Molinaro Updates Residents During
Latest COVID-19 Town Hall Forum
Poughkeepsie, NY … Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro today hosted his most recent of nearly four dozen virtual town hall forums since mid-March, providing residents with updates about the COVID-19 pandemic and answering their questions.
An archive of each of the County Executive’s online conversations, including today’s event, is available on Dutchess County Government’s YouTube page.
Among the highlights of today’s discussion:
- County Executive Molinaro updated residents on the most current data available on the Dutchess County COVID-19 Community Impact Dashboard:
o 273,668 tests completed
o 6,811 confirmed cases
o 718 active cases
o 42 hospitalizations
o 185 deaths
o 5,908 recovered
o 3.9% regional positivity rate
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- Dutchess County’s 7-day rolling average was 3.2% as of Tuesday, Nov. 24th
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- As Thanksgiving kicks off the winter holiday season, County Executive Molinaro reiterated the importance of residents keeping gatherings small and physically distant, as casual get-togethers remain the driver of increased COVID-19 cases in Dutchess County. Such parties, or “hangouts,” even among friends and family members, have led to a recent increase in local COVID-19 cases, raising the Mid-Hudson region’s positivity rate, affecting the ability of schools and businesses to remain open and further stressing the region’s healthcare resources. County Executive Molinaro again implored residents to adhere to mask-wearing, social-distancing and hand-washing guidelines to avoid the spread of Coronavirus.
- Contact-tracing efforts continue throughout Dutchess County and New York State, and County Executive Molinaro reminded residents of the importance of cooperating with tracers to help quell the spread of COVID-19 throughout the community. Specifically, the County Executive asked residents to answer their phones when a state contact tracer calls, often from area code 518; to notify their contacts if they test positive, as it may take days for a tracer to call them due to increased case volume; and to keep their number of contacts small during this holiday weekend and the weeks to come. Residents are also encouraged to download and utilize the COVID Alert NY mobile app, which will provide them alerts if they were in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19; such vital information about a potential exposure allows residents to self-quarantine immediately, get tested and reduce the potential exposure risk to their family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and others.
- County Executive Molinaro again thanked the tireless members of the local healthcare community for their devoted service to Dutchess County during the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this week, County Executive helped unveil “The Nurse,” a larger-than-life sculpture depicting a healthcare professional by artist Nestor Madalengoitia, which began a temporary installation outside the County Office Building on Market Street in the City of Poughkeepsie. County Executive Molinaro also reminded residents of the County’s ongoing recruitment for public health nurses, who have long been vital to the County’s Department of Behavioral and Community Health and the Office for the Aging. Interested candidates can learn more about nursing vacancies at dutchessny.gov/jobs.
County Executive Molinaro’s next online forum will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 2nd at 3 p.m. and can be viewed on the County’s Facebook page. As with previous virtual forums, American Sign Language interpreters will translate the live conversation.
