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WPCNR CORONAVIRUS REPORT. From Bedford Town Supervisor Chris Burdick. March 19, 2020:

In an email to the press last night. Town Supervisor Chris Burdick of Bedford advised residents how Westchester County is aiding towns in taking measures against the spread of coronavirus., based on County Executive George Latimer’s visit to the Bedford “zoom” Town Board Meeting and the County Executive’s remarks.

The takeaway: The state will decide on locations to add hospital beds; the county is supplying HASMET equipment to towns/cities on request. The county has required towns and cities not to disclose names and locations of corona positive persons, and that the County Budget forecast is now “blown.” Here is Mr. Burdick’s summary of what the County Executive said.

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• State of Emergency and Emergency Orders (EO)  The County Executive explained that the Governor’s emergency orders in large measure preempt the County and local governments from issuing emergency orders regarding the same matters, including closure of any businesses other than those which the Governor closed under EO (e.g., restaurants, bars, gyms); and curfews.  

• Mobil Testing Units/Hospital Beds  The County is working with NYS to identify sites to house mobile units to test individuals for presence of the virus.  The tests will be very quick so that many can be handled in a short time.  NYS will make the decisions and announcements of sites. Given the anticipated shortage of hospital beds, the County also will be working with NYS to identify sites for additional beds. 

• Disclosure of Individuals Tested Positive  HIPPA and other patient privacy rules strictly limit the disclosure of the identity of individuals tested positive.  The County requires that the chief elected official and Police Chief sign a non-disclosure agreement to the effect that the municipality may not disclose the identity of such individuals following the County providing such identities to the municipality except to prevent or lessen “a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of the Municipality’s residents.”  

We have been advised that one resident of Bedford has tested positive. In order to safeguard EMS personnel, the County’s system for dispatching EMS (known as 60 Control) will identify whether a call is to an individual who has tested positive so the EMS responder can take special protective measures.

• County Assistance to Municipalities  The County is tasked with getting personal protective equipment (PPE) and distributing them.  The County has arranged for municipalities to submit requests for certain PPE and sanitizers. 

• Severe Financial Impact on Budgets  CE Latimer observed that we are in economic free fall and we’re at the front end of the bell curve.  The County’s budget is blown.  It is not possible at this point to assess the impact.