The food distributions that started in April near the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic will continue with the next one Jan. 15 in Albion at the Main Street Store parking lot, 131 South Main St.

Whether more food distributions will be scheduled depends on having volunteers to help run the events, said Melissa Blanar, director of the Orleans County Office for the Aging.

Foodlink is willing to do the distributions into February as long as there are volunteers to organize the events, and hand off the 20-pound boxes of food into trunks of cars or the backs of trucks.

The Albion event on Jan. 15 will begin at approximately 8:30 a.m. and will last until the food is gone. About 300 boxes of food are expected to be given away.

Volunteers are needed for the events from about 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Masks and sanitizer will be provided. For more information about volunteering, contact Blanar at (585) 589-3191.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is funding the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program nation-wide.

Kast ran a tractor until he was 97 and still keeps an eye and the daily comings and goings at the farm

Photos courtesy of Kathy Kast

ALBION – State Assemblyman Steve Hawley stopped by Stanley Kast’s home on Densmore and West Transit roads today and presented him with a special citation from the State Assembly for Kast’s 103^rd birthday.

Kast was born in the house and has worked the farm in Gaines his entire life. He was out in the orchards operating a tractor until he was 97. He still keeps track of the daily comings and goings on the farm, including the corn truck traffic, what varieties are being planted in the orchards, and what fruit trees are being trimmed, sprayed or picked.

About 20 cars stopped by and family and friends waved to Kast from his window. The people came from the Albion area, with some from Buffalo, Rochester and Williamson.

Stanley Kast watches the parade of people – wishing him a happy birthday today.

He was married to Evelyn Denagel Kast and raised two sons, David and Paul. Kast has three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Stanley Kast is greeted outside his window on his birthday.

There was some friendly teasing from his family on his birthday.

5 deaths also reported in Genesee County

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported 115 new confirmed Covid-19 cases today in the two counties. That brings the total in the two counties to 3,534 since March.

In Orleans County, there are 63 new positive cases of Covid for a total of 1,302 cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.

Of the new cases, 11 were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

The county ran a rapid testing clinic on Monday for people who are asymptomatic. There were 532 people tested, and 54 were positive for Covid or 10.2 percent. Of the 54 who were positive, 49 are Orleans County residents.

Orleans also is reporting 39 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

The county has 19 residents hospitalized with Covid.

Genesee County is reporting five deaths from Covid, bringing the total to 26 during the pandemic and 19 this month. The five deaths include a resident at Genesee Senior Living, a resident at Premier Genesee Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation and three community residents. Two of the community residents were over 65 and one under 65.

Also in Genesee, there are 52 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 2,232 positive cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke), Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

Among the new confirmed cases include 17 residents of nursing homes, including 7 at the New York State Veterans Home in Batavia, 6 at LeRoy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility, 3 at Premier Genesee Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation and 1 resident of Genesee Senior Living.

Genesee is reporting 118 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee currently has 34 residents hospitalized with Covid.

• Health Alert – People should monitor themselves for symptoms of Covid-19 if they were at Pub Coffee Hub in Batavia from approximately 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Dec. 17-19, and Dec. 21-24, and also at Denny’s in Pembroke from approximately noon to 1 p.m. on Dec. 21.

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.

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New Yorkers can begin using sick leave benefits under the state’s nation-leading paid sick leave law starting January 1, 2021.

This legislation, which was advanced in the Governor’s 2020 State of the State address and enacted as part of the FY 2021 Budget, secures paid sick leave for workers at medium and large businesses and paid or unpaid leave for those at small businesses, depending on the employer’s net income.

Under this groundbreaking law, New Yorkers can use guaranteed sick leave to recover from an illness themselves, care for a sick family member, or address safety needs if they or a family member are the victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking. More information is available on the state’s Paid Sick Leave website (click here).

“Even before the coronavirus pandemic, we knew that no one should have to make the unimaginable choice between keeping their job or caring for themselves or a loved one,” Cuomo said. “This public health crisis has put that need in even greater relief. Now, as we continue to beat back Covid and build a stronger New York, we are expanding this fundamental right to all New Yorkers.”

New Yorkers earn sick leave based on the hours they work, earning one hour of leave for every 30 hours they work, retroactive to September 30, 2020. New York’s new guaranteed sick leave law requires businesses to provide different levels of sick leave depending on their size:

• Businesses with 100 or more employees must provide up to seven days (56 hours) of paid sick leave per year;
• Businesses with five to 99 employees must provide up to five days (40 hours) of paid sick leave per year;
• Businesses with fewer than five employees, but a net income of more than $1 million must provide up to five days (40 hours) of paid sick leave per year; and;
• Smaller businesses with fewer than five employees and a net income of less than $1 million must provide up to five days (40 hours) of unpaid sick leave. However, those already providing paid sick leave can continue to do so.

Prior to the law’s passage, approximately 1.3 million New Yorkers did not have access to paid sick leave – forcing them to either take unpaid leave and risk losing their jobs or show up to work while sick, potentially spreading communicable diseases to coworkers and the general public. Nearly one-in-four workers had reported being fired or being threatened with termination for taking sick time.

“The lack of a paid sick leave policy was hurting our most vulnerable New Yorkers, and that is simply unacceptable,” said New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon. “Governor Cuomo has been a champion for workers – and under his leadership, New York has been a progressive leader on issues important to working families. With this new law, we will remain at the forefront of the effort to restore economic parity and secure social justice for all. New Yorkers will no longer have to choose between staying home and getting healthy, or going to work to pay their bills.”

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that unemployed New Yorkers will begin receiving extended and expanded federal unemployment benefits next week — the first week these benefits can be paid under federal law.

New York is able to provide these benefits immediately due to proactive work by the State Department of Labor to prepare for the federal government finally enacting a bill to extend unemployment programs originally included in the CARES Act that were set to expire at the end of 2020.

The programs extended include Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, which provides benefits for those not covered by traditional state unemployment insurance; Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, which provides additional weeks of benefits after an individual exhausts the 26 weeks of state unemployment insurance; and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, which provides all New Yorkers receiving unemployment benefits an additional $300 weekly payment.

“This pandemic has created an unprecedented economic crisis, and New Yorkers have waited in uncertainty for far too long,” Cuomo said. “I have repeatedly called on the federal government to do the right thing by renewing critical benefits to support millions of unemployed families through to the end of this pandemic – and now that Washington has finally acted, New York is immediately delivering those funds.”

The federal government has extended federal unemployment benefits for an additional 11 weeks through March 14, 2021. New Yorkers currently receiving benefits do not need to call the Department of Labor to receive these extended benefits — they should continue to certify for unemployment benefits in their usual manner and will automatically receive extended benefits.

Those whose unemployment benefit year has ended should reapply online. Details of how New York will implement these extensions follows:

• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance – New Yorkers can now receive up to 57 weeks of PUA benefits, with the program extended from the week ending Jan. 3 through March 14, 2021. New Yorkers currently receiving PUA should continue to certify as usual and will continue to receive their benefits. According to the Federal government, additional eligibility documentation will be required beginning Jan. 31, 2021. The Department of Labor will directly contact claimants who need to provide additional documentation.
• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation – New Yorkers can now receive up to 24 weeks of PEUC (up from the 13 weeks originally authorized in the spring) with the program extended through March 14, 2021. New Yorkers who have exhausted the 26 weeks of state unemployment insurance should continue to certify as normal and will automatically receive up to 24 weeks of PEUC. Individuals who previously exhausted the original 13 weeks of PEUC and transitioned to the Extended Benefits program will begin receiving extended PEUC benefits after they exhaust their EB benefits. The Department of Labor will automatically handle these program transfers.
• Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation – New Yorkers’ FPUC benefits will resume the week ending January 3, 2021 and will last for 11 weeks. During that time, all New Yorkers who are receiving unemployment benefits — including traditional state UI, Shared Work Benefits, PEUC, EB, or PUA — will receive an additional $300 payment per week. Per federal guidelines, FPUC benefits will not be backdated, and can only be provided starting the week ending January 3, 2021.

“The extension of these federal unemployment benefits is a lifeline for many New Yorkers, and we will continue to do everything we can to bring relief to those who remain unemployed due to this unprecedented pandemic,” said NYS Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon. “We have paid out more than $59 billion in benefits to over 3.9 million unemployed New Yorkers during this crisis — nearly 28 typical years’ worth of benefits paid in ten months — and we will continue to move heaven and earth to serve our neighbors.”

New Yorkers may be eligible for an additional $100 per week through the Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation program. MEUC benefits are provided for individuals who earned at least $5,000 a year in self-employment income but are disqualified from receiving more substantial PUA benefits because they may be eligible for traditional state UI. New York has signed an agreement with the US DOL to offer MEUC benefits and is currently awaiting additional guidance from the Federal government on implementing the program. The Department of Labor will provide more details as they become available.

Photo by Tom Rivers: This photo from Oct. 28 shows Bent’s Opera House facing West Center Street. Bent’s will pay the costs to cut into the sidewalk near the intersection to create two pull-off spaces.

MEDINA – Bent’s Opera House has the Village Board’s permission to cut into a sidewalk to create two pull-off spaces in front of the building on West Center Street.

Those short-term spots are needed for limousines and other vehicles to do quick drop-offs and pickups at the site, which could open in the spring.

The building is being transformed into a restaurant, 10-room hotel and events center. Roger Hungerford is leading the redevelopment of the 30,000-square-foot building at the corner of Main Street and West Center Street.

The pull-off spots will allow people to safely exit and enter vehicles by the building, Village Board members were told recently by Charlie Spencer, project manager of the restoration of Bent’s Hall for LeChase Construction.

“We’re trying to prevent traffic tie-ups,” Spencer told the board recently.

The board approved the pull-offs on the south side of Bent’s. The board said the village would review the pull-offs in about two years “to make sure it’s not a hindrance to the village,” said Village Trustee Tim Elliott.

The project will be paid for by Bent’s, which also needs to put up signage directing people to the pull-offs, which won’t allow for parking, just for quickly dropping off or picking up passengers for a vehicle.

MEDINA – A village resident has proposed setting up bluebird houses at Boxwood Cemetery and State Street Park to encourage the presence of bluebirds, the official state bird.

Daniel Rosentreter presented the idea to the Village Board earlier this month. Rosentreter would like to have 50-55 bluebird houses up by spring.

There would be two bluebird houses mounted on each galvanized post. The posts would be spaced apart about 1,000 feet, Rosentreter told the Village Board.

Rosentreter and volunteers would maintain the bluebird houses, he told the board.

The Village Board would like to get a map of where the posts and bluebird houses will be located.

“In theory I think it’s a good idea,” Village Trustee Todd Bensley said. “It’s just a matter of the getting the details worked out.”

Rosentreter said the bluebird houses should be located on the borders of park and the edge of the cemetery.

“We always look forward to people stepping up in the village doing projects, and this will be one,” said Mayor Mike Sidari. “It should bring people into the village looking at bluebirds.”

Positivity rate much higher with last 50,000 tests, compared to first 50,000

Orleans and Genesee counties have passed 100,000 Covid-19 tests in the two counties during the pandemic.

The updated daily report from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments on Monday showed the two counties were at 101,307 Covid tests, with 3,419 of those coming back positive, for a positivity rate of 3.37 percent. (On Thursday, the last update before Monday, the two counties were at 98,908 tests.)

It took five months at the beginning of the pandemic to reach the first 50,000 tests in the two counties and about 2 ½ months to get the second 50,000 tests. That shows the testing availability has increased locally, especially with rapid testing clinics twice a week in Genesee and now weekly in Orleans.

The two counties passed 50,000 tests on Oct. 9. At that point there were 50,312 tests with 661 positives for a positivity rate of 1.31 percent.

In the next 50,995 tests, there were 2,758 positives for a positivity rate of 5.41 percent.

The two counties have a similar positivity rate since March.

• Genesee County: 66,684 Covid tests with 2,180 positives for a positivity rate of 3.27 percent.
• Orleans County: 34,623 Covid tests with 1,239 positives for a positivity rate of 3.58 percent.

The two counties have just under 100,000 people with 40,352 in Orleans County, and 57,280 in Genesee, according to the 2019 Census estimates. Some of those residents have been tested numerous times if they work in nursing homes, healthcare, hair salons and other businesses where the state requires frequent testing.

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed the Covid-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020. The Act (S.9114/A.11181) prevents residential evictions, foreclosure proceedings, credit discrimination and negative credit reporting related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The more support we provide for tenants, mortgagors and seniors, the easier it will be for them to get back on their feet when the pandemic ends,” Cuomo said. “I want to thank the legislature for passing this important protection for New Yorkers all across the state who need a hand.”

It also extends the Senior Citizens’ Homeowner Exemption and Disabled Homeowner Exemption from 2020 to 2021. The Act adds to New York State’s efforts to protect tenants and homeowners from the economic hardship incurred as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“When the Covid-19 pandemic began, we asked New Yorkers to protect each other by staying at home. As we fight our way through the marathon this pandemic has become, we need to make sure New Yorkers still have homes to provide that protection,” Cuomo said. “This law adds to previous executive orders by protecting the needy and vulnerable who, through no fault of their own, face eviction during an incredibly difficult period for New York.”

The legislation helps tenants facing eviction and mortgagors facing foreclosure proceedings due the pandemic in five areas:

• Residential Evictions

The Act places a moratorium on residential evictions until May 1, 2021 for tenants who have endured COVID-related hardship. Tenants must submit a hardship declaration, or a document explaining the source of the hardship, to prevent evictions. Landlords can evict tenants that are creating safety or health hazards for other tenants, and those tenants who do not submit hardship declarations.

• Residential Foreclosure Proceedings

The Act also places a moratorium on residential foreclosure proceedings until May 1, 2021. Homeowners and small landlords who own 10 or fewer residential dwellings can file hardship declarations with their mortgage lender, other foreclosing party or a court that would prevent a foreclosure.

• Tax Lien Sales

The Act prevents local governments from engaging in a tax lien sale or a tax foreclosure until at least May 1, 2021. Payments due to the locality are still due.

• Credit Discrimination and Negative Credit Reporting

Lending institutions are prohibited from discriminating against a property owner seeking credit because the property owner has been granted a stay of mortgage foreclosure proceedings, tax foreclosure proceedings or tax lien sales. They are also prohibited from discriminating because the owner is in arrears and has filed a hardship declaration with the lender.

• Senior Citizens’ Homeowner Exemption and Disabled Homeowner Exemption

Local governments are required to carry over SCHE and DHC exemptions from the 2020 assessment roll to the 2021 assessment roll at the same levels. They are also required to provide renewal applications for anyone who may be eligible for a larger exemption in 2021. Localities can also set procedures by which assessors can require renewal applications from people who the assessors believe may no longer be eligible for an exemption in 2021. Recipients of the exemption do not have to file renewal applications in person.

On September 28, Governor Cuomo announced the State’s Tenant Safe Harbor Act would be extended and expanded until January 1, 2021 to protect additional residential tenants from eviction if they are suffering financial hardship during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The Executive Order extends the protections of the Tenant Safe Harbor Act to eviction warrants that existed prior to the start of the pandemic, and those who are facing other than nonpayment evictions but suffering the same hardship.

Governor Cuomo first announced a State moratorium on residential and commercial evictions on March 20 to ensure no tenant was evicted during the height of the public health emergency. The Governor signed the Tenant Safe Harbor Act on June 30 which became effective immediately as well as additional legislation providing financial assistance to residential renters and landlords. Additionally, previous Executive Orders have prohibited charges or fees for late rent payments, and tenants facing financial hardship can still use their security deposit as payment and repay their security deposit over time.

Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley

During today’s legislative session, the Assembly Minority presented amendments intended to curtail the governor’s expanded authorities and provide greater balance and accountability in the “Covid-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act” (A.11181). The Assembly Majority rejected each proposal.

Earlier this month, members of the Assembly Minority wrote to conference leaders, including Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, urging lawmakers to rein in Gov. Cuomo’s unilateral powers as soon as the Legislature reconvenes. Despite 10 months of expanded authority and laws created by executive order rather than the legislative process, the Assembly Majority declined to take action.

“Our constituents deserve to have their voices heard in our government, and I am saddened the Majority has decided to deprive New Yorkers of their representation in state government by allowing the Governor’s unnecessary executive authority to persist,” Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) said. “This authority has long outlived its usefulness, and at this point a return to normal, constitutional governance is overdue.”

In addition, the Assembly Minority offered amendments to add protections for small businesses and small landlords also suffering losses as a result of the Covid-19 economic collapse. The “Covid-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act” creates a hardship declaration that effectively ends residential eviction and foreclosure proceedings until May 1, 2021. Members of the Assembly Minority proposed the same protections provided to residential tenants be offered to small landlords and businesses as a way to alleviate financial pressures and allow thousands of job creators and individuals to begin their recovery.

The three amendments proposed today intended to:

• Restore legislative checks and balances for emergency declarations exceeding 45 days and ensure judicial due process rights for any actions that affect fundamental constitutional rights (A.10546, Goodell).
• Provide the same protections extended to residential tenants in A.11181 to small businesses also facing mortgage and tax foreclosures. Also extend foreclosure protections to small landlords who are not covered by the bill in chief.
• Require hardship declarations to include a statement, under penalty of perjury, that tenants have used their best efforts to obtain all available government assistance for rent or housing, and to make timely partial payments that are as close to full payments as their circumstances permit.

Advisory from Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments have updated guidance for those on mandatory and precautionary quarantine as long as they don’t have symptoms.

This is for community members, travelers and healthcare personnel, with exceptions:

• Consistent with recent CDC guidance, quarantine for individuals exposed to Covid-19 can end after 10 days without a testing requirement if no symptoms have been reported during the quarantine period.
• Individuals must continue daily symptom monitoring through Day 14.
• Individuals must be counseled to continue strict adherence to all recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions, including hand hygiene and the use of face-coverings, through Day 14.
• Individuals must be advised that if any symptoms develop, they should immediately self-isolate and contact the local public health authority or their healthcare provider to report this change in clinical status and determine if they should seek testing.

For those who work as healthcare professionals at Nursing Homes, Adult Care Facilities, certified as Enhanced Assisted Living Residences (EALR) or licensed as Assisted Living Programs (ALP):

• Individuals can be released from quarantine after 10 days of being symptom free, however they are still furloughed (not able to report for work) for the full 14 days.
• Individuals will have to continue to self-monitor the entire 14 days. Individuals must be counseled to continue strict adherence to all recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions, including hand hygiene and the use of face-covering, through Day 14.
• Individuals must be advised that if any symptoms develop, they should immediately self-isolate and contact the local public health authority or their healthcare provider to report this change in clinical status and determine if they should seek testing.

These quarantine requirements are also applicable to travelers who are not essential workers and/or who did not complete the testing requirements described in Executive Order 205.2.

If you believe you are a contact or have been notified you are a contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19, it may take a few days for contact tracers to initially contact you due to the volume of contacts.

Please self-quarantine, even if you are feeling fine. Stay away from other household members, use separate bathroom facilities (or sanitize after each use), have meals delivered. If you start to feel ill, contact your primary care provider and let them know you were exposed to or tested positive for Covid-19.

Both counties see big increases in people hospitalized with Covid

In the first update in local Covid-19 cases since Thursday, Genesee and Orleans are reporting a combined increase of 181 new confirmed cases.

Both counties are reporting big increases in people hospitalized with Covid. Orleans has 18 residents hospitalized with Covid, which is up from 8 on Thursday and 6 a week ago.

Genesee County has 38 residents hospitalized with Covid, an all-time high during the pandemic. That is up from 29 on Thursday and 14 a week ago, according to data from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.

In Orleans County, there are 80 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 1,239 cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

Of the new cases, 14 were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

Of the new cases, 19 are inmates of the Orleans Correctional Facility. There are 49 inmates who have now tested positive for Covid at the men’s prison in Albion.

The county also is reporting 78 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

• Albion Central School reported that a middle school student and high school staff member tested positive for Covid-19.

The student’s last day in school was Friday, Dec. 11. Due to the 48-hour lookback period, the Department of Health determined there was no need for contact tracing or the quarantine of students and staff members.

The staff member was last in school on Friday, Dec. 18. Contact tracing and the quarantine of students and staff members was implemented according to health department guidelines, the district stated on its website.

In Genesee County there 101 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 for a total of 2,180 positive cases.

The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke), Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

Of the new cases, 3 are residents at LeRoy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility, 3 are residents of Premier Genesee Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation in Batavia, 2 are residents of Genesee Senior Living in Batavia, 2 are residents at the New York State Veterans Home in Batavia, and 1 is a resident at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia.

The county is reporting that 148 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.

• Correction from the Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments: 6 recoveries have been retracted from today’s number as 4 previously reported are residents of the NYS Veterans Home at Batavia and 2 are residents of Leroy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility. Persons reported recovered are community members only and don’t live in nursing homes which are regulated by the Department of Health.

• Data will be vetted: Today’s report includes data since Thursday, Dec. 24^th, after 2:00 p.m. Due to the increased numbers from the holiday weekend, the G-O Health Departments anticipate to have the data updated over the next couple of days in order for staff to make sure the date is properly vetted.

• What does recovered mean? What “recovered” means in relation to Covid-19: Generally when someone is recovered that means they are feeling better. With Covid-19 the G-O Health Departments are using the term recovered to show the individual is no longer able to spread the virus. This means they have been on isolation for at least 10 days, have not had a fever over 100 for 72 hours without fever-reducing medication, and their respiratory symptoms are getting better.

There have been cases where people have started doing better for a short period of time and then they are hit with symptoms again or a new set. Some have had continued respiratory issues, developed pneumonia, sepsis, other infections, deep venous thrombosis (DVT), extreme fatigue, etc.

Because of the time in bed, there is a higher risk of blood clots which can cause strokes, heart attacks and pulmonary embolisms as well as other symptoms.

• Percent Positive 7-day average of Covid-19 tests as of Dec. 27: Genesee: 11.7% and Orleans: 8.2%.

ALBION – Orleans County health officials expect vaccines will start this week for people in the “1A” group – residents and staff and long-term care facilities. Healthcare workers are also in the 1A group and many of them also received the vaccine last week, traveling to Unity Health in Rochester for the shot.

The vaccine will now be administered in Orleans County and it could take into the end of next week to administer the shots in the 1A group. Then health officials will start with the “1B” group of frontline workers, including EMS staff, coroners, and funeral home workers.

“It is very fluid with little information flowing from the state,” said Paul Pettit, the public health director in Genesee and Orleans counties. “This will be a mammoth effort that will require all our community partners (Public Health, health systems, providers and pharmacies) to assist in vaccinating over the next 6 months.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today that 140,000 people have received the first of two shots of the vaccine so far in the state.

New York expects to receive another 259,000 doses this week, with 139,400 coming from Pfizer and 119,600 coming from Moderna, Cuomo said.

The state is expanding the priority populations eligible to receive a vaccine to include urgent care center employees and individuals administering Covid-19 vaccines, including local health department staff, and residents of the Office of Addiction Services and Supports’ congregate facilities.

Vaccines will continue to be distributed for high-risk hospital workers, federally qualified health center employees, EMS, coroners, medical examiners, funeral workers and residents and staff of Office for People with Developmental Disabilities and Office of Mental Health facilities, Cuomo said.

“Next week, the state expects to expand this universe further with the addition of ambulatory care workers and public-facing public health workers,” he said.

Locally, Pettit said Orleans Community Health in Medina and Oak Orchard Health in Albion will be administering the shots for the 1A group. He expects people will make appointments for the vaccinations as the county moves to 1B and other groups or they will get the shots through scheduled clinics.

After people get the first vaccination shot, they will need to get the second shot three weeks later.

Photo by Kevin P. Coughlin/Office of the Governor – Andrew M. Cuomo speaks in New York City on May 9, 2020.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today he is signing an executive order that will withhold pay raises for himself and other state-wide elected officials and commissioners.

Cuomo was in line for a $25,000 pay increase in 2021, from $225,000 to $250,000. The governor’s pay was $179,000 a year and was at that level for 10 years until it was increased to $200,000 in 2019 and then $225,000 this year.

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli also won’t get raises, nor will commissioners such as Dr. Howard Zucker, the state’s health commissioner.

“It’s no reflection on what these commissioners have done,” Cuomo said today during a news conference about Covid-19 and the state’s response. “They probably worked harder this past year and performed better than any commissioner in their position frankly in decades. There has been no test like this test for a government official.”

The governor said withholding the raises shows sacrifice and solidarity for the people of the state during a difficult financial period.

“I also want to thank the Lieutenant Governor and the Attorney General and the Comptroller for the same statement that they’re making,” Cuomo said. “They’ve all worked incredibly hard this year and this is another sign of their commitment and their public service so I thank them very much.”