Several residents have reached out to the Town of New Castle with concerns about the coronavirus (2019-nCoV). When it comes to matters of public health and preparedness, the Town of New Castle works closely with Westchester County. The County Departments of Health and Emergency Services participate in state and federal briefings, and provide important information to municipalities. To learn more about the current status and the steps that the County is doing to keep residents safe please visit: https://health.westchestergov.com/2019-novel-coronavirus

The Town is taking this matter seriously – the health and safety of New Castle residents is our top priority. If we receive any urgent information, we will provide an immediate update to residents.

Westchester County Legislator Vedat Gashi recently published an excellent and comprehensive update on the County’s efforts, which is pasted below:

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I wanted to provide you all a brief update on the Coronavirus into Westchester County (also known as "COVID-19" or "Novel Coronavirus").

TO DATE, there have been no confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in Westchester County. There are, however, currently eight individuals in Westchester County under voluntary quarantine being monitored because they returned from areas where Coronavirus cases have occurred.

For obvious reasons, this is a matter that we all must take very seriously. The Westchester County Health Department is strictly following CDC and NYS Department of Health protocols and is making sure those under quarantine have all the support services they need. Below, you can learn about some of the steps Westchester County has taken, and steps you can take to help stem the spread of the virus:

WHAT THE COUNTY IS DOING TO PREPARE AND KEEP RESIDENTS SAFE:

• County Departments, including the Departments of Health and Emergency Services continue to participate in State and Federal briefings to receive situational updates and information on the latest guidance for health care personnel and for monitoring persons potentially exposed.
•  The County is in communication with our local hospitals and other health care providers to monitor their supply of personal protective equipment and the County stands ready to assist facilities that need help with obtaining supplies.
• The County is reviewing its emergency response plans and is prepared to implement strategies, should the need arise, that would help lessen exposure to residents
• The County Department of Health continues to follow state and federal guidance on monitoring of persons who may have been exposed.  At this time, federal and state authorities are not requiring persons returning from South Korea to be placed under quarantine orders or to be restricted from attending school or work.
• The County continues to send updates to medical providers and first responders as new information is obtained.
• The Health Department has a coronavirus webpage (https://health.westchestergov.com/2019-novel-coronavirus).

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Stay informed, calm and don't be alarmed
• Wash hands - at least 20 seconds - with soap and water
• Stay home when sick
• Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze (into your elbow or a tissue)
• Clean with bleach-based products
• Get your flu shot
• The CDC has issued travel health notices:
• Residents should avoid non-essential travel to both China & South Korea given the number of cases in these countries. Older residents and those with chronic medical conditions should consider also avoiding travel to Iran, Japan and Italy.
• Before making travel plans, residents should visit the CDC website (https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel) as information is continuously being updated.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please visit the Westchester County Department of Health’s website at https://health.westchestergov.com/2019-novel-coronavirus or call the New York State Department of Health Novel Coronavirus Hotline at (888) 364-3065.

Lastly, events like this are a cause of stress and anxiety which can lead to biases against those of specific ethnicities or countries of origin.  Please remember that we are all co-workers, neighbors, schoolmates, and members of the community, and use this as another opportunity to be considerate and kind to one another.

Ivy Pool is the new Supervisor and chief fiscal officer of the Town of New Castle. She establishes agendas, presides over Town Board meetings, signs all agreements and contracts on behalf of the Town, and is responsible for maintaining financial stability of the Town of New Castle. Join us for a lively discussion on Tuesday March 10th 9:30am at Town Hall, covering many topics and issues of the day. 

Presented by DeNora Getachew, New York Executive Director, Generation Citizen

DeNora Getachew is the New York City Executive Director of Generation Citizen, a national nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to reinvigorating civics education in secondary schools in order to educate and empower the next generation of young people. DeNora began her career working on local democracy and government reform at the New York City Council and has worked at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law; for Public Advocate Bill de Blasio; and at Citizens Union. DeNora is a member of the New York State Public Campaign Financing Commission and the New York State Department of Education Civic Action Readiness Task Force.

Questions? Email us at lwvnewcastle@gmail.com