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Saturday, March 14, 2020

Village of Alfred declares State of Emergency

PRESS RELEASE

The Village of Alfred, following the Governor's declaration of a State of Emergency for the State of NY, and Steuben County's declaration, declared a State of Emergency to prepare for and manage Covid-19 response.  The Declaration of a State of Emergency is effective at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 14th, 2020.  The Village of Alfred stresses that these measures are precautionary; there are no known or suspected cases of Covid-19 in the Village.

Village of Alfred officials stress that this measure is taken to establish a link of communication with all entities within Alfred and the surrounding area.  We urge citizens to rely upon facts and guidance provided by health officials.  We ask residents to check for official updates at the following links:
Alfred State College Information: https://www.alfredstate.edu/covid-19 


Alfred Village Information: https://alfredny.com

The Village is closely monitoring communications put forth by the campuses. In addition to campus communications systems, the public will be able to access timely updates on the Alfred Village website: alfredny.org and Facebook page: facebook.com/villageofalfred, Fire Company Facebook page, Wellsville Regional News blog: wellsvilleregionalnews.blogspot.com and the Alfred-Almond Folks Facebook group. The Village is committed to keeping our community apprised of the evolving situation.

Please check the links above for updated information on a regular basis.  The Village of Alfred will post updates daily by 10a.m., and additionally as needed.

We ask that citizens share these communications with friends and neighbors who may not have access to digital or other media.  We request that everyone proceed with caution, care, and compassion for one another and for the community as a whole.  We encourage people to check in on friends and neighbors who might need assistance or communications.

The Governor's declaration of a state of emergency permits Alfred's A.E. Crandall volunteer company to transport patients who are likely to have COVID 19 to places other than hospitals--i.e. health centers or other adequate designated places for quarantined patient care.

According to the World Health Organization: Older persons and persons with pre-existing medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer or diabetes) appear to develop serious illness more often than others. As the full-time population in the village of Alfred is largely comprised of those in the most vulnerable demographic, the Village encourages community members to check on their neighbors, offer to make shopping trips, and assist those to whom it has been recommended to avoid social contact. Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. People should seek assistance from the usual sources - personal physicians' offices, Urgent Care clinics, ERs, or call for an ambulance (depending on severity) - but ensure they call before going, to enable the facilities to prepare for their arrival (or recommend other venues as appropriate).

According to the CDC, symptoms of coronavirus—fever, cough, difficulty breathing—are similar to the flu. If you develop symptoms consistent with the flu or are concerned that you may have been exposed to COVID-19

Public health officials recommend the following steps to prevent the spread of all respiratory viruses, including influenza and COVID-19.

Wash your hands frequently and for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.Cough into your elbow or a tissue and not your hands. Dispose of the tissue.Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work, and school.Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.




Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

If you are sick, stay home and do not travel or report to work.

Practice healthy habits: Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. 
Also recommended: “social distancing”— maintaining space between individuals and limiting physical contact (i.e., avoid shaking hands). Resources:

 
Resources from the Center for Disease Control (CDC)


Resources from the World Health Organization (WHO) 
 
Resources from Ready.gov
 
Resources from the New York State Department of Health
 
Resources from CSEA