News Flash

Please see below for the Daily COVID-19 Update for Schuyler County, NY. We received notification of one new case of COVID-19. The individual likely contracted the virus while traveling to a state with a high level of community spread. The individual reported following all public health precautions and self-quarantined upon their return to New York State in accordance with the recent travel advisory. Contact tracing for the individual has been completed and no public exposure risks or close contacts were identified.

While the situation has improved greatly in NYS, cases are rising rapidly in many states across our nation. Please continue to wear a mask, social distance, wash your hands, and clean/disinfect surfaces. To learn how these actions work together to slow the spread of COVID-19, please visit: http://schuylercounty.us/DocumentCenter/View/8858/COVID-19-Prevention-How-it-works. 

If you plan to travel, please self-quarantine for 14 days upon your return to keep our community healthy. There are currently 16 states covered by the travel advisory: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. The State will regularly update this list based upon a seven-day rolling average of positive tests in excess of 10%, or number of positive cases exceeding 10 per 100,000 residents. Stay current on the travel advisory by visiting: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the people who tested positive the only people in the County with COVID-19?

The table above only includes individuals who have been tested for COVID-19. There could be other people with COVID-19 in the community who haven’t been tested and have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. That’s why it is important we all continue to wash our hands, practice social distancing, and take other protective actions.

What happens when someone tests positive?

When someone tests positive, they are put in mandatory isolation until they are no longer considered at high risk of transmitting COVID-19 to others based on criteria set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH).Our office also conducts a contact investigation to identify people who may have been exposed to the virus by the person who tested positive.

What is a contact investigation or contact tracing?

For a contact investigation, which can also be called contact tracing, we work with the individual to determine where the person went and who they had contact with both while they had symptoms and during the 48 hours before their symptoms started, per CDC and NYSDOH guidance. People are considered at risk of getting COVID-19 if they are in the same household with someone with COVID-19, had direct physical contact with someone with COVID-19 or with their infectious secretions, or were within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 for 10 minutes or more. Walking through the same public setting as someone who tested positive does not make someone a close contact. If someone who tested positive reports they were in a public setting and our investigation reveals high risk close contact occurred, we will inform the community and provide instructions on what community members should do if they were at the location.

How do I know if I have been identified as a close contact?

Any people identified as contacts of the person who tested positive will be contacted by the health department and put in quarantine at their home. They are released from quarantine once it has been 14 days since they were exposed to the person with COVID-19, unless they develop symptoms of COVID-19. Our staff conduct daily check-ins with both the individual who tested positive and their contacts to monitor their health and to check that the individuals are following the quarantine or isolation orders.

What does recovered mean?

A person is considered recovered once all three of the following happen:

1. It has been 10 or more days since their symptoms started
2. Their symptoms have improved significantly (some symptoms such as a slight cough may continue for awhile after they have recovered)
3. They have been fever-free for 3 days in a row without a fever-reducing medicine

Can you tell me more about antibody testing?

The COVID-19 diagnostic test checks for the presence of the virus at the time of sampling. Antibody testing is different – it checks to see if you have ever had the virus. Because this is a new virus, scientists are still figuring out:

1. If having the virus protects you from getting it again in the future (provides immunity) and
2. If having the virus does provide immunity, how long does that protection last

Antibody testing is not currently widely available in our County. However, you can call your healthcare provider if you feel you may need antibody testing.

Can you tell me more about the plan to reopen the County?

Businesses in each region will reopen in phases. Reopening refers to non-essential businesses and business activities. Eligibility for each phase’s reopening is determined based on health metrics measured across the whole Southern Tier. To see the dashboard, visit: https://forward.ny.gov/regional-monitoring-dashboard.

Here is a breakdown of industries in each phase:

• Phase One: Started May 15
  • Construction
  • Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
  • Retail - (Limited to curbside or in-store pickup or drop off)
  • Manufacturing
  • Wholesale Trade
• Phase Two: Started May 29
  • Offices
  • Real Estate, Rental, and Leasing
  • In-Store Retail
  • Vehicle Sales, Leases, and Rentals 
  • Retail Rental, Repair, and Cleaning
  • Commercial Building Management
  • Hair Salons and Barbershops
  • Dental Offices
  • Outdoor Dining
  • Places of worship (at 25% occupancy)
• Phase Three: Started June 12
  • Restaurants / Food Service Establishments
  • Personal Care Businesses
  • Gatherings of up to 25 people
  • Low-risk youth sports starting on July 6th. Sports to resume include baseball, softball, gymnastics, field hockey, cross country, and crew with up to two spectators allowed per child.
  • Hospital and group home visitations at the discretion of the facility
• Phase Four: Started June 26
  • Higher Education
  • Low-Risk Outdoor Arts & Entertainment
  • Low-Risk Indoor Arts & Entertainment
  • Media Production
  • Places of worship (at 33% occupancy)
  • Gatherings of up to 50 people

Learn more at: https://forward.ny.gov/ 

Should I continue following protective actions during reopening?

Yes – the virus is not gone. It is still spreading in New York State and the country overall. It is very important that we all do our part to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our community. Please continue to:

• Wear face coverings when going out in public
• Maintain physical distance from people not in your household
• Clean your hands often
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces

These protective actions work together to help slow the spread of COVID-19.