ALBION – In collaboration with the Orleans County Public Health Department, Oak Orchard Health will be offering free Rapid Covid-19 tests at Oak Orchard’s Albion location, 301 West Ave.
This drive-through clinic will be conducted on Friday, December 18, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Asymptomatic testing is for people who don’t have symptoms but want tests completed for other purposes such as travel and work requirements.
No appointments are needed, however, you must have your form completed prior to testing. You can find the form by clicking here.
To help the process please note the following guidelines:
Everyone in the vehicle is to have their mask on when they pull up at the testing site.
For those who are getting tested, they may get a call quickly from an unknown number…please answer the phone. Staff cannot leave messages and can only give results to the individual tested or the guardian of minor children.
If the results are positive, you will be notified by the New York State Department of Health.
These free tests and swabbing kits are being provided by NYSDOH.
Free testing for asymptomatic people expected to continue through January
Press Release, Orleans County Health Department
KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County will be offering residents, who are asymptomatic (no symptoms, not feeling sick, etc.) free drive-through Covid-19 self-administered rapid testing at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds, 12690 Route 31. The entrance to the clinic is the west entrance on Taylor Hill Rd off Route 31.
The free testing will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16. As a reminder, for anyone who had a recent potential exposure to Covid-19, it is not recommended to be tested until at least 5 days have passed since the exposure.
To schedule a test, please register online by clicking here. Anyone needing additional help for online registration may contact the Orleans County Health Department at 585-589-3278.
“Our Genesee County clinics have had exceptional turnouts and will continue to be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays at least through January,” stated Paul Pettit, Director for the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. “We anticipate that the Orleans County clinics will continue on Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m. through January as well.”
To help the process please note the following guidelines:
Print out your completed forms (each person in your vehicle should have their own form) and bring them with you to the clinic.
Make sure you have a pen in your vehicle.
Everyone in the vehicle is to have their mask on when they pull up at the testing site
Those who are testing could get a call fairly quickly from an unknown number…please answer the phone. Staff cannot leave messages and can only give results to the individuals tested or the guardian of minor children.
“We are working with our county partners to put these clinics on as the Health Department staff continue to do case investigations to lessen the impact of the virus,” stated Lynne Johnson, Orleans County Legislative Chair. “This helps us identify those who are potentially infected and preventing them from spreading the virus to others. This will also help lower our positivity rate. We look forward to providing this service to our residents.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 December 2020 at 4:28 pm
2 counties combined pass 2,000 Covid cases since March
Orleans and Genesee counties are reporting 85 more confirmed cases of Covid-19 today in the two counties. Those cases push the total past 2,000 in the two counties since March.
In Orleans, there are 37 new positive cases reported today, with the total to 778 positive cases since March.
The new positive cases reside in all 10 towns of the county – Albion, Barre, Carlton, Clarendon, Gaines, Kendall, Murray, Ridgeway, Shelby and Yates. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s.
Of the new cases, 13 of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said in a news briefing.
The county is reporting that 6 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
There are currently 6 positive individuals hospitalized.
• Albion Central School notified the community today that a student in the elementary school and one in the high school have tested positive for Covid-19. Contact tracing and the quarantine of students and staff members was implemented according to Health Department guidelines, the district said.
• The Medina Central School reported that a staff member at Wise Intermediate/Middle School tested positive for Covid-19. The Department of Health has determined that there is no need for any further quarantines related to any school contact, the district said.
In Genesee County, there are 46 new positive cases for a total of 1,283 since March.
The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Bethany, Byron, Darien, Elba, LeRoy, Pavilion and Pembroke. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.
Of the new cases one is a resident at the Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia, two are residents at Premier Genesee Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation, and two are at the VA Medical Center. In addition, one of the previous community active cases has been identified as a resident of the Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia.
Genesee is reporting 58 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
Genesee has 21 residents hospitalized due to Covid, the highest during the pandemic.
The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments has a new format for announcing when there is a time when they can’t contact potential close contacts.
The above chart will replace several press releases and will be reported as needed. The Health Departments say people may have been exposed to Covid from noon to 1 p.m. on Dec. 2 at O’Lacy’s Irish Pub in Batavia.
For people at O’Lacy’s during this time, they should monitor for symptoms of Covid-19. If the symptoms develop, contact a primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until the test results are received.
Symptoms of Covid-19 include but are not limited to fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.
• 3-County Data: Click here to see an online map of confirmed cases in the three rural counties of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming. There are currently 445 active cases in three counties, up from 422 on Tuesday and down slightly from the 449 on Monday, which is the peak for active cases during the pandemic.
Orleans has a new record high of 122 active cases, up from 89 on Monday and 92 on Tuesday. Genesee is at 213 active cases, down from 269 on Monday and 231 on Tuesday. Wyoming has 110 active cases today, which ties its high of 110 on Dec. 4. Wyoming had 91 on Monday and 99 on Tuesday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 December 2020 at 12:00 pm
First priority: nursing home residents and staff, high-risk hospital workers
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today he expects the first shipments of a Covid-19 vaccine to be available in the state, possibly this weekend.
The state is due to receive 170,000 doses in the first Pfizer shipment. The governor said the first doses of the vaccine will go to nursing home residents and staff, and high-risk hospital workers.
The state will develop guidance on who should be considered high-risk hospital workers (emergency room, intensive care units) but Cuomo said each hospital will decide who gets the first round of the vaccine.
The governor said the first does of the vaccine will be distributed by the following amounts per region: 11,150 in Finger Lakes Region (which includes Orleans), 14,500 in Western New, 4,500 in Southern Tier, 6,400 in Central New York, 19,200 in Mid-Hudson, 3,700 in North Country, 4,200 in Mohawk Valley, 7,850 in Capital Region, 26,500 in Long Island and 72,000 in New York City.
Cuomo said the state will launch a public education campaign to encourage people to take the vaccine. He said 75-80 percent of the population needs to take it for it to be effective in shutting down Covid-19. He said he is concerned that 50 percent of the population don’t trust the new vaccine.
Cuomo has offered to be among the first to take it to show his confidence in the vaccine. He said vaccinating the population is needed to allow the state and country to move on from the Covid crisis, which has caused the deaths of nearly 300,000 Americans since March.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 9 December 2020 at 7:38 am
MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has announced that Medina Memorial Hospital has been provided with the antibody medications approved by the FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization through the Federal and State Covid-19 programs.
“These medications are for patients who are confirmed positive for Covid-19 and have high risk complications that put them at a high risk for hospitalization”, said Kathleen Brauen, Pharm D. Director of Pharmacy at Orleans Community Health.
The drugs are Bamlanivimab and Casirivimab/Imdevimab.
Both drugs can only be given to non-hospitalized patients with mild or moderate symptoms only. They are an infusion and must be administered at the hospital. The infusion and observation period required are around two hours, Brauen said.
Patients interested in these drugs should discuss them with their healthcare provider to determine if they are a good candidate.
Any medical provider interested in setting up these infusions at Orleans Community Health for their patients can call Melanie Lusk in Care Management at 798-8490.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 December 2020 at 9:04 pm
Events will be Wednesdays, starting Dec. 16, for 7 weeks or longer
KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County will offer free rapid testing for Covid-19 for the first time starting next Wednesday, Dec. 16, at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.
The testing is for people who are asymptomatic for Covid. Those with symptoms should consult with a medical provider on getting tested.
The events at the fairgrounds will be from 1 to 4 p.m. and are expected to last seven weeks. The times could be modified and there could be additional weeks depending on demand, Public Health Director Paul Pettit shared during a conference call with local elected officials today.
More details need to be worked out and the Health Department will be releasing more information soon about the rapid testing.
The public will need to register online, to help manage the traffic flow and stagger the arrivals. Pettit said more information and an online signup will be available soon.
People should enter the fairgrounds from Taylor Hill Road and go to the north side of the Trolley Building. After their test sample and results, they should exit from Wood Road.
Genesee County has offered rapid testing last Thursday and today at the Genesee County Emergency Management Office & Fire Training Facility on State Street Road in the Town of Batavia.
There were 400 people who were tested on Thursday and 470 today, with 32 positives today, said Pettit, who is public health director in Orleans and Genesee. The Genesee events are drawing people from six or seven counties, he said. Click here to sign up for the event at Genesee. An online registration hasn’t been set up yet for Orleans.
Lynne Johnson, Orleans County Legislature chairwoman, said she appreciates free testing will soon be an option in the county.
She urged local towns and villages to dedicate some of their personnel to help run the events, which she said will take about 20 to 25 people to manage.
Pettit said the county officials have been pressing the state for months for free testing options in Genesee and Orleans.
“I think we’re finally moving the needle on this,” he said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 December 2020 at 4:40 pm
Genesee and Orleans counties are reporting 44 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the two counties today. Genesee also is reporting two deaths from Covid, and Orleans also had a resident die from a Covid-related illness.
In Orleans County, there are 23 new positive cases, bringing the total to 741 positive cases since March.
The new positive cases reside in Albion, Barre, Clarendon, Gaines, Kendall, Murray, Ridgeway, Shelby and Yates. The individuals are in the age groups of 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.
Two of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said in an afternoon news briefing.
The resident who passed away from a Covid-related illness was community member over the age of 65 who wasn’t in a nursing home. Orleans has now had 59 people die due to Covid.
“We will not be releasing any further information to protect the individual and their family,” the Health Departments said. “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of this community member during this very difficult time.”
The county also reported 20 of the previous positive individuals recovered and have been removed from the isolation list. Six of the current positive individuals are hospitalized, which is down from nine the previous day.
• Albion Central School reported today that two elementary school staff members tested positive for Covid-19. Contact tracing and the quarantine of students and staff members was implemented according to Health Department guidelines, the district stated on its website.
• Lyndonville Central School was notified today that a staff member tested positive for Covid-19. The staff member was last on campus on Friday, Dec. 3. No students or staff need to be quarantined after confirmation from the Orleans County Health Department, the district stated on its website.
In Genesee County, there are 21 new positive cases for a total of 1,237 Covid cases since March.
The new positive cases reside in Batavia, Bergen, Bethany, Byron, Elba, LeRoy, Oakfield and Pembroke. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 70s.
The county is reporting 57 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list. Genesee has 17 people hospitalized due to Covid, which is down from 20 the previous day.
The two residents who died due to a Covid-related illness are both community members over the age of 65. They weren’t nursing home residents. Genesee has now had 10 people die this month due to Covid, and 17 during the pandemic.
The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments has a new format for announcing when there is a time when they can’t contact potential close contacts.
The above chart will replace several press releases and will be reported as needed.
“We encourage all businesses to take down names/contact information and time in attendance at their business to assist with contact tracing should someone be positive for Covid-19,” the Health Departments said. “This may eliminate the need for a press alert if we are able to contact potential close contacts.”
For people who were at these establishments at the state times and if symptoms of Covid-19 develop, contact your primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until you receive your test results.
Symptoms of COVID-19 include but are not limited to fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.
• 3-County Data: Click here to see an online map of confirmed cases in the three rural counties of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming. There are currently 422 active cases in the three counties, with 231 in Genesee, 92 in Orleans and 99 in Wyoming. That is down from the 449 in the three counties on Monday, which was the peak for active cases during the pandemic.
The three-county combined numbers were down even though the active cases are up in Orleans (from 89 to 92) and Wyoming (from 91 to 99). Geneses’s active cases dropped from 269 to 231 since Monday.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 8 December 2020 at 8:39 am
MEDINA – The Covid-19 pandemic has changed lives for everyone, especially for the nation’s hospitals.
Orleans Community Health and Medina Memorial Hospital are no exception.
Jessica Capurso, director of Outreach, Education and Marketing, has documented some of the steps Medina’s health care professionals have undertaken to insure staff, patients and visitors are safe.
First, all staff must complete Covid-19 screening and temperature checks every time they enter the hospital after being off the hospital campus.
All patients must complete Covid-19 screening and temperature checks upon arrival for appointments, and all patients are required to wear a mask covering their nose and mouth. All staff are also required to wear masks covering their nose and mouth. In addition, staff must wear surgical or N-95 masks, as well as goggles and/or face shields while interacting with patients and/or co-workers.
Extra office cleaning protocols have been put in place. After patient rooms are stripped and cleaned by Environmental Services, a Clorox Total 360 System machine is utilized to spray the entire room with disinfectant cleaner that kills 99.9% of bacteria. This machine helps to reach places that may have been missed by the human hand or places that are out of reach.
Not only are these practices more time-consuming, they also incur added expenses for the hospital.
Other changes resulting from the pandemic are the absence of the Twig volunteers, who manned the greeter desk in the lobby and the reception desk in registration area, saving the hospital money and saving hospital staff extra work.
At Medina Memorial Hospital, all services are by appointment only. No visitors are allowed in the lobby, so patients must enter by themselves, with the exception of minor children and those with a mental or physical disability which hospital staff is unable to support.
Emergency Room patients’ families have to leave a number which is given to the treatment team so the ER can provide updates.
Appointments can be made by calling 798-2000.
Middleport lab services at Dr. Stahl’s office are by appointment only unless there is/was a scheduled office visit there on the same day. Appointments can be made by calling 798-2000.
The Albion Walk-in Medical Clinic continues to offer walk-in services with no appointments. Services available can be viewed by clicking here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 December 2020 at 4:43 pm
Genesee also has 3 more deaths, for 8 so far in December
Orleans and Genesee counties are reporting 162 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 since Friday, with Genesee also reporting three more deaths, according to a news briefing from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.
Orleans County has 32 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 718 positive cases since March.
The new positive cases reside in all 10 towns in the county: Albion, Barre, Carlton, Clarendon, Gaines, Kendall, Murray, Yates, Ridgeway and Shelby.
The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s 70s and 80s. Four of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
The county also had 20 of the previous positive individuals recover and be removed from the isolation list.
Orleans has 9 residents hospitalized due to Covid, which is up from 8 on Friday and 6 on Thursday.
•2 Albion staff members test positive for Covid-19. The school district announced this afternoon it was notified today that the staff members tested positive over the weekend. One of the staff members works in the high school and the other works in district office.
Contact tracing and the quarantine of students and staff members was implemented according to health department guidelines, the district said.
• Lyndonville Central School was notified that a staff member tested positive for Covid-19. The staff member hasn’t been on campus since Friday, December 4, according to a letter on the school website.
The district has communicated with the Health Department. Lyndonville parents will be notified if their child is deemed a “close contact” and what directions to follow.
• Medina Central School said it has had three new positive cases reported to the district. A high school student who is 100 percent remote tested positive. No school-related quarantines are necessary, the district said.
A middle school student also tested positive who was on mandatory quarantine poor to onset of symptoms. The Health Department determined on further school-related quarantines are necessary.
A transportation employee also tested positive. The district and Health Department are working to identify contacts of the individual and will notify people who need to quarantine, according to a letter from the district.
In Genesee County, there 130 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 1,216 positive cases since March.
The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Bethany, Byron, Darien, Elba, LeRoy, Oakfield, Pavilion, Pembroke and Stafford.
The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.
Of the new cases, two are residents at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia, one is a resident at the NYS Veteran’s Home, and one is at the VA Medical Center.
Genesee also is reporting that 38 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
Genesee has 20 people hospitalized due to Covid, up from 15 on Friday.
Genesee also was notified that three residents have died of Covid. One is a resident at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia. Two of the deaths were community members. All three individuals were over the age of 65.
“To protect the individual and their family we will not be releasing any further information,” the Health Departments stated. “We express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of this community member during this very difficult time.”
The three deaths bring that total to eight in December in Genesee County and 15 during the pandemic.
• 3-County Data: Click here to see an online map of confirmed cases in the three rural counties of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming. There are currently 449 active cases in the three counties, with 269 in Genesee, 89 in Orleans and 91 in Wyoming. That is up from 370 in the three counties on Friday.
Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
BATAVIA – The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments have received a positive Covid-19 test result from an individual who was at Sport of Kings in Batavia on:
Monday, November 30th, from 2 to 8 p.m.
Tuesday, December 1st, from 2 to 8 p.m.
Contact tracing is in progress, However, unidentified individuals may have unknowingly been in contact with the positive cases.
We advise all individuals who were at Sport of Kings on the stated dates and times to monitor their symptoms for 14 days. If symptoms of Covid-19 develop, contact your primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until you receive your test results.
Symptoms of Covid-19 include but are not limited to fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.
