Sullivan County Public Health Services

Remember, those under isolation or quarantine due to COVID 19 should not leave their homes, but are able to vote remotely as follows: After October 27th, all applications for absentee ballots must be made in-person at a Board of Election by November 2nd. A registered voter may designate someone to pick up their ballot for them. Only the person designated on the application may pick up and deliver your ballot. Applications for absentee ballots can be downloaded from here: https://www.elections.ny.gov/VotingAbsentee.html Completed ballots can be returned by mail provided it is postmarked by November 3rd, or can be dropped off in-person by an individual other than the voter at a Board of Election, early voting location, or Election Day voting location without requiring that the absentee voter wait in line with in-person voters.

Everyone must wear a face covering in public. Practice social distancing (keep 6 feet or more from others) even when wearing face coverings. Face coverings an...d social distancing help slow the spread of COVID-19. Get the information you need on face coverings. coronavirus.health.ny.gov//13105_covid-19_facemasks_flyer_ See more

Move Sullivan, Sullivan County’s year-old public transportation system, is about to take the next step forward. Thanks to the support of this Legislature, Move... Sullivan buses have continued running throughout the pandemic, and I’m pleased to announce that, starting November 2, the routes will be expanded to meet public demand, County Manager Josh Potosek explained. In addition to realignments of some existing stops to better serve riders, Move Sullivan buses will now travel into Sleepy Hollow Apartments in the Village of Monticello, visit Crystal Run Healthcare in Rock Hill, run to the Liberty Market grocery store and Achieve Rehab and Nursing Facility in the Village of Liberty, swing by the Woodbourne traffic light, and stop at Green Avenue in the heart of the Village of Woodridge, noted Community Resources Commissioner Laura Quigley, who oversees the program. As long intended, Move Sullivan buses will also institute a $2-per-trip fare on November 2, with three-trip ticket booklets selling for $5. Tickets (available on the bus and at the Sullivan County Treasurer’s Office in the Government Center) must be purchased in cash, exact change only. Transfers between buses will be allowed at no charge, so long as riders obtain a free transfer ticket from drivers. My fellow legislators and I remain committed to ensuring local commuters, shoppers and students have a way to get where they’re going even if they have no vehicle of their own, Legislature Chairman Robert A. Doherty affirmed. This service is vital to our economy, and I’m intent on strengthening and expanding our middle-class workforce through important initiatives like this.

Come join the fun! Garnet Health Doctors - Liberty is hosting a healthy Trunk & Treat on October 30th 1:30 - 4:00 pm at Dr. Trivedi's office. Masks and social distancing required.

The Sullivan County Public Health Immunization team provided more than 20 flu vaccines at the "Hate Has No Home in Sullivan County" event in South Fallsburg yesterday. in addition to flu shots, the team handed out public health goodies including toothbrushes and toothpaste, as well as hand sanitizer, and got to meet some great people from the community!

Sullivan County Division of Health & Family Services Commissioner Stephanie Brown is pleased to introduce Burt Kohn as the new Administrator of the Care Center ...at Sunset Lake. An experienced nursing home administrator, he started today, October 26. A seasoned leader, Mr. Kohn brings with him many years of administrative service in hospital-based, corporate and privately-owned nursing homes, overseeing facilities with more than 200 staff during that time, Brown stated. I welcome his professional and capable leadership. I am very excited to join the talented team of the Care Center at Sunset Lake, to be providing the best short-term and long-term quality of care to the residents of region, Kohn said. Kohn possesses a Master’s in Business Administration from Baruch University and is a currently Licensed New York State Nursing Home Administrator. A Brooklyn native, Kohn has led a number of New York-area nursing homes since 1996, where he introduced, in-serviced, and implemented a variety of regulations, policies, procedures and services, including hospital readmission reduction and falls reduction programs, a quality indicator survey, and capital projects. He negotiated contracts, raised reimbursement rates and increased both the census and patient satisfaction in various facilities. He has also provided consulting services in the healthcare field.

Halloween is NOT cancelled or banned here in Sullivan County. Just celebrate responsibly, using these great tips from the NYSDOH - New York State Health Department...

Are you in isolation/quarantine and therefore unable to get out to vote early or on Election Day? Through October 27, you can apply for an absentee ballot. Full details are at https://sullivanny.us/Departments/Elections/AbsenteeVoting. Make sure your vote counts!

COVID-19 cases continue to climb - 33 in the last three days - in Sullivan County. Our Public Health team is hard at work contact-tracing, and thus far they are... noting community-wide transmission, not concentrated clusters. In other words, don't consider one location more or less coronavirus-prone than another. Keep wearing masks, social distancing and hand washing wherever you are. The Mid-Hudson region's percent-positive per 7-day rolling average is 1.7%. Let's keep it that way! For the full interactive dashboard, visit https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html See more

The Sullivan County Department of Public Health Services issued the following update on positive COVID-19 cases in Sullivan County: 11 new positive cases on 10/21 14 new positive cases on 10/22 Total of 1,662 confirmed positives as of 10/22 55 active cases as of 10/22... 245 in quarantine/isolation as of 10/21 51 deaths, 3 hospitalized as of 10/22 35,606 people tested (source: https://covid19tracker.health.ny.gov/ ) COVID-19 Update: Sullivan County Public Health Services states: We have not identified any particular clusters or hot spots, and it appears that widespread community transmission may be occurring again, causing the number of positive cases and those with symptoms of illness to increase. We urge everyone to practice social distancing, frequent hand-washing, use of hand sanitizer, and consistently wear masks at all times when indoors and/or outdoors and near others, to reduce transmission. The County’s Dashboard will reflect current numbers tomorrow. Travel Advisory Individuals who have traveled to a state with significant community spread listed on the NYS Travel Advisory page must quarantine for 14 days. This page is updated periodically. Anyone returning from travel to a restricted state, who has stayed longer than 24 hours in that state, must quarantine when you enter New York. Mandatory quarantine is for 14 days from the last date of travel in the restricted state. A restricted state is one which has been identified as having significant community spread. New Yorkers without health insurance can apply through NY State of Health through December 31, 2020; must apply within 60 days of losing coverage. Any New Yorker can call the COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline at 1-844-863-9314 for mental health support and counseling.

PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY Sullivan County Public Health Services is alerting anyone who visited Autozone Auto Parts, 1985 State Route 52 in Liberty, on the followi...ng dates and times that they may have been exposed to an employee who tested positive and worked on these dates during the infectious period: October 17 between 12 p.m. and 9 p.m. October 18 between 12 p.m. and 9 p.m. Although we believe that the employees wore masks routinely, many customers may not have been doing the same, and may have been exposed, said Public Health Director Nancy McGraw. If someone thinks they have been exposed and develops symptoms, they should self-quarantine for 14 days and call their healthcare provider if symptoms develop, or call Sullivan County Public Health Services at 845-292-5910. Contact investigations are ongoing; anyone who tests positive will go into mandatory isolation, and as close contacts are identified, they are encouraged to seek a test and ordered into mandatory quarantine. For an updated list of testing locations, visit www.sullivanny.us. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Possible symptoms of COVID-19 include one or more of the following: 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 Diarrhea If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately: Trouble breathing Persistent pain or pressure in the chest New confusion Inability to wake or stay awake Bluish lips or face Sullivan County Public Health strongly suggests that local businesses enforce mask wearing, per Executive Order 202.14, as a standard policy and practice for employees and customers, stated McGraw, especially as cases are going up and we are seeing more community transmission here and in other parts of New York State. People have become somewhat complacent or have misinformation about virus risk and transmission. Put simply: routine mask wearing and social distancing works. We want to see our businesses and schools stay open and not see any large clusters or outbreaks. According to Public Health Law Sections 201, 2016 and 225 & Executive Order 202.14, Section 66-3.2 Face-Coverings, parts c and d: (c) Any employee who is present in the workplace shall be provided and shall wear a mask or face-covering when in direct contact with customers or members of the public, or when unable to maintain social distance. Businesses must provide, at their expense, such face coverings for their employees. and (d) Business operators and building owners, and those authorized on their behalf or otherwise authorized to use the building shall deny admittance to any person who fails to comply with this section and shall require or compel such persons’ removal. Provided, however, that this regulation shall be applied in a manner consistent with the federal American with Disabilities Act, New York State or New York City Human Rights Law, and any other applicable provision of law. (e) For purposes of this section: (i) Face-coverings shall include, but are not limited to, cloth masks (e.g. homemade sewn, quick cut, bandana), surgical masks, N-95 respirators, and face shields. For more information on coronavirus, go to https://sullivanny.us/departments/publichealth/coronavirus or https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home.

This week’s Thursday Thought from our Epi team: The Covid-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions in our daily lives including changes in our work schedules, children’s school routines, and how we socialize just to name a few. These changes can be felt deeply and it is important that we acknowledge the differences in our mood and how they can be impacting our life. The good news is that with some simple strategies and, if needed, help from a professional, we can reduce the effects of stress and anxiety caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.