Coronavirus Update, March 10, 2021
Schuyler county now has 200 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The doses are available for Adults 18 and older with certain medical conditions, employees of the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities and some essential workers. Schuyler County is in phase 1b of their vaccine rollout program, members of the county 65 and older can now get their vaccine doses at pharmacies in the local area.
The Watkins Glen water infrastructure improvement plan has been granted permission to begin it’s first phase on March 2nd during a Board of Trustees meeting.
The new plan allows the construction of a new water treatment facility, intake and pump house. Currently the board of trustees has not given a completion timeline for the plan. It’s expected to cost Watkins Glen around 9 million dollars
Agriculture workers are ineligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in New York State despite the CDC recommending that they be included in phase 1b of the vaccine distribution.
David Fisher, President of the Farm Bureau, expressed frustration that Governor Cuomo recently visited an agricultural site in New York, yet still hasn’t added agricultural workers alongside the latest vaccine expansion. The Phase 1b expansion allows for individuals 65 and older and with underlying health conditions to get the vaccine.
New Yorkers owe 1.14 billion dollars in unpaid electric bills. According to the Albany Times Union, this suggests that the state moratorium on cut-offs will likely be extended.
With job losses due to the pandemic, the state will likely adjust how it assists low-income residents with heat and electric moving forward.
This 1.14 billion dollars owed, as of this past December is up 62% since February of 2020, the highest on record.
The Public Utility Law Project of New York is working to educate consumers about their rights regarding utilities, advocating specifically for low-income families.
Tompkins County is reporting 15 new positive cases of COVID-19, and a total of 98 active cases. There have been no new hospitalizations in Tompkins County.
Schuyler County is reporting 1 new case of COVID, and 5 total active cases of the virus.