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Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro announced the County’s Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) will work together with the 13 nursing homes in the county to test each resident.
The county will kick off the effort with a pilot program with Wingate at Beacon nursing home, where the county's limited supplies of swaps and protective gear should be enough to test each resident.
“The health and safety of every Dutchess County resident remain our top priority, and caring for the well-being of our most vulnerable seniors during this pandemic is critical," said Molinaro. "We have seen the ravaging toll COVID-19 has taken on nursing homes throughout our nation, and we are taking proactive steps to ensure we save lives."
While there have been limited number of positive COVID-19 cases reported in nursing homes located in the county to date, recent testing in Ulster County has heightened concerns about the potential spread of COVID-19, as 96 out of 330 residents at two Ulster County nursing homes tested positive for COVID-19 – with many of these cases exhibiting no symptoms, Molinaro said.
To receive enough supplies to allow for testing at all 13 sites, Molinaro has asked Gov. Andrew Cuomo for 2,000 tests.
Currently, the pressing items needed for the testing include personal protection supplies such as N-95 respirators, surgical masks, suits and gowns, eye protection, as well as hand sanitizer.
As of Wednesday, April 29, Dutchess County had 2,683 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, with 36 deaths.
To learn more, visit the county's site here.
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