WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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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. 

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Due to state restrictions, we will be closed to the public until further notice. There will be staff in the office in the mean time to answer any questions you may have. Please call (914) 422-1419 for any assistance.
We will still be cablecasting programs and our website will have all of our programs also at wpcommunitymedia.org

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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. From Westmed. March 18, 2020:

Editor’s Note: This is a letter from the CEO of Westrmed

Last week, I sent an update regarding coronavirus and Westmed’s ongoing efforts to provide uninterrupted access to care for patients during this challenging time.

Though only a few days have passed since my last update, we have seen a growing rate of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in our local community, and believe that to make a greater impact in flattening the curve of disease spread, we must take swift action.

Beginning today, Westmed will temporarily close several site locations throughout Westchester and Fairfield, including the postponement of elective procedures, and reduction in overall volume of in-person visits at the offices that will remain open at this time. 

You can find a full list of office locations and departments that will remain open by visiting this link. This decision is in-keeping with the recommendations for disease mitigation strategies aspublished by the CDC, and supports our nation’s shared efforts to practice social distancing and meant to prevent the ongoing spread of COVID-19.

Once again, while office visits will be limited for the near future, we encourage you to use our Virtual Visit services offered by Westmed Urgent Care, Primary Care Providers, and Specialists. You can request a Virtual Visit with a Primary Care Provider or Specialist by simply calling your provider’s office and requesting a “Virtual Visit” when you speak with an associate. In addition, Westmed Virtual Urgent Care Visits are also available 7 days/week from 9am-6pm for patients seeking on-demand access to quality care. We have developed this instructional guide for you to use to join your visit from your mobile or desktop device, if you are scheduled for an upcoming Primary Care or Specialty Care Virtual Visit. We do understand that telehealth is not appropriate for all of our patients and will do our best to accommodate in-person visits on a limited basis.

We sincerely apologize that you may be inconvenienced by cancellations or rescheduling. As always, we encourage you to reach out to your provider via phone or through the My Westmed Patient Portal to discuss any concerns or questions you have about your care. We will continue to monitor the situation with the hope of resuming regularly scheduled office visits as soon as possible. Remember to stay connected by frequently visiting our website at www.westmedgroup.com and social media pages, and listening to our Public Health Announcements Hotline: (914) 831-4149 for the latest information and updates.

By making responsible choices together, we can be the difference.

Best wishes for continued good health,

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