CDC Issues Mask, Re-Opening, and Safety Guidance For Kids In School For 2021/2022 School Year

The CDC has released their guidance on re-opening schools for grades K-12, as well as on mask wearing. The CDC wants schools to fully re-open in person, and for people not vaccinated to wear masks. Those who are fully vaccinated are guided to use their discretion on if they want to wear a mask. Stores, restaurants and other places of business continue to have the choice to set their own preference for their customers. The news was early reported by editors on LinkedIn.

Said the CDC: “Students benefit from in-person learning, and safely returning to in-person instruction in the fall 2021 is a priority. Vaccination is currently the leading public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Promoting vaccination can help schools safely return to in-person learning as well as extracurricular activities and sports.”

Being that the Biden Administration has been extremely supportive of spreading the message of safety, as well as distributing federal funding to ensure that safety, a new level of trusts exists within the North American public, as opposed to last year at this time during this re-opening debate, coupled with high case and death numbers, was higher. For example, see how Brazilian eviction refugees are faring without federal support.

It is important to remember that in countries with low vaccination rates, and low trust issues for their governments, such as Brazil and India, case and death numbers continue to be high. Many people continue to die per day in India. Reporters from India, one of whom lost her father to the virus, have long speculated that several deaths are going uncounted, especially in rural areas.

The CDC recommends masks for kids age 2 and older. Mainly, the CDC is recommending to layer safety provisions in case masks are not possible. The “CDC recommends schools maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms, combined with indoor mask wearing by people who are not fully vaccinated, to reduce transmission risk. When it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least 3 feet, such as when schools cannot fully re-open while maintaining these distances, it is especially important to layer multiple other prevention strategies, such as indoor masking.

Ventilation, cleaning and screening are still highly recommended. “Screening testing, ventilation, handwashing and respiratory etiquette, staying home when sick and getting tested, contact tracing in combination with quarantine and isolation, and cleaning and disinfection are also important layers of prevention to keep schools safe.”

The CDC implores people to stay home when feeling sick. “Students, teachers, and staff should stay home when they have signs of any infectious illness and be referred to their healthcare provider for testing and care.” In order for this to happen, employers are going to need to be more forgiving when people stay home for mild symptoms.

For jobs that can take to the road on a laptop or phone, this will be a bit easier. For those who need to cook for or serve people, this will be more difficult without compensation.

For those who worked toll booths, this would have been hard, but now all tolls are electronic on the Beacon/Newburgh Bridge, and those jobs have been eliminated. Two weeks ago, we asked one toll booth collector if the state was finding them a new job. Their answer: “I have to find my own new job.”

Perhaps these workers can be paid to be trained to work computers that send out letters to chase people who lose the toll bill in the mail, and ultimately will be charged a fine. Then they can stay home when feeling mild symptoms and still get paid to work.

PS: If you are or were employed as a toll collector, please contact ALBB to let us know if your job was saved by way of being reassigned, or if you lost your job. What was the process?

Key Food Adopts "Clean" Cleaning Technology For Disinfecting Store - Electrolyzed Water

Photo Credit: Screenshot from Spectrum News

Trending on Spectrum Local News is that Key Food has switched disinfecting solutions to a “clean” technology, in its ongoing effort to kill viral particles as customers go in and out and touch products. Now, the grocery store is using "electrolyzed water," also known as a “hypochlorus acid” which can be sprayed from a something like a proton pack, supplied by a company called Pure Spaces.

According to this study in by the NIH, the technology is good for spaces that have nooks and crannies, and are not conducive to manual wiping of everything. The solution can be left on the product and not wiped away.

According to Pure Spaces: “Hypochlorous acid can also be produced through a process called electrolysis. Electrolysis is a technique that uses a direct electric current (DC) to drive an otherwise non-spontaneous chemical reaction. Specifically engineered elecrolysis cells can generate a solution of free chlorine species by running electricity through NaCl (table salt) and water. The oxidants hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hypochlorite (OCl-) are formed at the anode. If the pH of the solution is weakly acidic to neutral, the free chlorine solution will be dominated by hypochlorous acid.”

Spectrum interviewed the Key Food Deli clerk, Shirley Price, who wipes the pre-made food after customers handle it, and she seemed impressed that the spray could be “misted into tight areas, requires no wiping, and does not leave streaks.” According to the article, Pure Spaces has been providing this service to nursing homes and the food industry on larger scale via parent company Viking.

According to the NIH study, achieving a no-residue effect takes a careful balance: “higher sodium hypochlorite concentrations often leave a residue,” the study observed. There is a certain amount of time that the solution is left on the product in order to be effective.

To use this product, Key Food entered into an agreement with Pure Spaces. Said Key Food owner Mo DaBashi to A Little Beacon Blog, employees can use the product in their cleaning of the store as needed. “The product will be delivered to us every 2 weeks to a month. They will pick up the old product and give us knew ones every time to ensure it is fresh electrolyzed water and have a big effect while sanitizing and killing any viruses or anything like that.”

Editor’s Note: If your business is using a new technology or interesting method to disinfect or ensure safety of the virus, please send in your Tip to ALBB.

Optional Free Testing Program For "No Symptom" Students + Staff Opens For Beacon City School District

During his first presentation to families of the Beacon City School District, Superintendent Landahl announced that the Beacon City School District had entered into a voluntary program with New York State to offer free rapid COVID-19 tests to students and staff who want them. This is in an effort to get a better read of how many or who is positive with the virus but are asymptomatic.

These tests will be the “rapid” tests, which have been talked about as not being as accurate as the PCR lab tests. Dr. Landahl said that from his reading, the rapid tests are more prone to give false negatives, and that if it delivers a positive response, he said, the result will be taken into consideration. The District is using Avid Diagnostic Binax NOW tests that the New York State Department of Health has provided. “They require a quick nasal swab with something like a Q-tip,” Dr. Landahl described, and are not PCR tests.

Dates Of Availability For Testing

Testing will occur on Sundays and Wednesdays. “We do not want to interrupt in-person school to do this program, so we are targeting Sunday afternoons and Wednesdays for testing,” Dr. Landahl said in an email to the District. Parents will be with their children when they are tested. Testing was to begin on January 27 or 31, and may be delayed with the school closures and blizzard.

How To Sign Up For The COVID-19 Rapid Testing

This testing is only for healthy individuals showing no symptoms. This means, you could sign your child up for a test for any or no reason. School nursing staff will be conducting the testing. Results will be shared on the day of the test. If you are interested in participating in this program, the District needs your consent.

Fill out this online form to sign up: https://forms.gle/cxPjeBFLbCvLyjoYA

The Beacon City School District will create a random sample from the people who want to participate and who voluntarily signed up. Registrants will be contacted to set up a time.

Dutchess County Amends Quarantine to 10 Days From 14 Days, Following NY State Guidance

Sent via press release this morning, Dutchess County has reduced its quarantine time for exposed individuals from 14 days to 10 days. While strictly isolating at home is extremely difficult, both emotionally and logistically, please note the concern that remains while in the quarantine to if you have symptoms:

From Dutchess County Press Release 12/30/2020:

“Though the quarantine period is now shorter, individuals exposed to COVID-19 should remain vigilant. Anyone who develops symptoms while under quarantine OR through day 14 from the last date of exposure, should assume they are infectious and immediately isolate themselves and seek a diagnostic test.”

— Dr. Anil Vaidian, DBCH Commissioner

Following a guidance change for COVID quarantine requirements from the New York State Department of Health, the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) has amended the quarantine time period for individuals exposed to COVID-19 from 14 days to 10 days following the last exposure if no symptoms are reported during the quarantine. This change is effective immediately.

Quarantine for individuals exposed to COVID-19 ends after 10 days, without a test required, IF there are no symptoms reported during the quarantine period. Additionally, exposed individuals must:

• Continue daily symptom monitoring through Day 14

• Continue to strict adherence to prevention measures – use of face coverings, hand washing and physical distancing.

• If any symptoms develop, IMMEDIATELY self-isolate and should seek testing. A list of testing sites in Dutchess County is available at www.dutchessny.gov/coronavirustesting

An “exposed” individual, or “close contact” are individuals who were within six feet of a person who tested positive for COVID -19 for 10 minutes or more total in a 24-hour period when the person was contagious. Contagious is defined as 2 days before symptoms began (or 2 days before positive test if there are no symptoms).

“This is an important change that aligns New York State guidance with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidance and will help end confusion on quarantine timelines,” said Dr. Anil Vaidian, DBCH Commissioner.

“Though the quarantine period is now shorter, individuals exposed to COVID-19 should remain vigilant. Anyone who develops symptoms while under quarantine OR through day 14 from the last date of exposure, should assume they are infectious and immediately isolate themselves and seek a diagnostic test,” said Dr. Vaidian noted.

The New York State DOH’s updated guidance can be found here: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/12/covid19-health-advisory-updated-quarantine-guidance-12.26.20.pdf)

Quarantine documents and other information on the Dutchess County Government website will be updated this week. New York State and local contact tracers are also being advised of the guidance change

COVID-19 Update: Words Matter - Especially If Not Used (Detected, Positive, Negative)

During the testing process for COVID-19, we needed to become one with the Patient Portals that medical facilities make available to you to see your lab results, request a refill, etc. Doctors offices also call with lab results, so if you’re one of these people who avoid logging into to new accounts, and are satisfied with talking to someone on the phone to get your test results or order refills, then you may not have viewed how test results are presented.

In our case, they caused miscommunication and a wrong diagnosis. An easy mistake that thankfully was easy to sort out, but here is how it happened, and why it pays to stay on top of the medical professionals in your life, and trust yourself to keep pursuing what you know you need to.

The Most Obvious Word Left Out Of Positive Result: “Positive”

Nobody likes bad news. Nobody likes delivering bad news. To avoid delivering bad news, or saying “No” to someone, a person might speak around the issue, and not say the words necessary to deliver the answer clearly. Words might get hidden between the lines. In the Midwest, we call this “passive” and in some cases when you’re being critical or oppressive, this hidden language is called “passive aggression.”

Such was the case with the test results from the Urgent Care for my son. The call came in from the Urgent Care that he tested Positive, and had the virus. No phone call came for my daughter, and I was told that the office is not calling people who test Negative. I logged into both of their Patient Portals, and saw the following easy-to-read results:

“Negative” for my daughter.

“Results discussed with parent” for my son.

Dig into the results one step, and you’ll see the words “Detected” highlighted in red for the COVID-19 result. What is not stated anywhere on the page is the term “positive,” which is what most people are familiar with.

As a courtesy, our pediatrician had their nurse also call us with the results. The nurse said that my son was “Negative.” I questioned the nurse, asking where they got the information, and the answer was: “I am just the messenger.” COVID-19 is a hot potato. Understandable. I pursued, in order to find out where the miscommunication was, and it resided in the language of this lab result (see screenshots below).

In following up with the Urgent Care, it was learned that the ordering physician of the test is able to type in the brief description that appears on the Homepage/Dashboard, which is what a patient sees when refreshing the Lab Results page. The word “Positive” could have been typed in, but wasn’t. Instead, the following phrase was typed: “Results discussed with parent.” Being that it is bad news, it could have been an unintentional avoidance of the result, so that no one had to look at an unpleasant word.

Fast forward to a new test now that we are better (thank goodness!) - the Antibody test - from a different facility. Those results have appeared in my Patient Portal from another medical facility. First word in the description area: “positive” (not capitalized, for the grammar enthusiasts in the room). Clicking into the lat results, more details are discussed, and the word “positive” does appear in the details. The word “Detected” is still the lead word in defining a positive result, but in this case, was not highlighted red. Keep in mind, the word “positive” was nowhere in the positive lab result lingo for COVID-19.

In the case of the Antibody test, those antibodies are something that someone wants (though it comes with a price…the possible weakened or altered organs that the virus left behind). The word “Positive” in this case is something that you want, and was front and center in the Dashboard home page.

As we proceed with more medical tests and conversations than we are used to having in the medical world, this serves as a reminder to keep your wits about you. And as feedback to medical professionals as to how their notes are interpreted if the simple declarative words are not used.

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Possible COVID-19 Exposure To Beacon's Highway Department - They Are In Quarantine

During the City of Beacon’s City Council Meeting, City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero announced that there had been possible exposure to COVID-19 to Beacon’s Highway Department. “Services will be affected,” he shared. “They will be getting done, but in a limited bases, as they come off of quarantine, which will be some this week, towards Wednesday or Thursday. Again, people really need to take this seriously. We need to follow the guidance, the masks, the distancing. The County conference calls have now started back up as weekly calls, and the Governor is doing his press briefings 3x/ a week now. The numbers are increasing. The hospitalization rates are increasing. This is not going to go any time soon. We still need to be mindful and take the persuasions. We are working with the health department as we always do.”

Beacon City Council Members Share Their Personal Connections To At Least 10 COVID-Positive Friends And 1 Death

During last night’s public City Council Meeting, where City Council Members go around the table (or the Zoom screen at this point) to share their Ward reports, 3 City Council members shared that their friends had contracted COVID-19, and implored for people to continue to act safely. While the number of COVID-19 positive cases in Beacon today hovers in the 30s (it is 38 today, according to the Dashboard), which is relatively low to the higher end it reached in the spring of 127ish, numbers become relative when those numbers become a face, and in this case, families.

Terry Nelson, representing Ward 1, told the public that a friend of his was recently infected with COVID-19, along with his entire family. Terry encouraged people to continue wearing masks and social distancing, and insisted that this pandemic was not a hoax.

Air Nonken Rhodes, representing Ward 2, shared that one of their neighbors tested positive with COVID-19, and did pass away. “I found out that a neighbor of mine just around the corner passed away from COVID this past week. It’s such a sad reminder. I’m so grateful that my family is ok, but just around the corner, another family is not ok.” Air stressed that people continue to wear masks, but not just wear masks, and to stay home. Air encouraged alternate forms of shopping and ordering takeout from restaurants.

Jodi McCredo, representing Ward 3, disclosed that she knew 7 people who were diagnosed in the past week. “The numbers are on the rise. It seems to be everywhere at the moment.”

Anthony Ruggiero, the City Manager who is leaving Beacon for the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health to serve as Assistant Commissioner for Administration, which happens in January 2021, stressed that “people really need to take this seriously, with the guidance and the masks…The numbers are increasing; the hospitalization rates are increasing.” He mentioned this as he announced that the Highway Department had possible exposure to the coronavirus and have quarantined.

Local Ohio News

As for local news in Ohio (which is where this blogger is from), patrons went to a popular and very cozy (aka un-ventilated) bar in a small town east of Cleveland during the Thanksgiving weekend. As would happen during any classic Thanksgiving weekend in most small towns across America. Ohio has had a stubborn resistance to containing the virus with rebellions to restaurant closures and social distancing.

According to a person standing in line at a CVS picking up medication, 30 of the patrons came away testing positive with COVID. A few days later, the town endured a large snowfall, being in a snow-belt, causing a loss of power. Many people merged households in order to stay with relatives who had power. Several of those people are now awaiting test results and the elderly without power who went to their children’s homes (or vice versa) are fearful of experiencing symptoms.

Back in Beacon, restaurants and patrons are respecting social distancing and putting out heaters for outside dining.

Staten Island Pub Defiance Ends In Serious Injury For Deputy Sheriff

In Staten Island, the pub owner, Daniel Presti, 34, who is a leader in the “Autonomous Zone” movement, which rejects the closure of restaurants and has lost his liqueur license as a result but serves patrons anyway, allegedly hit a Deputy Sherriff with his car early Sunday morning, according to the Sheriff’s Office, as reported by Gothamist.

After Presti allegedly hit the Deputy Sheriff, "the deputy clung to the hood of the car while Presti kept driving off for 100 yards before the other authorities forced him to stop...The deputy sheriff was injured and taken to Staten Island University Hospital with multiple bone fractures,” according to Gothamist.

According to the report, Presti “faced 10 charges for the incident—including a felony charge of second degree assault causing physical injury to an officer. He was also charged with menacing, reckless driving and endangerment, obstructing governmental administration, fleeing an officer, and resisting arrest, according to court records.”

According to the article, Presti was released without bail, according to the report, and his next court date is January 11th.

If Presti had been Black, it is fair to say, based on numerous online videos of Black men being shot for maybe having a knife near them or not, or maybe having a fake $20 bill on them or not, Presti’s chances of being shot in the back or in the car while driving would be probable. And no bail set might also not be the case.

Dutchess County Declares Most COVID Cases Are Coming From Home

Dutchess County joined surrounding counties including Orange County (Newburgh), Putnam County (Cold Spring) and Ulster County to declare that most COVID-19 cases were coming from people’s homes as they get lax in social circles. “Case investigations in each of the counties show that the majority of new positive cases are transmission from family, friends and close acquaintances in casual settings as opposed to public settings such as schools, workplaces, retail or other businesses where prevention mitigation including mask wearing, physical distance and hygiene are strictly adhered to.”

In Beacon as of today, there are 35 cases. Just yesterday, there were 26 cases. There are 95 cases pending address confirmation. See the Dutchess County Dashboard here.

“Already, 4 children who attended that small gathering were COVID-positive, unbeknownst to themselves or their families. Since then, 15 positive cases have been traced back to that casual get-together, impacting a local college, elementary school, middle school and high school, proving the wide impact of “living room spread.””

— Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan

A joint, public call was held today by the three counties to implore citizens to not get casual about COVID-19, and to not get together with family or friends for Thanksgiving. Yesterday, when the joint call was announced, Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou issued a robo-call, urging people to socially distance.

Governor Cuomo’s nightly message this evening was the same, and bore down on travel, stating: “Travel is a real concern because New York State has one of the lowest infection rates in the country. If people travel here from states with higher infection rates, that poses a great risk.The CDC is strongly urging Americans, as are we, to avoid Thanksgiving travel. Celebrate this American tradition with just your immediate household to help ensure the safety of your loved ones and your community. Love is sometimes doing what's hard and this year, if you love someone, it is smarter and better to stay away. It's tough to hear but it's better to be safe than sorry—and we can still spread thanks without spreading COVID.”

Dutchess County Urges Residents To Not Cross-Mingle With Households

County leaders are urging people to socially distance from each other on days other than Thanksgiving as well. They made a big plea today via telaconference over Zoom. Presenting leaders included:

Dutchess County:

• Marcus Molinaro, County Executive

• Dr. Anil Vaidian, Behavioral & Community Health Commissioner

Orange County:

• Steve Neuhaus, County Executive

• Dr. Irina Gelman, Health Commissioner

Putnam County:

• Tom Feighery, Deputy County Executive

• Dr. Mike Nesheiwat, Health Commissioner

Ulster County:

• Pat Ryan, County Executive

• Dr. Carol Smith, Health Commissioner

County leaders are asking residents “to remain vigilant in the coming weeks and curtail small social gatherings. 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.”

Mid-Hudson Region’s Rate Rises To 4.6%, Attributed To Casual Settings

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said in the past week, 2 COVID-19 deaths in his county were residents in their 20s, proving the virus can affect every individual differently, regardless of age or underlying condition, according to the County’s press release.

Putnam County’s Deputy County Executive Tom Feighery noted that Putnam saw a direct correlation between people ‘letting down their guard’ (not following safety measures in casual, social settings) and COVID-19 transmission in the six days following Halloween when positive case doubled in that county.

Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan described a small Halloween party attended by just 3 families in late October. Already, 4 children who attended that small gathering were COVID-positive, unbeknownst to themselves or their families. Since then, 15 positive cases have been traced back to that casual get-together, impacting a local college, elementary school, middle school and high school, proving the wide impact of “living room spread.”

Many Cases Strain Contact Tracing

Contract tracing is key to keeping Beacon schools open. Once a student or staff member is identified as positive, the district staff goes to work immediately to contact trace to see who else may be impacted, and to ask them to quarantine.

“COVID-19 cases stemming from casual gatherings have a ripple effect on counties’ contact-tracing efforts, by creating an increased workload for contact tracers, which slows down the entire tracing process for all infections,” said the Dutchess County press release. “Leaders today asked residents who think they may have been exposed to COVID-19 to please reach out to possible contacts so they can get tested and begin the quarantine process.”

“We know that this is a make or break moment for us as a county and a community,” Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan said. “As we see our numbers increase to levels that we have not seen in months, we must remain proactive to blunt a much more significant second wave. We will be doing everything that we can to remind residents to continue to social distance, wear masks, and take all precautions necessary.”

County Executive Molinaro concluded, “We have been battling this pandemic for 8 months, and we don’t want our best efforts to go to waste. COVID-19 remains a deadly disease, and we must not become complacent and casual in our efforts to fight it. Even when you gather among your immediate family, please wear a mask, wash your hands and remain at a safe distance. The pandemic doesn’t let up for the holidays – neither can we.”

County Executive Molinaro’s father did die of COVID-19 early on in the discovery of the pandemic. From a personal perspective, this blogger’s husband’s best friend in Ohio has been doing his best to avoid COVID by not visiting us in NY. Recently, his father passed away, and they had a funeral for family and friends. A family friend attended the funeral, with no symptoms, who was positive, unbeknownst to her. Since then, the best friend tested positive, and was in bed for a week without being able to take calls, and his sister-in-law (his wife’s sister) has gone to the hospital with breathing problems. Others tested positive from the funeral as well.

3 City Of Beacon Employees Tested Positive For COVID-19; City Hall Remained Open During Individual Quarantines

On September 30th and October 5th, three employees of the City of Beacon tested positive for COVID-19 and were quarantined for a mandatory 10-day period, according to a press release issued by the City on or around October 13th. According to this week’s edition of the Beacon Free Press, City Manager Anthony Ruggiero confirmed to the newspaper that the last person to test positive returned to work on Friday, October 16th. He also confirmed to the paper that “City Hall continued to be open the whole time.”

According to the press release reported on by the Highlands Current, Poughkeepsie Journal and Times Hudson Valley, the City hired Servpro to “thoroughly disinfect all of City Hall on Sunday, October 4th.” The administration notified the Dutchess County Department of Health, and followed all protocols, including engaging New York State contact tracers, according to the release.

According to the Beacon Free Press: “In the release, City officials underscored their ongoing commitment to public health and the safety of its employees, residents, and visitors. City officials remind everyone to continue to take COVID-19 seriously and follow the proper protocols. The need to continue to maintain social distance of 6 feet and continue to wear masks when appropriate and wash and thoroughly was noted.”

As of October 20th, there were 12 positive cases in the City of Beacon, according to the Dutchess County Dashboard. According to Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, “the Hedgewood Home for Adults in Beacon Assisted Living Facility is considered resolved, with no new positive cases reported and no active cases within the facility,” he stated in a virtual Town Hall Forum. He also reported that Bard College announced a precautionary closure of its Annandale campus to visitors, but the Dutchess County Department of Health (DBCH) confirms there are no active cases of COVID-19 associated with the school.

As for the Marist cluster, Molinaro stated: “The cluster reported at Marist College relating to an October 3rd gathering has run its course, with a total of 30 cases in the cluster, according to DBCH. Marist College lifted its precautionary campus pause on Saturday, Oct. 17th.”

The press release issued by the City of Beacon to various news media has not yet been added to its website with other press releases. A Little Beacon Blog seems to have been left off the distribution list, which we have been included on prior for other releases, like the new business cards for police officers and new initiatives like Hope Not Handcuffs. It should also be noted that the Mayor issued a robo-call during the uptick earlier this month at Hedgewood, but not for this instance.

UPDATE 11/3/2020: The press release has been published to the City’s website, and can be found here.

Wishing everyone the most health and full recoveries.

UPDATE 10/29/2020: City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero says that the employees have recovered, and that there are just over 30 employees in the building on average.

Local Fitness Facilities Come Together To Speak Out Against Phase 4 Mandate

Editor’s Note: Marilyn Perez is a Yoga Instructor at Firefly Yoga in Fishkill, NY

Pictured: The Studio @ Beacon, Beacon Pilates, Firefly Yoga

Two weeks ago, local fitness studios and gyms in our region were preparing their businesses, staff, and its members to reopen Tuesday, July 7th as we enter Phase 4. Five New York regions - Central New York, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, North Country, and Southern Tier, entered Phase 4 on Friday, June 26th. As first reported by Times Union, a conference call was held with local leaders that Tuesday afternoon with New York's budget leader, Robert F. Mujica Jr. where he informed them that gyms, fitness centers, malls, shopping centers and movie theaters were no longer a part of Phase 4’s reopening plan - three days before those regions were set to reopen.

What Does Phase 4 Look Like Now?

As the mid-Hudson region enters Phase 4 today, Phase 4 now allows low-risk indoor and outdoor arts and entertainment, film and TV production, higher education and professional sports without fans. Phase 4 also includes groups of up to 50 can gather in Phase 4 and places of worship can allow up to 33 percent capacity, up from 25 percent, although a Federal Judge ruled on Friday that New York cannot limit religious gathering attendance if BLM protests are still allowed.

This change in the policy left many health & fitness business owners in our area feeling like the rug was pulled underneath them. Businesses were working with the state’s NY Forward website for Sports and Recreation guidelines to establish what their new protocols were going to be like. The sudden change seemed abrupt and did not provide additional information on what these businesses can expect next. Will there be a Phase 5? Will there be a change in the Sports and Recreation guidelines?

Petitions, Speaking Out, and Taking Action

County Executive Marc Molinaro and Senator Sue Serino have spoken out against the change, agreeing that it left businesses feeling blindsided. Serino has stated “I stand in support of the countless Hudson Valley employers and employees who are on the brink of financial ruin in calling on the state to allow these businesses to reopen as planned…when asked to step up and stay home, New Yorkers kept their promise. Now, it’s far past time for the state to keep its own promise by allowing these businesses to safely open as originally scheduled.”

Molinaro shared in a Facebook comment “I don’t think it’s unfair to expect the data and science associated with a decision that was unexpected and exactly contrary to what they had been advising even the day before - especially when it contradicts the “science” of opening higher risk businesses… I respect everyone is concerned and frustrated - regardless of viewpoint. Our job is to attempt to navigate it all for those we serve.”

Serino created a petition urging the state to allow these businesses to open as originally scheduled. This petition is in addition to the several petitions created on Change.org requesting New York to reopen its gyms. All citing how these facilities serve as a necessity for people dealing with physical conditions, mental illness, depression, anxiety, addiction, trauma, stress, loss of energy and more.

Separating Fitness Boutiques From Gyms

Smaller, specialized studios that cater to specific workouts like Pilates, Crossfit, Spin, and Yoga are better equipped to control attendance than most businesses. Larger gyms have general open hours and equipment for members to enter throughout the day. Smaller studios are based on scheduled classes, session times, and usually limited to one room. Limiting amount of clients, enforcing face masks, pre-registration, and wellness check-ins are just a few of the many new regulations that will be enforced.

Since March, gyms have had to freeze or cancel memberships altogether while landlords continued to charge full rent for a space that is not being used. Two local yoga studios have closed their doors - Namastesis in Fishkill and Pavonnine Yoga in Beacon. While gyms are doing what they can to keep members engaged with Zoom and outdoor classes, membership numbers are not what they were. The only way to keep afloat is to get people through the door, even with restrictions. Facilities like All Sport Health & Fitness, Firefly Yoga, The Studio @ Beacon, and Orca Empire Fitness have shared on their social media and/or newsletters what they are doing to adhere to CDC guidelines.

What’s Next?

In light of this, the New York State Fitness Alliance was created for owners of Gyms, Studios, and Fitness centers of all types and sizes throughout the State to come together for the purposes of developing a plan to safely reopen. New York State Fitness Alliance (NYSFA) worked together with fitness centers and studio owners to create a plan to reopen safely. This plan has been presented to the Governor’s office, Regional Control room officials, State Legislators and County Executive’s.

iHRSA, a global community of health and fitness professionals committed to the growth, protection, and promotion of the health and fitness industry - has been in talks with members of Governor Cuomo's reopening team and has provided additional data supporting the ability of clubs to operate safely in the new COVID environment. They also cite research from this study that has shown “low possibility of coronavirus transmission in fitness facilities implementing social distancing and other safety measures.”

During his daily briefings, Governor Cuomo has expressed concern over the air quality in indoor spaces and have called out shopping malls specifically to incorporate air filtration systems that can filter out the COVID-19 virus. “There are HEPA filters, which are high-efficiency particle air filters, that can actually filter out the COVID virus,” Cuomo said on Monday during a COVID-19 briefing. "The COVID virus is .1 microns. There are HEPA filters that can filter out .01." In the meantime, essential businesses have been open, and businesses have been reopening throughout Phases 1-3. This leaves smaller studios questioning if this also applies to them? They’re still waiting for answers and guidance.

The Medical Mask Shortage - The Gown Shortage - The PPE Shortage - Despite The Millions Of Donations

Writing about the shortage of masks, gowns, face shields, etc. feels incomprehensible. This is partly because we are hearing about a shortage of masks/gowns/gloves/etc. from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (and any other state governor you listen to), yet the White House announces that companies like Jockey are repositioning themselves to make the masks and the cloth materials. Gov. Cuomo will gratefully acknowledge a donation of “1 million desperately needed surgical masks for New York's essential workers in collaboration with New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, and China's Consul General Huang Ping.”

Haute Couture Designer Christian Siriano has converted his design shop to making masks for medical workers during the shortage of official CDC grade N95 masks. The CDC issues emergency-grade mask guidelines, and that is what he and other makers are stitching as quickly as possible
Photo Credit: @csiriano

Yet medical professionals in the field just don’t have the masks and are using bandanas and whatever they can find to protect themselves. Even Vogue is writing about it, pointing out that China had temporarily halted production and export of the masks due to their own quarantine issues. Vogue and others are pushing for design companies to shift production to make masks, gowns, etc. Gov. Cuomo is very upset about the China production reality, and brings it up now at daily briefings. New York makers and some Beaconites saw this coming, and started a sewing group to specifically sew masks for medical workers: NY Mask-Makers Supporting Our COVID-19 Avengers! (accepting hospitals) tightly moderated by Rena Leinberger.

Some haute couture designers, like Christian Siriano (former “Project Runway” winner and known for his fantastical designs), have completely turned their U.S. production studios into mask-making factories. A modern English tailoring company, Reeves Bespoke (lives in Beacon! ALBB wrote about them here) has put their team, normally based in Union Square, to work in their homes on their home sewing machines to stitch masks for medical front-liners. The shirt maker Mel Gambert has converted his small shop of 17 people to stitch two types of medical masks.

Ask any medical professional friend of yours, and the answer will be the same. My friend in Maine whose Dad came out of retirement to work the front lines texted me today to say that he still did not have an N95 mask. He started serving two weeks ago. So many masks are used during the course of the day, the demand for them is staggering.

Because of the state of emergency, the CDC has issued approval for others to make masks that follow a set of guidelines, which you can look at here. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine brought up an Ohio company, Battelle Labs, who developed technology for an N95 mask sterilizer machine years ago, that had grown dusty waiting for FDA approval. The machine could have sterilized a single N95 mask 20 times for re-use instead of trash. That approval, after a lot of arm-wrestling, came last week. As reported by WCPO Cincinnati:

“The FDA, after appeals from Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, has approved Columbus-based company Battelle’s new technology to disinfect N95 masks, conceding to the company’s request for permission to clean up to 80,000 masks a day for healthcare professionals on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

”Early Sunday morning, the FDA had given Battelle permission to use the technology, but only to clean 10,000 masks per machine, per day. By contrast, the company was requesting clearance to clean 80,000 masks per machine, per day.

”During a heated press conference Sunday afternoon, Governor Mike DeWine called the Food and Drug Administration ‘reckless,’ and asked the agency to allow Battelle Labs to move forward with mask-sterilizing technology.

"‘We have been waiting and waiting and waiting,’ said DeWine. ‘Let us move forward,’ DeWine said, pouding on the podium during his Sunday news conference. ‘We have to protect people on the frontline.’

“‘This has the ability to help,’ Governor DeWine continued. ‘The urgency of getting these online … is not just for Ohioans. It is for the people throughout the country.’”

The FDA eventually did approve the 80,000, and the president did talk about it during a White House briefing. But there are only a handful of machines in the world at the moment. Boston is getting one soon, and is dedicating a vacant former Kmart store to be a location to disinfect the masks.

The Mask Shortage Was Well-Known Among Medical Professionals

Prior to the coronavirus wake-up call, a nurse I talked to in Beacon was already woke to the collapse of the health care system, and knew that the hospital system would be crushed because the United States and hospitals were not prepared with the supplies. Governor Cuomo has been calling for PPE supplies from the beginning - roughly 30 days ago now - and gratefully acknowledges when a donation is announced. The verbal confirmation of that gives a moment of relief. But.

The masks are not in hand as hospitals fill up. New York City hospitals are already full, pushing one of the first overflow hospitals at the Javits Center to open up to COVID-19 patients. Originally, the overflow hospital was reserved for non-COVID-19 patients, but already, the 2,500 beds are needed for COVID-19. “As it turned out,” said Governor Cuomo in his 4/3/2020 briefing, “we don’t have non-COVID people to any great extent in the hospitals. Hospitals have turned into effectively ICU hospitals for COVID patients. We wanted to convert Javits from non-COVID to COVID.” The governor had to push for federal approval on that, since the Javits Center was set up and staffed by federal workers. After a push to the president, the governor got the approval.

This Is How Many N95 Masks Are Needed

To give you an idea of the how large an amount of N95 masks are needed - New York had 53,000 hospital beds, and Governor Cuomo has anticipated needing 113,000 beds. That doesn’t include the ICU beds which accompany the ventilators, used by people who are on in the worst stages of COVID-19. New York State has 3,000 ICU beds, and needs 18,000, but possibly 37,000. Governor Cuomo mandated that elective surgeries stop, and that hospitals get creative with finding room for more beds within their facilities (New York has also purchased a lot more beds to fill the space). And that’s just one state. There are 50 states who are facing this pandemic. Now you see why a donated amount of 1 million masks is amazing, but is a drop in the bucket. And that doesn’t account for gowns, and everything else.

Where Are The Masks?

Reporters during the press briefings are quick to ask if the masks or PPE equipment has shipped, and where it is. Which hospital. Governor Cuomo answers as best he can. Reports at different media outlets will come out, chasing the PPE equipment, and the cycle goes on to figure out how to get enough PPE equipment (masks, gowns, face shields, etc.) This week, the governor announced that the hospitals would be forced to work together, in order to spread the PPE around as needed.

The Makers Get Involved In Mask Making

Enter the Makers. The sewers and stitchers of the world are stitching as fast as their presser feet will sew on their home machines to constantly churn out emergency-medical grade masks for the front line medical workers within their localities. In St. Louis, Dr. Timothy Lancaster, MD Cardiac Surgery Fellow, Barnes Jewish Hospital, whose wife is a friend of mine, was doing something that shocked her: he was “talking via Facebook Messenger Video with a (thorough, thoughtful, very generous) crafter from Missouri” who was doing a deep dive on her research for making the hand-stitched masks - that are not comparable to an N95 mask made with CDC guidelines (as per the Comment below, to make sure this is clear). She is one of many, many crafters around the country making these masks now.

Makers doing this work are fueled by the desire and ability to help. And their maker spheres are filled with adrenaline to help and hopefully impact even one medical worker.

But the sense of systems failing have some angry as they stitch (and you don’t want an angry stitcher). Says one Beaconite who wanted to remain anonymous: “It doesn’t feel good to make them. It feels terrible. I feel awful and it hurts to sit there for hours making them. Our government has failed us and the fact that I, a former costume designer, have had to start making dozens of masks is very frustrating. I get 2-5 inquiries a day to make masks for people. And I say Yes and ask for a donation to Fareground Food + Community instead of payment. But it’s a lot. It takes hours of my day and I admit I have to take breaks. I’m also trying to work my job and take care of my kids at home and cook and clean for 5 people.”

Article on that to come next. But first, you’ll hear from two Beaconites: Josephine Johnston (bioethics researcher) and Katherine Wheeler-Martin (an epidemiologist) on when these homemade masks are acceptable in healthcare settings during crisis situations.

Do You Manufacture Clothing? New York State Is Hiring

Governor Cuomo wants to ramp up production in your production environment. He tweets and says during daily briefings: “We need more supplies. We need your help. If you can manufacture PPE I urge you to do so. New York can offer funding. Email Covid19supplies@esd.ny.gov.”

HEALTH: What Happens When You Call The Dutchess County Coronavirus Hotline? (Food, Transportation, and Volunteer Options)

Several options are available when you call the Dutchess County Coronavirus Hotline. If you are seeking testing, you are advised to call your doctor first. You will need a doctor-prescribed test. If you do not have a doctor, free testing is currently only available to people in high-risk groups, including medical professionals, according to a person working at the New York State Coronavirus Hotline, (845) 486-3555.

HOURS: Open Monday to Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm

If you need help after those hours, you may still call the New York State Coronavirus Hotline. They are there to answer questions, but cannot prescribe you a test. They are very helpful with information.

DUTCHESS COUNTY HOTLINE OPTIONS

When you call the Dutchess County Coronavirus Hotline, the call is also available in Spanish. You can press different buttons to reach the following options. As of 3/31/2020, the following options are available. If you need to:

• Learn more about novel coronavirus and what you can do to protect yourself.

• Reach the COVID-19 call center.

• Obtain food because of the COVID-19 situation, you can find information at this option.

• Find transportation to a pharmacy for pickup and drop-off of prescriptions, a food shopping center, or a doctor’s office or health care center for medical needs only.

• Volunteer for the COVID-19 response.

If you are feeling symptoms of coronavirus, you are encouraged to call your doctor.