We have all been making personal decisions over the last weeks on how to deal with the threats of COVID-19. On a municipal level, we take our directives from Orange County Government, Orange County Department of Health and the Governor’s Office. We use two very important information resources, the websites for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Orange County Department of Health. These sites can give you the most up to date information. We are connected to the County DOH by daily conference calls. Each call gives new directives that are immediately implemented. There are still many unknowns, but it is clear we must all do our part.
The Center of Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/. Orange County Department of Health: https://www.orangecountygov.com/149/Health
As new cases are being discovered in our region and testing is underway there are many guidelines that we must follow. In the event you feel you have symptoms it’s important to call your doctor, do not go to the doctor’s office, emergency room or hospital. Testing facilities are forthcoming, and it will be clear where they are throughout the County through the DOH website.
Personal hand hygiene is the most important thing we can do individually, personal distancing is something that we all should abide by.
As I write this column, we are waiting for a determination from the Governor’s Office on a possible delay of this year’s Village election. Based on information from OCDOH we have closed Stanley-Deming Playground and Basketball Courts and are also anticipating the possible closures of our municipal offices to the public which would include all meetings. A skeleton staff may be in place to continue municipal business. Water bills, parking tickets, and taxes can all be paid online. We will post any changes on the Village’s website and Facebook page.
Neighbor to neighbor, this is the time we act together. A resident reached out to me about an email and phone chain that will help keep their neighborhood informed and able to help someone in possible need. This is a simple and effective way to be ready to help each other.
The above column, written by Village of Warwick Mayor Michael Newhard, has been published in the Mar. 18 issue of the Warwick Valley Dispatch.
