On Thursday, Tioga County Chairwoman Martha Sauerbrey reported the following Tioga County Offices are closed to the public: the county Clerk’s Office, Personnel and Civil Service Office; and the Veterans Service Agency.
Also in the release, Sauerbrey wrote, “In an effort to decrease foot traffic and improve efficiencies of remaining staff, the Tioga County Department of Social Services (DSS) will be closed to the public effective March 20. Applications for benefits including SNAP and Cash Assistance will continue to be accepted and processed through www.mybenefits.ny.gov.
At DSS, the phone lines will be open at (607) 687-8300, although the department is operating at reduced staffing levels, per Governor Cuomo’s directive.
The Health and Human Services Building remains open for any remaining departmental activity and staff access. Security remains in place. The status of this is subject to change in the coming days and further announcements will be made when appropriate, and the Owego Pennysaver will post them online at www.owegopennysaver.com if there is a change after the date of print.
Sauerbrey also recommends the public call prior to visiting a County office, as all remaining offices are operating at reduced staff.
On Thursday, Sauerbrey also reported the Tioga County COVID-19 Statistics are as follows.
One confirmed case; 31 individuals in mandatory quarantine; these are individuals who have had close contact [6 ft.] with someone who has tested positive, but is not displaying symptoms for COVID-19, or individuals that have traveled to China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, or Italy and is displaying symptoms of COVID-19.
Eight individuals are in precautionary quarantine, Sauerbrey’s report continued. These are individuals who have traveled to China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, or Italy while COVID-19 was prevalent, but is not displaying symptoms; or is known to have had proximate exposure to a positive person but has not had direct contact with a positive person and is not displaying symptoms.
Seventeen tests, as of Thursday, March 19 are pending.
The following school districts continue to offer meals during the specified weekday times – Newark Valley: Breakfast and Lunch – 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays at the Newark Valley Middle School, Berkshire Community Center, and Richford Town Hall. In Candor: Breakfast and Lunch – 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. weekdays with food box delivery available. At Owego-Apalachin: Breakfast and Lunch 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays at the Owego and Apalachin Elementary Schools. Delivery is available by calling 687-7307, ext. 777. In Waverly at the High School and 11 locations in the community from April 18, and at Tioga Central: Monday – Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the high school. Call the Main Office of your child’s school or call 687- 8006, ext. 2 to make alternate arrangements for backpack delivery.
Also, during a press conference held on Thursday morning by Governor Andrew Cuomo, he announced that the number of coronavirus patients has jumped to over 4,000 with at least 21 deaths as a result within New York State.
During the press conference Cuomo ordered 75 percent of all non-essential workforce in the state to remain home and try to telecommute to work while also ordering all financial institutions to waive mortgage payments for 90 days. Cuomo also urged young people to obey the quarantine and not put the lives of those around them at risk.
In an earlier press release from Tioga County, it urges anyone who has symptoms of the coronavirus to not just go to a walk-in-clinic, health provider or hospital, but instead call in advance and await further instructions.
In the press release, Legislative Chairwoman Martha Sauerbrey urged residents in to listen to medical advice and stay home as much as possible.
Other tips from Sauerbrey included frequent hand washing with soap and water, practicing social distancing of at least six feet if you need to venture into public spaces, checking on elderly family members and neighbors along with anyone who has a compromised immune system and assisting them as needed to help them avoid going into public.
COVID-19 is a respiratory virus that for 80 percent of those infected will cause light to no symptoms. However, 20 percent experience more serious symptoms resulting in a 2 percent mortality rate, which is roughly 20 times more deadly than influenza. As of Thursday there were roughly 230,000 cases confirmed worldwide with roughly 9,000 deaths.
For additional information about COVID-19, please refer to the following resources:
https://www.tiogacountyny.com/departments/legislature/news/covid-19/
Facebook @ Tioga County Public Health
Tioga County Public Health Voicemail Line – 687-8623
Tioga County Mental Health – 687-4000
Tioga County EOC – 687-8477 (Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.)
NYS Coronavirus Hotline: 1-888-364-3065 (for general questions or information about COVID-19)
Be the first to comment on "Coronavirus in Tioga County, at a glance"