COVID-19 Updates
Regents Testing Is Canceled
By Doug La Rocque
As of press time, Rensselaer County has seen three deaths related to the coronavirus, with 91 confirmed cases in the county. That number jumped by 13 on Tuesday, April 7, and as County Executive Steve McLaughlin continues to emphasize, that number is bound to increase.
Why, the answer is testing, now more than 1,400 to date. Mr. McLaughlin said the number of people being tested is increasing, in part due to the new drive through testing site at SUNY Albany.
One cannot just show up there however, you must call ahead, answer screening questions, and if you meet the qualifications, you will be given a pin number to use. The number to call for the testing is 888-364-3065.
Mr. McLaughlin lamented the deaths, indicating he had known one of the deceased for 25 years. He also mentioned at the daily briefing, he fears there will be more, saying “this is the reality for this stuff.”
Governor Andrew Cuomo this week extended his Pause New York order, continuing the shutdown of all schools and non-essential business, through April 29. With schools at that point having been closed for six weeks, the state is making some changes in graduation requirements. First, the June Regents exams have been canceled. Students will still be able to qualify for credits in the 2019-20 school year provided their instructors certify they passed their current courses of study.
There are several exemption requirements, which are listed on the NYS Department of Education website.
In her press release, Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa said “In times of crisis difficult decisions must be made and the Board of Regents knows these are ultimately the right ones for New York’s students. We are putting the safety of children, families and educators first while ensuring that the hard work done by our students and teachers is honored. These are extraordinary decisions for an unprecedented time, and we thank our school communities for their support and continuing dedication during the statewide school closure.”
In the last few days, by order of Governor Cuomo, some COVID-19 patients have been transferred from downstate facilities to upstate hospitals. This includes several that where airlifted to Troy’s Samaritan Hospital.
The impact of COVID-19 has varied throughout the county, with the majority of the illnesses reported being in the city of Troy, and the towns of East and North Greenbush, the higher population density locations. Still, Hoosick, Pittstown (where one of the deaths occurred), Stephentown, Brunswick and now Petersburgh are home to confirmed cases. These towns are all reacting in their own way, with many planning to hold their April town board meeting via some form of teleconferencing. In Brunswick, Supervisor Phil Herrington says the town hall remains closed to the public, however, at least one person from each department is available each day to return emails and phone calls. He tells The Eastwick Press “ I find people in Brunswick are being very cooperative, doing everything they can to practice “social distancing.” I feel so bad for our small business owners, I don’t know how they can recover.”
Supervisor Herrington speaks from first hand experience, as he and his brother own a large dairy farm in Brunswick. The Eastwick Press also talked to Stephentown Supervisor Larry Eckhadt, owner of a large farm and a farming consultant. As to reports of dairy farmers having to dump milk, he says it comes in part because cheese and yogurt producers have been, for the most part shutdown, and are physically unable to convert to milk processing in a short time period. He lamented it comes at the time when dairy farmers where just beginning to climb out of the hole they have been in for the last several years. He described it popping your head up to take a look around, and along comes the lawnmower (COVID-19) and chops it off.