HUDSON—After consultation with the Columbia County Department of Health (DOH) and the Columbia County Attorney’s office, county officials have concluded that summer camps with children and counselors cannot properly maintain social distancing.
With that in mind, county Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell said in his April 25 Covid-19 update press release that the county will request authority from the state DOH to issue an executive order closing all summer camps. This order would be renewed every five days until it is determined safe to open the camps.
If permission is not granted for this order, Mr. Murell said the county DOH would issue a strong recommendation for summer camps to not operate during the Covid-19 crisis.
April 25, Columbia County Emergency Management Director David W. Harrison, Jr., said that “emergency management personnel, working with Sheriff’s deputies, Sheriff’s corrections officers, and Sheriff David Bartlett, divided and delivered more than 21,500 cloth masks received from New York State to each town and the City of Hudson over the past few days. As of Friday, April 24 all the masks have been delivered to the municipalities.”
The towns with villages within will coordinate with Village mayors for masks. Each municipality will determine how, when and where to distribute the masks while considering guidance provided by New York State.
“While many in the public are anxious to receive their mask, I’d ask county residents to please understand that NYS required the Emergency Management Office to develop and submit a plan, pick up the masks from Albany, divide and deliver them to the municipalities countywide with almost zero notice. Some municipalities are still working on how, when and where they will distribute the masks to the general public and may not have posted the information yet,” Director Harrison said in the release.
He asked that those with access to cloth masks from another source to refrain from taking any of these masks. “The number of cloth masks received represents only about a third of the county’s population, but it’s at least a start and we are happy to have them,” he added.
The Columbia County Department of Health reported as of April 25 at 3 p.m. that the county has had 13 community members die from Covid-19; 149 positive cases of Covid-19; 74 of the 149 cases have recovered from Covid-19; 13 of the positive cases are hospitalized, 3 of those hospitalized are in the ICU.
The county DOH has received 1,129 completed test results for Columbia County residents; 145 residents are under mandatory quarantine and 25 under precautionary quarantine
Anyone who wants to donate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as N95 masks, face shields, and gowns, is advised to contact the Emergency Management Office at 518-828-1212. If there is no answer, leave a message and someone will return the call.
Food donations should be directed to the county Office for the Aging 518-828-4258 and local pantries.
Monetary donations for the purchase of much-needed equipment for emergency responders, medical personnel and others on the front lines of the coronavirus fight can be sent via check in care of Columbia County, with coronavirus noted in the memo field. Mail the check to the Columbia County Controller’s Office, 401 State Street, Hudson 12534. All money received is being placed in a dedicated account.
A hotline has been established for the elderly and vulnerable in the county, including those with medical conditions or who are disabled and would welcome a deputy checking on their well-being on a daily basis. The number for the hotline is 518-828-0601 X 1400.
For the most up-to-date, accurate information visit the County Department of Health’s website at https://www.columbiacountynyhealth.com/home/coronavirus-covid-19 or their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Columbia-County-Department-of-Health-469399129790791/. The state’s coronavirus website, with up-to-the-minute information, can be found at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home.
