ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Good Morning, Capital Region!
A walk up testing site is set to open this morning in Albany, two more will open up on Friday in undeserved Albany County neighborhoods.
- Pop-up COVID-19 testing sites added in Albany: These testing sites are in addition to the drive-thru testing site at the University of Albany and appointments are required. CEO of the Black Nurses Coalition Dr. Brenda Robinson said these locations aren’t just about accessibility, they’re about comfortability.
Though many applaud the sites opening, the sites are only opened for one day. Community members were concerned with the lack of notice. Albany County Executive Dan McCoy said more walk up testing sites will open in the future.
To find out where and how you can get an appointment for testing: CLICK HERE
In Albany, a police officer has tested positive for COVID-19. The officer has had limited to no contact with other police personnel and no contact with the public. The officer is not experiencing symptoms and is quarantined at home.
Police said a professional cleaning crew has begun to clean and disinfect the officer’s work area as well as any other work areas that might be of concern.
2. All New Yorkers to wear masks in public: Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday he is issuing a new executive order requiring face masks in public in the state of New York. Starting Friday, all New Yorkers will need to carry a face mask or covering while they’re out in public. You will need to wear it in any situation where you aren’t able to social distance.
Cuomo said it must cover your nose and mouth. It’s one more precaution the state is taking to fight the virus.
“It can be a mask; it can be a cloth; it can be a bandanna; you can make it colorful, have a design, make it advertising. What’s the big deal?” he said.
There’s currently no penalty for not wearing the face mask, but the Governor said it will be enforced by local governments. If people don’t comply, he could put in place a civil penalty.
3. Saint Rose/Union College to furlough employees: Due to the financial hardships Saint Rose is facing, they will furlough 61 administrators and staff, which is about 10% of their workforce. They had already agreed to pay all employees through April 19.
Furloughed employees will continue to receive health benefits.
Beginning April 18, Union College is furloughing employees who are unable to work remotely. They are also putting a freeze on wages/salary for the fiscal year 2020-2021 and hiring through the end of the year.
The college says they will continue to pay for furloughed employees’ health insurance and said they will be working with furloughed employees to make sure they are not struggling financially.
4. Proposed legislation would give Americans $2,000 each month through COVID-19: Legislators are proposing a bill that would give each American $2K monthly for those over the age of 16 who make less than $130,000 annually, according to a press release.
“The Emergency Money for the People Act additionally recognizes that not everyone has a bank or a home address to receive a check – so it allows individuals to get this money through direct deposit, check, pre-paid debit card, or mobile money platforms such as Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal.”
To find out more about this proposal: CLICK HERE.
By the way, if you are wondering where your current stimulus check is you can track it using this tool that was created by the IRS: CLICK HERE.
5. Updated Coronavirus case numbers in the Capital Region: There are 213,779 confirmed positive cases, according to the New York State Department of Health.
The death toll in the state stands at 11,586 since Wednesday morning.
NEWS10 created a spreadsheet to show coronavirus trends over time. We update that information daily based on the numbers given by county officials. For the best representation for coronavirus numbers in your area, we’ll keep you informed at NEWS10.
County by County, we are still seeing an increase in cases. Here are the numbers according to the New York State Department of Health as of Monday afternoon.
| County | Positive Cases |
|---|---|
| Albany | 548 |
| Columbia | 96 |
| Dutchess | 2,048 |
| Fulton | 24 |
| Greene | 73 |
| Hamilton | 3 |
| Herkimer | 40 |
| Montgomery | 32 |
| Rensselaer | 124 |
| Saratoga | 227 |
| Schenectady | 237 |
| Schoharie | 20 |
| Ulster | 733 |
| Warren | 77 |
| Washington | 42 |
Here are some local stories you should check out…
- This local company will disinfect your trash: The Shiny Bins Cleaning Service in Malta is the first trash cleaning service in the Capital Region. They specialize in disinfecting the garbage cans sitting outside your home.
- Tri-City ValleyCats single game tickets go on sale: The team sending a tweet the night before the sale. They say for every ticket sold on Thursday, they will donate a ticket to host frontline healthcare workers, first responders, and their families.
- Local t-shirt company raising money for hospitals: Clear Image, based out of Northville, has started a t-shirt and mug service where $8 of the proceeds from every purchase goes to a local hospital of your choice.
- This production company is accepting video submissions for ‘COVID-518’ documentary: Bully Goat Productions wants residents of the 518-area code to send in video submissions sharing stories of the coronavirus pandemic. The production company’s new project, “COVID-518: Upstate New York vs. the Coronavirus,” will be a documentary on how the Capital Region addressed the outbreak of the virus. Find out how you can submit a video: HERE.
- High school seniors trying to make the best of their final year amid a pandemic: Most seniors are missing out on what’s supposed to be the most memorable year in their high school career. Events like prom and and going camping likely cancelled due to the pandemic. Hear from local students on how they are making the best of their final year in high school.
And still so many great things happening in the Capital Region…
Like this Adams Mass Patrolman, He normally visits Hoosic Valley Elementary School weekly to talk to the kids. Since schools are closed, he takes to social media to post videos to keep the interaction.
