Clinton County was one of four in New York State that never rescinded its declaration made at the start of the pandemic, County Legislature Chair Mark Henry said during a press conference in the Legislative Chambers Wednesday afternoon.
"The purposes of our re-extending our current state of emergency is to continue to allow Clinton County those additional powers that might be needed to respond adequately to a given disaster or public health crisis so that we might protect life, health, property and provide emergency assistance," Henry explained.
"It also permits local municipalities to obtain assistance from both the state and federal governments."
NO MANDATES NOW
"Additional powers," Henry explained, could include mandating mask-wearing across the county, and imposing certain hours for businesses and a curfew.
But he said he does not foresee such actions being taken in the short-term future, and not before conversations with the Clinton County Health Department , local doctors and the legislature occur.
Henry indicated the county would discuss any such moves with others in the region.
"I don't want to speak for other county leaders ... my sense is that we all think that acting regionally has more effect than just acting one county at a time, so that would be a discussion I would certainly have.
"I think my argument would be we should (act in concert), but again that would be up to the other counties."
STATE ASSISTANCE
Henry and the other county leaders have also called on the state for assistance.
He noted that they and the state have reinstated weekly briefing calls, known in the early days of the pandemic as regional control room meetings.
During those calls and in other forums, the leaders have related the need for rapid tests for nursing homes, schools and the community at large, as well as expanded vaccine and testing resources, Henry said.
The county hopes that lobbying for mass vaccination sites will be successful, he added.
"We have taken advantage of New York State's offer to send the National Guard to assist us and we have already received two National Guard personnel to assist us at our ( Clinton County ) Nursing Home ," Henry continued.
He previously told the Press-Republican that the idea behind that support was to enable nursing homes to accept non-COVID patients no longer in need of acute care at the hospital, thus freeing up beds for newer patients who need to be admitted.
NUMBERS MUCH WORSE
The numbers in Clinton County point to a much more dire state of affairs than it faced this time last year.
Henry shared that, on Dec. 8, 2020 , there were 101 active COVID cases in the county, and a seven-day average positivity rate of 3.3%.
On Wednesday, there were 304 active cases in the county, and a seven-day average positivity rate of 7.3%.
Henry also noted that 35% of all COVID-related deaths in the county have occurred since Sept. 1 .
Clinton County Director of Public Health John Kanoza added that there are also 524 county residents under quarantine orders.
Though CCHD staff continue to work diligently on contact tracing and case management, those efforts alone are not enough to minimize COVID spread, he said.
"We are asking residents to continue to follow, as we always have, the same safety practices that have proven effective in the fight against COVID-19, those including mask-wearing, physical distancing, handwashing, avoiding crowds, avoiding high-risk activities and also staying home if you are feeling sick or under the weather."
SEEK TESTING
Kanoza also asked residents to monitor their own health very closely, as CCHD staff have noted that a high number of people who test positive reported normal cold symptoms and delayed testing or thought nothing of it.
"For many of us, the symptoms of COVID-19 can seem just like a cold, but for those members of our public who are most vulnerable, residents who are immune-compromised, older adults and those who are not vaccinated, symptoms can be much more severe and require hospitalization," he said.
"Seeking testing immediately upon feeling ill, no matter how mild, and self-isolating while awaiting those testing results is extremely important in reducing the spread of COVID in our community right now."
Dr. Wouter Rietsema , vice president for population health and information services at University of Vermont Health Network , Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital , said where the country and state are at with COVID testing 20 months into the pandemic is completely unacceptable.
CVPH ran the state-funded mass testing site while it was in place. Once the state pulled out, CVPH could not afford to pay for testing, which is why those who get tested at the hospital's current site require a doctor's order so tests can be billed to insurance companies, Rietsema said.
"If the state were to come back at us with a contract such that we could get testing through a state-paid resource, we would figure out how to do that, but we really need testing resources. Where we are with testing, right now, from an infrastructure point of view, 20 months into this pandemic is dreadful, period."
LIMIT GATHERINGS
As the holiday season approaches, Kanoza continued, his agency recommends residents limit gatherings to members of their immediate households.
He added that residents at risk or at higher risk of severe COVID illness should consider staying home.
"As we know, it is never the intention of family members to be the cause of COVID-19 exposure, however it is one of the more common sources we have found for known exposures occurring in our community at this time, especially with the highly contagious delta variant pervasive in our county and much of the North Country."
GET VACCINATED
Kanoza's big ask?
"If you have not been vaccinated or have not received a vaccine booster, now is the time to do that," he said. "Getting vaccinated will reduce your chance of contracting the virus, reduce the risk of severe illness and death and will help contribute to the overall immunity to COVID-19 in our community."
Henry echoed that sentiment.
"It is a critical idea to get vaccinated. If vaccinated, get a booster shot. Wear a mask. Practice social distancing.
"We need to ensure we stay healthy and out of the hospital. Preserving the hospital's critical space and maintaining your good health are job one right now."
IMMUNITY
Dr. Keith Collins , an infectious disease physician at CVPH, said it is believed that natural immunity following a COVID infection works well for about 90 days before it starts to wane, while vaccine immunity lasts at least six months or more before waning.
Even if you have had COVID, he added, it is important to get vaccinated because of breakthrough infections.
Additionally, those who get infected and get vaccinated within a month to 90 days afterward are "super immune."
"They actually did a study at least in the testing that showed — aside from omicron, which is too new — that those people seemed to have good antibodies against all known strains of COVID — all of them," Collins said.
Information on where to get vaccinated is listed on page A4.
Email Cara Chapman :
cchapman@pressrepublican.com
Twitter: @PPR_carachapman
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