MONTICELLO -As the number of COVID infections continues to climb, Sullivan County is joining with other Hudson Valley counties with a return to previous precautions, including mask requirements.
Sullivan County Manager Joshua Potosek has issued an Emergency Order reinstating the facial mask-wearing requirement for employees and visitors to all County buildings.
“This measure is designed to limit the spread of Coronavirus, the Delta Variant of which appears to be significantly driving up infections,” Potosek explained. “Due to the limited capacity of our local health systems and our obligation to provide a safe workplace, this Order is necessary.”
The Emergency Order takes effect at 8:00 a.m. Monday, August 16, and will remain in place until further notice. It applies to everyone, whether vaccinated or not against COVID-19.
“Note that we’re not re-implementing locked offices or sign-in procedures at this time. Most of our buildings remain open and welcome to the public,” Potosek said. “We’ll continue to evaluate as circumstances evolve. In the meantime, I encourage people to not only wear masks whenever they’re in close contact with others but to also get vaccinated.”
Hospitalization rates for Hudson Valley COVID cases are rapidly rising. State health officials have yet to release statistics regarding the number of new hospitalizations broken down by vaccination status. Officials in Hudson Valley counties told Mid Hudson News that non-vaccinated COVID patients are estimated to be one in 10, with 90% of new patients being unvaccinated.
For more information about COVID-19 and local testing and vaccination sites, visit www.sullivanny.us/departments/publichealth/coronavirus.
