County Executive Ryan announces regional seven county coalition to share information and provide recommendations for NYS to safely and responsibly reopen
Testing of additional nursing homes will begin this week, with a plan to complete all locations by the end of May
KINGSTON, N.Y. - Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan today held a live briefing on COVID-19. In his address, County Executive Ryan announced that Ulster County will be joining regional leaders to form a seven county Hudson Valley Reopening Workgroup. Working together with neighboring counties, the group will look to plan and coordinate a regional approach to responsibly and deliberately reopen the local economy by sharing ideas, data, concerns, and best practices. The workgroup will be convening later this week. More information on the workgroup will be announced later this week.
“With Governor Cuomo’s guidance yesterday on re-opening, we are working together with our neighbors to plan and coordinate a regional approach to responsibly and deliberately reopen our local economy,” County Executive Pat Ryan said. “Building on the work we’ve accomplished to date, leaders from Ulster, Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan, Greene, Columbia, and Putnam counties have agreed to meet later this week to work together, share data, ideas, concerns, and best practices while advocating for our small businesses, farmers, families, and region.”
Additionally, County Executive Ryan shared more information about the efforts between the Ulster County Health Department and senior living facilities in Ulster County to provide a rapid response team. County Executive Ryan announced that the County will begin testing residents and staff at a third nursing home facility this week and has committed to testing all nursing home facilities in the county in May.
“Given the high risk to our senior population, it is imperative that we continue to take a proactive approach and test all of our senior living facilities as quickly as possible,” County Executive Pat Ryan said. “We are in daily communication with senior living facility leadership throughout Ulster County and we will complete all testing by month's end. I would like to thank Governor Andrew Cuomo for approving our requests for additional kits and PPE to ensure that we can test residents and staff in all of our nursing homes as soon as possible.”
As a part of his nursing home plan, County Executive Ryan has directed the Health Department to reach out to all senior living facilities that are at high risk to offer guidance and to better coordinate a COVID-19 response. This rapid response team will support these facilities with testing, PPE, and setting up health protocols. Additionally, the rapid response team will provide temporary staffing to support at-risk nursing and rehabilitation facilities. These individuals will be available to provide aid based on the specific needs of the facility as defined by the facilities' medical staff and administrator. Ulster County has 13 senior living facilities.
There are currently 1,416 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ulster County and 44 fatalities.
To watch the live briefing on Facebook Live, please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/UlsterCountyExecutive/videos/679713462907839/
For additional information about COVID-19, please visit:
https://ulstercountyny.gov/coronavirus
Ulster County COVID-19 Hotline: 845-443-8888
NYS Coronavirus Information Hotline: 888-364-3065
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