Mayor Of Rye Releases Coronavirus Update For January 28, 2021

Press release from the City of Rye:

January 28 2021

[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."]

The Governor & Co. have been juggling the youth sports issue for nearly year, and now with graceful agility are bestowing that hot potato upon the counties. Pursuant to new NYS guidance, counties now have the authority to prescribe their own guidance for previously highly restricted sports such as football, basketball, contact lacrosse, wrestling and hockey. Westchester, along with our neighboring mid-Hudson counties, will be moving together to put in place less restrictive rules than those that have applied in past months. The new rules are to take effect on February 1 and will apply to scholastic and non-scholastic sports, with schools and sponsoring athletic organizations to be responsible for giving those rules effect. Many young people (and their parents) long frustrated by a sports hiatus will hopefully find some satisfaction in the new regime, which will be revealed in coming days. Your City intends to follow County rules, as applied by the Rye City School District, to sports group activities on City fields.

Those 65 and older, Phase 1A-ers ,1B-ers, and their families and other co-conspirators, are aware of a new rough and tumble sport: obtaining COVID vaccination. The elbowing, blocking and tackling takes place for the most part on the internet, with some arenas accessible by phone. City staff has put together a list of potential sources of vaccination appointments, and our Rye Senior Advocacy committee has tried to isolate a few leads that have led some to solid appointments, but has found good news fleeting. This being a game of both skill and chance, it is often the case that a website or hotline navigated patiently to a successful appointment by one proves to be a twisting box canyon to the next hopeful who gives it a try. The issue at the end of the day, of course, is supply, and as that waxes and wanes so does appointment availability. Persistence and patience are key.

As before, our Senior Advocacy committee also is attempting to focus attention on the needs of those truly homebound, who, even if they can obtain an appointment, cannot leave their homes to get vaccinated. The Committee is building a list of contact information for such individuals, that is, only those individuals who genuinely can't get to a vaccination site -- not because they need a ride, but truly because they are bedridden or otherwise are confined to their homes. Such individuals may provide their contact information to COVID@ryeny.gov and the Senior Advocacy committee will try to get that information to those who we hope will take on the work of getting vaccine administrators out to make house calls. Note, please, that providing information to the website does not guarantee an appointment or a vaccination.

We are still bound in many business and other activities by the varied rules prescribed by New York State over the past year. The City remains responsive to concerns and complaints with respect to such rules through that same email address, COVID@ryeny.gov.

Our City of Rye active Coronavirus case numbers, though still high (114 today), have continued to decline post holidays. At the moment, that stay-at-home style suits us! As ever, our hearts go out to those suffering with COVID, and to those who have passed from the disease.

I have the pleasure of once again introducing the Chamber's Winter Wonderland on Purchase Street, to begin this Saturday, January 30th (to be sure). The Spot the Snowflake scavenger hunt will be in full cry - please go to the Chamber website for more information. Cookies, I believe, figure in the plan.

Stay warm, stay well.

Mayor Josh Cohn

Useful Contacts:

• People under self-quarantine or exposure to known case, call (866) 588-0195 or 2-1-1 to self-report
• NYS Department of Health COVID-19 Hotline (888) 364-3065
• Westchester County COVID-19 Information Call 211
• COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline at 1-844-863-9314 for mental health counseling.

CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/media/dpk/diseases-and-conditions/coronavirus/coronavirus-2020.html
NY Dept of Health Coronavirus Update
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home
NY Dept of Health Contacts
https://health.ny.gov/contact/contact_information/
County COVID Updates
https://health.westchestergov.com/2019-novel-coronavirus

This press release was produced by the City of Rye.The views expressed here are the author’s own.