Rockland Coronavirus: Containment Zone Requested

NEW CITY, NY —As the new coronavirus outbreak in Rockland County continues to spread, County Executive Ed Day is asking Gov. Andrew Cuomo to impose a containment zone around Rockland's hardest-hit area.

The number of cases of the illness caused by the virus, known as COVID-19, continue to rise.

As of Thursday afternoon, there were 3,751 positive cases of coronavirus in Rockland County, according to the New York State Health Department.

County investigators have confirmed addresses for fewer than half of those — 1,556 cases. But one thing they do know — most are in Spring Valley and Monsey.

At his daily news briefing, Day said the containment zone worked in New Rochelle, where cases spiked after hundreds of people who gathered at a synagogue in the city for two events in late February got sick and infected many others. Considered the country's first hot spot, New Rochelle's containment zone of covered a 1-mile radius around the synagogue.

"Why reinvent the wheel?" he said, pointing out that the containment zone in New Rochelle forbade all gatherings, closing synagogues, churches and schools.

He suggested the rough boundaries of a containment zone in Rockland County would be Route 45 to the east, Grandview to the north, College and Forshay roads to the west, and the New York State Thruway to the south.

New York State has been put on PAUSE: all non-essential workers are directed to work from home and everyone has been required to maintain a 6-foot distance from others in public. Non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason (e.g. parties, celebrations or other social events) are canceled. Sick individuals should not leave their home unless to receive medical care and only after a telehealth visit to determine if leaving the home is in the best interest of their health.

All residents have been asked to stay home, including children and teens not in school, unless you must get food, medical supplies, or are an essential employee that must work outside the home. To further reduce interaction with others, use delivery services or curbside pickup when possible. Stay at least 6 feet away from other people.

But the police cannot currently enforce the rules in the PAUSE plan because the state District Attorney's Association is calling them only "helpful hints." The only levels of government that are capable of issuing emergency orders that are enforceable as a matter of law are city mayors, county executives, town supervisors, and village mayors, but the governor issued an order in March that said local governments couldn't issue emergency orders about the new coronavirus, Day said in a statement Wednesday.

"We need local enforcement powers returned to the counties," Day said Thursday. He called on every elected official in Rockland to back his request. He also said if the governor doesn't respond he will go to the White House Task Force for help.

But he pointed out the governor has called for social distancing every day, and even closed playgrounds where people continue to congregate.

"The governor's been asking daily what is it going to take" to get people to obey the order and stay home, Day said.

New York now reports 92,381 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus.

If the rate of deployment continues, the state has enough ventilators to hand out for about six more days, Cuomo said in his daily news briefing.

As the state scrambles for alternatives to ventilators, staffers at Northwell Health came up with a way using a 3-D printer to modify BiPAP machines to help COVID-19 patients who are having trouble breathing. They are sharing the innovative adaptation with other hospitals across the state, Cuomo said.

Cuomo said the state has already taken a number of extraordinary measures to acquire more ventilators and build its stockpile, including tracking where all the ventilators are located in New York and shifting their locations to meet the highest need and ending elective surgeries. If necessary, hospitals may also use anesthesia machine ventilators or use a "splitting" protocol where one ventilator is used for two patients using separate tubes.

Cuomo also announced the State has begun conducting a hospital-by-hospital survey on a nightly basis to take inventory of every hospital's supplies. Additionally, all hospitals are being asked to contribute the supplies they don't currently need to a central stockpile to be distributed to hospitals with the greatest need.

Day said Rockland's two hospitals, Montefiore Nyack and Good Samaritan, are busy but not overwhelmed. The county has asked that a temporary hospital be installed someplace like the field house at Rockland Community College.

SEE:

• Coronavirus NY: Cuomo Extends Stay-Home Order
• NY Coronavirus Wrecking State And Local School Budgets: Cuomo

Any public place in Rockland is a potential site for COVID-19 exposure, officials said.

Here are the latest local updates from around New City:

SCHOOLS

All schools in New York will remain closed through at least April 15 in response to the new coronavirus outbreak, state officials announced Friday.

SEE: NY Schools To Close 2 More Weeks; Peak Cases Expected In 21 Days

All 2020 NYSSMA solo festivals and major ensemble festivals are cancelled.

BUSINESSES

New City Businesses: Open or Closed? Let Customers Know

GOVERNMENT

COVID-19 Executive Orders and Health Commissioner Orders can be found on the Rockland County Executive's page.

If you see something that may be a potential violation of either order, Rockland County health officials ask you to report it by calling 845-364-2585.

CARING FOR PEOPLE

The Arc Rockland needs supplies for its staffers taking care of people in residences and on home visits. They offer instructions for anyone with a sewing machine: Agency For The Disabled Seeks Homemade Masks: Instructions.

• Emergency Medical Providers Appeal For Supplies

SUPPORT

For more information and testing questions call the New York State 24-hour hotline at 1-888-364-3065.

For emotional support call the New York State COVID-19 Emotional Support Helpline at 1-844-863-9314 from 8am-10pm, 7 days a week or call the Rockland County Department of Mental Health at 845-364-2955, M-F 9am-3pm.

For local information and resources:

• Call 2-1-1
• Visit Rockland County's COVID-19 page