News Flash

updated info: coronavirus...#s..businesses...leaf blowers...County Center...Mental Health...

Just completed the conference call with the County Executive and other municipal officials. This is a summary of the latest info on the virus.   Lots of info below
There are 30,811 cases in NYS. 4,691 in Westchester. The numbers are frightening. A week ago Thursday the state had 4,152. Today. It’s 30,811, A week ago Westchester had 798. Today it’s 4,691.  12% of the people who test positive are in the hospital.  GREENBURGH NUMBERS- 124. 63 IN unincorporated. 61 in the villages.

COUNTY CENTER- The state now has control of the County Center. Will be used as a hospital. I have to reach out to state officials to find out how they will use the center. The state has NOT told the county if the patients will be Corona Virus patients or patients with other medical issues according to the County Executive.

Westchesterr testing more people per capita than any other place in the nation. People haven’t been tested in other places. The other states in the nation with far fewer positive test may see their cases increase within the next few weeks.

LEAF BLOWING--The County Health department has determined that leaf blowers DO NOT  advance the virus.

LANDSCAPERS-- Keep getting different interpretations of the Governor’s law. The most recent: Landscapers doing basic maintenance can continue. They can’t do decorative work (plantings).

Municipality Name Cases
Ardsley 3
Bedford 10
Briarcliff Manor 9
Bronxville 9
Buchanan 0
Cortlandt 31
Croton-on-Hudson 5
Dobbs Ferry 16
Eastchester 38
Elmsford 6
Greenburgh 63
Harrison 29
Hastings-on-Hudson 13
Irvington 8
Larchmont 13
Lewisboro 7
Mamaroneck Town 18
Mamaroneck Village 18
Mount Kisco 20
Mount Pleasant 32
Mount Vernon 89
New Castle 13
New Rochelle 234
North Castle 13
North Salem 2
Ossining Town 7
Ossining Village 47
Peekskill 26
Pelham 18
Pelham Manor 12
Pleasantville 14
Port Chester 51
Pound Ridge 1
Rye Brook 17
Rye City 15
Scarsdale 39
Sleepy Hollow 19
Somers 9
Tarrytown 15
Tuckahoe 7
White Plains 74
Yonkers 201
Yorktown 30

NOTE –
Town numbers reflect the unincorporated sections of the part of town outside villages within the town.
Numbers reflect the actual residents of the municipality, not “zip code” residents who live in an adjacent community.
Data lags state number by as much as 3 days, due to State release of data to the County only after the tested individual has been informed of their status.  

Westchester County Economic Development team is researching loans and grant programs for small business devastated by the shutdown of their businesses, communicating information through local Chambers of Commerce. For more information visit https://westchestercatalyst.com/coronavirus-updates/ 

For people wanting to donate or sell PPE or other items, email Icanhelp@westchestergov.com   
Asking for Nursing home, Seniors assisted living building, Senior subsidized housing in each municipality
We are asking to the State to inform the buildings managers/administrators at the same time the individual is informed of their positive test status. Failure to do this may allow the virus to infect workers and other residents of these buildings and cause widespread infection among the most vulnerable people.

The Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health (DCMH), together with its partner agencies, will be offering guidance and support to Westchester County’s residents as they cope with the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).  It is projected that the health crisis precipitated by COVID-19 could have a lasting impact on the mental health of the citizens of Westchester. People may experience stress, fear, grief, depression and anxiety.   DCMH will be implementing educational and supportive services through various forms of communication, including a dedicated telephone resource line, social media, taped video recordings, chat lines, printed materials and linkage to counseling.
DCMH will partner with different organizations and private clinicians to provide the following supports:
DCMH Information, Support and Referral line at (914) 995-1900 8a.m. to 8p.m./text #914-461-7281.
Behavioral Health Crisis Prevention and Response Team (Available for psychiatric emergencies).
On-going educational and supportive services on such topics as coping, addressing anxiety, parenting through this difficult time, and mindfulness exercises through various tele-communication.
Psychological response to targeted groups as needed.
Peer-to-Peer Support through DCMH provider network.
Access to counseling and other supportive services through provider network and pro bono clinicians.
Services and supports to targeted populations such as parents, teens, seniors, health care workers, first responders, LBGTQ communities and those with pre-existing mental health or substance use conditions.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all County employees and contracted municipalities 995-6070 or email pkj1@westchestergov.com.

Here in Westchester we set up a 2-1-1 hotline with the United Way to provide answers for Westchester residents with questions concerning Coronavirus.  
NYS hotline for testing requests: 888.364.3065
Westchester County hotline: 866.588.0195
County has set up an email address to respond to inquiries. This is another option to the hotline.  
Responses can be done in English or Spanish.
Emails will receive an auto-reply stating their message has been received and they should expect a response within 24 hours. Then it has info about our hotline and then links to County, State, CDC websites. The emails are answered by DSS.
COVID19FAQ@westchestergov.com
A personal plea from County Executive Latimer calling for nurses, doctors and other health care professionals to assist with County COVID-19 response. To volunteer please email Lindsey Jackson lajc@westchestergov.com 
To date we have gotten 122 volunteers to our call to healthcare workers: 90 nurses, 12 doctors and 20 other.
Some are being deployed starting today to work with the Department of Health. We expect some to work with childcare programs as well.

The County Executive will speak via Zoom at the Town Board meeting tonight at 7:30 PM.
PAUL FEINER