NEW CITY – County Executive Ed Day will not renew the local “State of Emergency”, which was declared on March 16, 2020, in Rockland County due to COVID-19. The State of Emergency had been renewed every 30 days as required under state law but will now expire on Saturday, June 12, 2021.
Active cases of COVID-19 have steadily decreased since mid-March of this year; there are currently 100 active cases in Rockland County with 6 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID. The current COVID-19 case 7-day average is seven new cases per day.
“With all of Rockland’s numbers steadily decreasing there is no need for a continued local State of Emergency. Last March we acted to protect the health and safety of our friends and neighbors and while these past 15 months have been difficult, we have overcome so much. I have witnessed so many examples of neighbors coming together, regardless of age, gender, race, or religion, to support each other during the pandemic and I hope to see that continue as we continue taking steps towards normalcy,” said Day. “Emergency Orders and powers are intended to be temporary; we do not live in an autocracy. It is now time to return to the regular governance of our participatory democracy and I urge the Governor to take the same action on the state level as an emergency no longer exists,” Day added.
According to New York State vaccination data, 159,557 people in Rockland have received at least one vaccine dose which equates to 49% of Rockland’s total population.
More than 13,000 seniors have obtained vaccination appointments as a result of county efforts.
To schedule an appointment for the first dose COVID-19 vaccine from any Rockland County Department of Health Clinic visit http://rcklnd.us/covid19. To search for additional COVID-19 vaccination opportunities nearby visit https://www.vaccines.gov/
“Our main focus now turns to continuing to support local businesses and residents as we move to fully recover from the pandemic. We are working with the County Legislature to plan how best to utilize the $63.18 million in American Rescue Plan federal funding coming to Rockland. But we encourage businesses, landlords, and tenants to take advantage of funding that is available right now,” said Day.
There is funding available through the NYS COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program for small and micro businesses and for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations impacted by the pandemic. Grants will be for a minimum award of $5,000 and a maximum award of $50,000 and will be calculated based on a New York State business’s annual gross receipts for 2019. The grants will be flexible and can be used for a number of different business operating expenses including payroll, rent or mortgage payments, taxes, utilities, PPE, or other business expenses incurred between March 1, 2020, and April 1, 2021.
For more information about applying visit: https://
