Sheriff: Pandemic is not a hoax
ALBANY COUNTY, N.Y. » The number of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in Albany County rose once again.
During a press conference Monday morning, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy announced the climb in cases from 115 to 122.
McCoy said 490 people are under mandatory quarantine, which is an increase from Sunday when 318 people were. He also noted that 634 people are under voluntary quarantine.
Seven people are also currently hospitalized from Albany County.
Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple announced that a nurse from the correctional facility has tested positive. Apple also noted that 35 inmates are currently in isolation.
“I think alot of people still think this is a hoax and are not taking us serious,” Apple said. “But I
can’t stress enough, if we all just do this for a few weeks, I think we can get through this.”
McCoy reiterated his plea to the federal government for a ramp-up of additional test kits.
“Like we said, the testing is going to slow up. We need more test kits. We need the federal government to step up and get us the kits,” McCoy explained.
McCoy also noted if you have symptoms, you should call your physician.
According to Albany County Health Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Whalen, the county is prioritizing testing to those most vulnerable to COVID-19 and to medical professionals on the front line.
“The testing will now be available to those that need hospitalization and hospital healthcare workers that have to be ruled out for their work,” Whalen said.
Whalen restated that the drop in announced positive cases will be a byproduct of the lack of testing.
“The message to the public should not be reassurance that we’re having less cases but that this is reflective of the fact that the testing is not being done as widely as we previously had been doing,” Whalen reasserted.
Whalen also pounded home the important message of people staying at home and keeping social distance as if you’re carrying the virus.
“I will continue to reassert this, and I believe that one of the messages that I try to tell people is in order to contain this, you have to act like you have it and treat your family and treat others as if you have it,” Whalen said.
“There are individuals who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms that are spreading this in the community. That should make it more important for people to realize the importance of staying with six feet and to stay at home if you’re not an essential worker,” Whalen emphasized on containing the spread of the virus in the community.
Those measures are critically important in lowering the stress on hospitals, as they try to maintain capacity and staffing levels to help treat patients.
“All of us need to work together to flatten this curve, to make sure that our hospitals are able to the capacity issues that we believe they will be facing and for all of us to be able to come out on the other side of this,” Whalen added.
From a medical supply standpoint, McCoy announced the county received a boost in donations Monday.
“Today we’re picking up masks, gowns and other PPE equipment from the Guilderland School District, so I want to thank the Guilderland School District and the superintendent,” McCoy said.
“They’re donating 2,000 gloves, disinfectant wipes, about 250, plus about 250 surgical masks, bleach, disinfectant spray and suits and a box of gowns,” McCoy noted of the supplies.
McCoy added the county has put out a letter to all superintendents asking if they have nurses throughout their respective school districts to help with the medical reserve corps.