairy products “so people can eat normally and not take a big step back and hurt their health at the same time,” he says.

Albany County now has 915 confirmed cases of COVID-19, up 51 from Saturday. The county executive attributed the continuing increase to aggressive testing. 

“Forty to 50 percent of businesses, retail businesses may not reopen … That’s a sad and hard truth but also out of this, you’re going to have innovation, you’re going to have people who are doing things that they never thought they could do,” said local business owner Tom Nardacci.

“We can’t test you if you have no signs … We just can’t afford to do it right now,” says Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy of diagnostic tests for COVID-19.

“Our members are scared about … what’s going to happen with their business and also how will they open up,” said Maureen McGuinness, president of the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce. “Can their business survive in a post-pandemic world?”