ALBANY — Albany County Executive Dan McCoy told reporters Monday that he believed he had COVID-19 in December or January.
McCoy said he got an antibody test which revealed he had previously contracted the virus.
"They put the timetable down before it even broke here, before we even knew about it," he said.
If McCoy's estimate is true, he could be among the first American's to contract the disease. The earliest confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was in California on February 26, however a June report published by the Center for Disease Control estimated that the disease could have started spreading in the U.S. in mid-January.
McCoy said he was traveling with County Executives of America and the military throughout Texas at the time he believes he got sick.
"It was scary because I didn't know what I was dealing with at the time but I knew I was really sick," he said. "It doesn't mean I can't get it again. It just means I had it once and got through it. So I am cautious."
McCoy addressed hostility and criticism he has been getting from county residents for his advocacy for social distancing and the need to use face masks.
"When you put your head on the pillow at the end of the day, you hope every decision you made was a decision that didn't cost someone their life," he said.
Meanwhile, Albany County sought to reassure the public Monday that Shaker High School has been sanitized after an school employee tested positive for COVID-19.
The school in Colonie was closed Monday for cleaning. McCoy said the county learned of the employee's positive COVID-19 cases Sunday.
"It was out of an abundance of caution that the school was closed today," said Elizabeth Whalen, the commissioner of the health department. "This has been a matter that has been comprehensively addressed by the school district and health department."
All individuals who were in contact with the employee have been contacted, Whalen said.
McCoy acknowledged that parents may feel uncomfortable sending their children to school come the fall, and said that remote learning is still an option for those parents.
Overall, the county saw nine new coronavirus cases Monday, bringing the total to 2,304. Three of the new cases are health care workers, two were traveling out of state, and another individual was linked to the Fourth of July party at a Hudson Avenue residence. The total number of attendees of that party who ultimately contracted COVID-19 is now 47.
The hospitalization rate has decreased to 0.4 percent, with one COVID-19 patient in the hospital and zero in the intensive care unit.
"We listen to the governor for guidance every day, and the CDC," McCoy said. "Right now it's still out there in the community."
Both McCoy and Whalen addressed issues of compliance with regulations that would prevent the spread of COVID-19. Whalen said she and her staff have been getting considerable pushback from people they contact to direct a quarantine.
"If you decide that you are going to hang up on my staff, that you are going to be difficult, the next step will be to have law enforcement on your door so please take this seriously," Whalen said. "This is becoming an increasingly difficult situation for our staff to work with."
"had" - Google News
August 03, 2020 at 10:56PM
https://ift.tt/33sss6d
Albany County Executive Dan McCoy says he had COVID-19 in December or January - Albany Times Union
"had" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2KUBsq7
https://ift.tt/3c5pd6c
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Albany County Executive Dan McCoy says he had COVID-19 in December or January - Albany Times Union"
Post a Comment