City Of Rye: COVID Update - January 3, 2022

Rye NY

04 January, 2022

10:02 AM

Description

Press release from the City of Rye: 01/03/2022 5:14 PM [If you don't get these messages directly and would like to, please go to https://www.ryeny.gov/services/email-notifications, scroll down and select "City of Rye News and Information."] It's the turn of the year at last, after a year that gave us a turn or two. 2022 does have a nice, fresh ring to it, doesn't it? Yes, we are in a COVID surge -- no way around that. Rye active cases number 470, and that doesn't include the tally of home-tested positives. (Home test results are not gathered due to the many variables present in home testing.) The bright spot. . . many of those testing positive seem to have asymptomatic or lightly symptomatic break-through cases. Westchester hospitalizations number about 400 and don't yet challenge our county-wide bed availability, although the hospitalization number has grown quickly. If last year's post- holiday surge is a guide, we will have a COVID bumper crop through mid-January and then begin a wind-down. Please be vaccinated and boosted, and masked in indoor public places. The County reports that 100 percent of Rye has had at least one shot. Let's keep rolling up our sleeves -- for seconds and boosters, as we each become eligible. Today, the CDC indicated that it will open the door to Pfizer boosters for 12- 15 year olds. This still awaits CDC finalization and NYS Department of Health concurrence. Anticipating that this will go through and to help facilitate, the City is making efforts to have one or more satellite vaccination sites specifically for this age group. We will provide more information as it becomes available. The County, of course, provides a vaccination site finder, https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/0a451c6b69dc460b9f869728682383d9, pharmacies in Rye are doing, all they can and the School District is exploring what it may be able to do. The current direction we are all hearing from higher levels of government is "stay open, stay open, stay open," which we are well-inclined to do. At the same time, of course, the City will be taking every precaution to guard its work force, its volunteer boards and committees, and its capability to provide its services. The patchwork of board and committee practice with respect to in-person or virtual will resolve to virtual for the near term. New York State, via the County, has delivered to us home test kits, which we previously distributed, and KN-95 face masks, which we will distribute as described in the next paragraph. The governor announced that we will receive more of both tests and masks, and we will endeavor to distribute fairly, efficiently and with ample notice. The City will be dividing a current supply of 1000 packs of masks, each containing 5 KN-95s, among four locations while supplies last: Police HQ, Rye Recreation, DPW and City Hall. These masks are for Rye residents only and proof of residency will be required upon pick-up. Please visit one of the locations below (see times available) with your proof of residency in order to receive a packet. Due to the limited supply, we will be able to distribute only one pack per household. Should the City receive a future supply of masks or at-home COVID tests, we will send out another message. Wednesday - Friday (while supplies last) Police HQ 9 - 5 Rye Recreation 8:30 – 4:30 DPW 7:30 - 2 City Hall 9 - 5 Testing resources remain strained. The County is offering free PCR testing at the County Center, but only for those who are symptomatic or have had known exposure.The County has reported that its online access to this service, https://health.westchestergov.com/covid-19-testing, is under repair, but is expected to be back in action soon. You can also phone 1-888-364-3065. Our COVID "community learning" (gossip!) runs towards Omicron being the beginning of a normalization of COVID as a less lethal, but perennial feature of human life. Way too soon to say, of course, but three cheers for less lethal and resounding boos, please, for perennial. The magic of the holidays typically carries us through the darkest time of the year, and I hope it did that for us all despite COVID. New year, new start on challenges old and new. Ready, set, go! Mayor Josh Cohn Return to full list >> This press release was produced by the City of Rye. The views expressed here are the author's own.