Ramapo Reaches Out Over Uptick In Coronavirus Cases

RAMAPO, NY — As active coronavirus cases continue to be more prevalent in Ramapo than the rest of Rockland County, officials have renewed efforts to reach residents.

Rockland officials reached out to the hardest-hit communities Wednesday to talk about the rising positivity rate. The number of active cases rose sharply, from 272 on Monday to 295 on Wednesday. SEE: Active Coronavirus Cases Jump In Rockland.

The county hasn't seen those kinds of numbers since the middle of May, County Executive Ed Day said Friday.

"Thankfully, we have not seen an increase in local hospitalizations so those testing positive are likely not severely ill," he said. "But we must not allow a return to our situation in March and April when nearly 400 people were hospitalized at one time and hundreds more tested positive each day."

Most of the active cases are in Spring Valley and Monsey, each with more than double the number of cases in any other Rockland community.

"When we learned that there had been an uptick in cases, particularly in the Orthodox community, we renewed our outreach efforts," said Ramapo Town Supervisor Michael Specht in a statement. "It is well-known that the Orthodox Jewish community typically engages in religious activities that are communal in nature in adherence with their faith-based beliefs, which is why we have expended so much energy and resources in that particular community to highlight how serious the pandemic is and to counsel people on safety measures that could and should be taken."

With the Jewish High Holidays at hand, he said town officials continue to work with Jewish community leaders to ensure that all applicable COVID-19 protocols are adhered to and that houses of worship are operating in a safe manner, including a recent conference call with 50 members of the Orthodox community.

New York State health officials issued recommendations about the Jewish High Holidays, and he encouraged residents to heed them.

Specht said the leaders in the Orthodox community have been receptive. He said the town will continue stressing the critical importance of vigilance for as long as necessary in order to keep people healthy and safe.

Among the steps they've taken: helped circulate a letter from two dozen local medical professionals about the importance of wearing masks and keeping people safe; distributed masks to several local supermarkets, which they could then give out to the public; re-instituted English/Yiddish hotline and regular calls with community leaders that include updates from New York State and the Rockland County Executive; began airing loudspeaker announcements throughout the town; and opened localized flu shot centers based on recommendation from the medical community.

"The Town has been proactively involved in a COVID-19 education and prevention campaign
since March, during which time we have been assiduous in our ongoing efforts to underscore
the dangers posed by the coronavirus and heighten awareness of the importance of hand
washing, wearing masks, and social distancing to help minimize its spread," Specht said.

He listed previous measures and initiatives undertaken by the Town relative to the pandemic including:

• Provided an array of PPE to area hospitals and neighboring towns.
• Instituted a daily call in March with Orthodox Jewish community leaders, the purpose of which was to educate and inform people about COVID-19. Elected officials from the state and local level, medical professionals, and representatives from the Ramapo Police Department and Rockland County Sheriff’s Office gave status reports and discussed what people could do to keep their families safe. The daily call shifted to three times a week in June and to once a week in July, until the Hudson region entered into Phase 4 of the state’s reopening plan.
• Set up a hotline that people could contact to get information in English and Yiddish.
• Distributed 30,000 flyers that stressed the importance of wearing masks.
• Utilized the Ramapo Police Department’s loudspeaker system in order to communicate to the public the importance of complying with the Governor’s executive orders.
• Communicated with schools and camps about the need for social distancing.

Day thanked the municipal and community leaders working on prevention efforts.

"I ask that all residents be vigilant if attending any gatherings in the coming days," he said. "Please maintain social distance, wear a mask if you are unable to stay six feet apart, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and most importantly if you feel sick stay home. Through these relatively easy habits, you can protect yourself, your family, your friends, and our entire community."