Twin Tiers Covid News

[TTL News 307]

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Moss told 18 News, the county does not have the man power to enforce orange zone violations. 

“As far as enforcing any of those orange zone violations, we simply don’t have the resources right now,” said Moss. “We’re pulling further resources from other county departments just to facilitate the vaccination process.”

The restaurant is still at risk of getting an expensive fine for their violation from the state. 

“We can’t do this any longer, it’s not fair that you can go half mile up the road and have full dining and you can’t do it down here, just not fair,” Woodard said. “If they want to come in and take away small businesses, I’m done. That’s that’s it for me I’ll close up and there won’t be no more BC Texas for us.”

 

See the rest here.

Since this story was first reported, The Diner in Horseheads has decided to follow BC Hots' lead. As posted on Facebook:

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After A lot of thought we are going to following suit with bc hots and open our doors for in door dining fallowing( sic ) all yellow zone guide lines please keep your mask on until seated and social distance

 

[MsKreed 1,172]

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"There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What's there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted and you create a nation of law-breakers." -- Ayn Rand

Are we there yet?

[TTL News 307]

Looks like Anne's Pancakes is doing likewise, announcing they will open Jan. 14th. 

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After much consideration we are going to follow suit and open our doors for indoor dinning. We will open up next Thursday the 14th at 7am for indoor dinning. We will be following all the yellow zone guidelines.

 

[TTL News 307]

Curly's Chicken House:

 

[Chris 2,154]

Turtle Leaf:

[Chris 2,154]

Add Lights Bakery to the list.

[TTL News 307]

In a letter released to the media this morning, Chemung County Executive Christopher Moss stated that over the weekend, the county received numerous complaints about violations of "New York Forward" protocols. The complaints included violations by restaurants, bars, retail and other businesses as well as residents not wearing masks and more. 

"While I look forward to the future where we will no longer have to abide by wearing facial coverings and social distancing rules, I would respectfully remind Chemung County residents that we are still experiencing a small COVID-19 infection rate," Moss wrote. "Vaccinations and testing remain a priority, but we still need everyone to remain vigilant on their facial coverings, social distancing, hand washing, etc."

"The last thing we want to do is have the Governor's office place additional restrictions on our County," Moss added. 

As of today Chemung County's rolling average is 1.89%, with seven active cases in the county.

[MsKreed 1,172]

While I do understand there are people, businesses and organizations that are extremely lax, ultimately, we're all responsible for our own risks, not others' behavior. 

I choose to be cautious because I don't want to unnecessarily expose a high-risk household member and completely support anyone else who wants to be careful.  I shop online and order curbside pickup as much as possible.  I am liberal with hand sanitizer, I use wipes or paper towels for door handles.... and I and carry/use my own stylus for touch screens and keypads. Yes, I also wear a mask in accordance with Executive Order 202.17  ...."when unable to maintain, or when not maintaining, social distance" (which I personally try to set at 8-10 feet). 

But it seems as if too many people have spent the last several months putting way too much emphasis on masks. Only masks. Masks at any distance. 

I have seen many people at a distance (retail employees, customers, medical staff) removing or lowering masks. And unless I have a particular need to interact with them, I have no reason to approach them, and they aren't violating any orders. I have rarely encountered someone who failed to pull it up when they get within 6 feet of someone. 

I will tell you, I am 100% infinitely more comfortable with an unmasked person 10 or more feet away than one wearing a mask and stepping close enough for me to slug them if I swing my arm.

[MsKreed 1,172]

[KarenK 382]

I have to agree with you KReed.  That one section "when unable to maintain, or when not maintaining, social distance" seems to be the one that no one has read since the day it was implemented. 

We were in DG one day and a lady was the whole way across the store, all by herself (and this was when our numbers were quite low during the summer) and some young man started literally screaming at her to get her mask on, he was going to the manager, calling authorities and on and on.  He was by the check out line so easily 20ft or more from her.   Dave got mad and shut him down. Told him that she is following the rules as written and if he was that scared he needed to just stay the hell home and to mind his own business.

Young man then stormed out of the store without another word.    

Said young man is not a stranger to us either.  lol

[Chris 2,154]

Yeah I agree with you guys. This whole thing has turned people into a self appointed "mask police". It's that, "Well if I have to EVERYONE has to" mentality so common out there nowadays. I guess someone commented "Where's your masks" on one of our recent band pics but they thought better of it and took it down. I didn't see it. But these people only see what they want to see, they don't see that several of the group are vaccinated and all of us have been pretty careful about what we do when we're not around each other. I wouldn't call it a "bubble" per se, but it's close. 

Equally bad though are the people who are militantly anti-mask and walk around a store very obviously proud of themselves, their body language practically screaming they want a confrontation. 

If we can get through the next month, month and a half, we should be able to start seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. It shouldn't be so hard. 

[TTL News 307]

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“The numbers are certainly concerning,” said Daryl Miller, Bradford County Chairman. “We’re seeing this uptick but it’s not in one particular slot, it just seems to be all over the county.”

Miller said everyone is encouraged to get vaccinated to help slow the spread of the virus. 

“It’s certainly an individual’s choice, certainly as to whether they want to or not,” Miller said. “We’re encouraging people if that’s what they want to do— if they want to become vaccinated, there’s opportunities, there’s vaccines for the young.”

 

See the rest here.

What are your thoughts? Are we headed for yet another spike like we've seen in the past? 

 

[KarenK 382]

Well, having spent most of last Sat in PA I can tell you that how they are doing things there and how we are doing things here is huge.   When they lifted the food requirement and curfew last week all bets were off.   Mask signs on doors but no one wore them.  There was no social distancing in a single place we went to and that was the middle of the afternoon in all of them.  We kept our distance if we could but one place I personally felt we should have just turned around and left but I was the minority in that choice.

For the most part places I have been to here, and there are quite a few of them, are still practicing the social distancing for the most part.  The food, maybe not. The curfew they have no choice.

I think our numbers may go up a bit, but nothing like what happened before.

Edited April 15, 2021 by KarenK

[Nick 73]

There is no real line that shows us safe/unsafe, good/bad, right/wrong in dealing with this. We are going though a process, all over the world, of learning how to adapt and deal with a pandemic. Part of that is going to be testing our limits, what we can get by with, what sickness and death rates we are willing to accept, and what controls we are going to accept being imposed on us. Different cultures and even different regions will determine where those lines are for themselves. The bigger question, in my mind, is how well are we going to learn the lessons? We are bound to experience more virus and bacterial pandemics, in 5 years or 50... will we have learned how to better meet the challenges, or are we destined to repeat this fiasco.

[Chris 2,154]

3 hours ago, TwinTiersLiving said:

Are we headed for yet another spike like we've seen in the past? 

I don't know. Won't surprise me to see it peak or even surpass previous numbers. I guess it'll depend on how fast spreading the new strains are. 

An acquaintance in Ontario said they've just returned to another shut down. But I don't know that they'd get away with that here. 

 

 

[KarenK 382]

2 hours ago, Chris said:

I don't know. Won't surprise me to see it peak or even surpass previous numbers. I guess it'll depend on how fast spreading the new strains are. 

An acquaintance in Ontario said they've just returned to another shut down. But I don't know that they'd get away with that here. 

 

 

Yea they are a week in to that shut down in Ontario.  I have a good friend there and she is livid. She said they are doing no good and their economy is decimated completely.  The vaccine roll out there is way behind the US.

[Ars76 69]

Numbers in the hospital are going up too 😥

[KarenK 382]

And then there is this https://www.weny.com/story/43676836/southern-tier-remains-high-risk-for-covid-19  Could it possibly be any more vague?

[Chris 2,154]

If I had to guess I would say it’s based on vaccination rates. But yeah, pretty vague.

(Actually, we’re a little tired of WENY’s news coverage lately. It’s mostly vaccine related “news”, weather, then sports. Maybe some national news too.)

This is just one of those “wait and see” things. The infection rates post-Spring Break will be a large factor. 

[Chris 2,154]

My understanding is the number of hospitalizations has increased and plans to shut down a COVID unit have been put on hold. 

[KarenK 382]

1 hour ago, Chris said:

My understanding is the number of hospitalizations has increased and plans to shut down a COVID unit have been put on hold. 

There are 3 hospitals in Bradford.  Packer, Towanda and Troy.  Does this pertain to across the board or just Sayre?  I know I have a friend who works in Troy and and that facility has been acting as the post covid infection respiratory rehab area and since they are all affiliated I'm not sure if one or all have actual "covid positive" patients

[Chris 2,154]

31 minutes ago, KarenK said:

Does this pertain to across the board or just Sayre?

RPH only as far as I know. And the units are for "actual" COVID patients. 

[TTL News 307]

BATH – Steuben County Public Health received notification 19 Steuben County residents tested positive for COVID-19. This brings the total to 6,408 confirmed cases, 207 of which are currently active. According to Steuben County officials, the individuals are isolated and being monitored by the County Health Department. Public Health staff investigated and identified close contacts of the confirmed cases and exposure risks. All those known to have direct contact with the individuals have been notified.

In line with CDC and New York State Department of Health guidance, information is collected beginning 48 hours prior to symptom onset or date of test if asymptomatic through the day of the positive test result to identify any potential exposure risk.

The investigations indicate:

• 13 individuals had contact with a previously reported Steuben positive

• Two individuals are associated with Corning, Inc. at the Erwin and Diesel Plants

• One individual is associated with BOCES Bush Campus

In addition, the individuals reported visiting the following locations that could pose an exposure risk within their investigation timeframes:

• 4/11, 4/13, 4/14, 4/19 – 4/21 – Kwik Fill in Addison

• 4/15, 4/16 – Corning Children’s Center

• 4/18 – His Tabernacle Family Church in Horseheads

• 4/19 – T&R Towing in Bath

Today’s age groups for the positives are as follows:

• 0 – 9 years: 1

• 10 – 19 years: 5

• 20 – 29 years: 5

• 40 – 49 years: 4

• 50 – 59 years: 3

• 60 – 69 years: 1

“Today is the first day since April 1st where the majority of the cases are connected with previously reported Steuben positives,” said Public Health Director, Darlene Smith. “Being able to link current cases to previous positives typically indicates that the new cases were already identified and quarantined as contacts prior to them becoming positive, which lessens the opportunity for further spread in the community. This month, we have been seeing high community spread and individuals testing positive shortly after known contact. Hopefully, we will start to see less spread as we all continue to follow prevention strategies.”

All residents should continue to monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills or repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and new loss of taste or smell and contact their healthcare provider for instructions if feeling ill.

[Chris 2,154]

2 hours ago, TwinTiersLiving said:

4/18 – His Tabernacle Family Church in Horseheads

Hopefully that doesn’t cause a repeat of what happened last Fall.

[KarenK 382]

1 hour ago, Chris said:

Hopefully that doesn’t cause a repeat of what happened last Fall.

Saw that earlier and thought the same thing.