Author: Saratoga TODAY

BALLSTON SPA – With an eye on schools reopening amid concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the county announced a new $3.9 million initiative that offers testing for local students, teachers and staff. 

Next week, the Board of Supervisors is expected to approve a $3.9 million project, that will make available what Board of Supervisors Chairman Theodore Kusnierz called “a patient-friendly, non-invasive saliva/swab test in schools.” The project is fully funded by a federal grant via the CDC, and covers both the equipment contract – at $3.5 million with Quadrant Biosciences Inc. of Syracuse – as well as “necessary staffing” the board deems as appropriate for the tests conducted in schools. 

“I think this will be well-received by the schools,” Kusnierz said.  Results of the self-administered PCR test will be available in 24 hours, and assistance will be available for any student that needs help in performing the test. 

“The Superintendent of BOCES (Anita Murphy) is a member of our Task Force and she’s playing a key role in ensuring the strategy of our school districts – even those outside of Saratoga County – are aware of what we’re doing here in Saratoga,” Kusnierz said. 

“The frequency of testing will follow CDC recommendation – so that will depend on the level of community transmission and whether certain individuals are engaged in extra-curricular activities or sports, but in general it will be once a week when community transmission is at any level but low,” said Saratoga County Public Health Commissioner Dr. Daniel Kuhles. 

The CDC identifies four ascending levels of community transmission – Low, Moderate, Substantial, and High – by measuring the number of positive tests compared to county population over a seven-day period. In Saratoga County – where there is a population of approximately 230,000 – the LOW category would equate to less than 23 persons per week testing positive for COVID-19. The number of persons as of Aug. 11 testing positive in the county this past week is 295.        

Asked about implementation of the tests, as well as masking, Dr. Kuhles replied, “questions about mandates are really for the elected officials and school boards to decide.” 

“Regarding school reopening, the county is not taking any position or mandates as far as what schools are going to do at this point – that decision is going to be up to the individual schools,” said Clifton Park Supervisor and SHARP (Saratoga Health And Readiness Planning) Task Force member Jonathan Schopf. “We’re hoping for a target date of around August 16 when the schools will release their reopening policies.” 

Earlier this month, the Saratoga Springs City School District updated its current health and safety plans, requiring all students and staff to wear an appropriate mask at all times while inside any of the district’s buildings. 

“Masking is known to be an effective layer of prevention in schools and other locations,” said Dr. Kuhles. “It prevents the wearer from being exposed when used consistently and correctly and it can also act as a type of source control if the wearer of the mask is infected and prevent exposures to others.” 

Kusnierz said Saratoga County is the third most vaccinated county in the state outside of New York City. Meanwhile, Saratoga County remains in the “High Transmission” range of the virus as per CDC metrics. As per age range, the 18 to 29 years-of-age group has returned the most positive test results since Aug. 1 Kusnierz said, accounting for one-fourth of all positive cases in  Saratoga County.   

“The increase in numbers regarding the Delta variant with the COVID-19 disease certainly is concerning based upon what we’re seeing happen across the nation, across New York State, and we’re also concerned here in Saratoga County,” said Kusnierz, “but I just want to keep it in perspective If you look at the (relatively low) number of people being hospitalized.” 

“Yes, the numbers are going up, however the best way for an individual to be protected is to get the vaccination. It’s been demonstrated scientifically: you get the vaccine, there’s a high probability you’re not going to get admitted to the hospital…I encourage all our residents to receive the vaccination,” Kusnierz said.

Dr. Kuhles agreed. “The vaccine is doing what it is designed to do which is prevent hospitalizations, severe illness, and death…vaccine remains our most effective tool in our battle against COVID.”   

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Adirondack Community Action Programs, Inc. has been awarded a grant of $1 million to implement its Rural Communities Opioid Response program, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, R-Saratoga, announced Aug. 9. 

The Rural Communities Opioid Response program is a multi-year program that addresses barriers to treatment for substance abuse and opioid use disorder. The funds work to enhance access to care so rural communities can seek treatment and prevention services needed to combat the opioid epidemic. 

“The opioid crisis has had a devastating impact on the North Country, and unfortunately, the crisis has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. This important funding will go a long way both to combat this terrible epidemic and expand access to care so that those suffering from addiction can receive the treatment they need,” Stefanik said, in a statement. 

BALLSTON SPA — Clifton Park Town Supervisor Phil Barrett, chair of the Public Health Advisory Task Force announced on Aug. 6 the Task Force is recommending the county create a Director of Environmental Health position as an important step in transitioning from a county Public Health Services office to a full-service County Department of Health. 

As a result of an increase in resident population, the county must convert from a partial health service county to a full health service district, pursuant to NY Public Health Law Article 340. This conversion requires the addition of an environmental services unit, as these services will no longer be provided by the New York State Department of Health. Saratoga County is working directly with the New York State Department of Health during this transition process. 

“The creation of a Director of Environmental Health is a critical step in the process, as this person will play an important role in creating and implementing environmental health programs, which are an integral part of building out the full-scale health department,” Barrett said, in a statement.

The measure will be up for vote by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors at their Aug. 17 meeting. If approved, the recruitment process will begin to fill the position. Under the general supervision of the Saratoga County Health Commissioner, the Director of Environmental Health will plan, direct, supervise and execute all environmental health programs throughout the county. 

The Environmental Health Services Department within the County Department of Health will administer public health programs related to air pollution, water supplies and purification, sewage disposal, stream pollution, sanitary control of restaurants and public eating places, camps, hotels, rabies, lead, toxins, lodging houses, boarding houses, swimming pools, general sanitation, hazardous and solid wastes and enforce relevant provisions of the New York State Public Health Law and Sanitary Code and related local laws. 

GALWAY — On the evening of Aug. 16, Saratoga PLAN is hosting a bluegrass concert to raise funds for conservation in Saratoga County. The concert is being held at the Cock ‘N Bull Restaurant in Galway and will feature treasured local duo, The Gibson Brothers. 

 Tickets to the event are $75 and include complimentary finger foods. There will be a cash bar. Guests are invited to bring their own blankets and chairs for lawn-style seating; other seating is limited. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the bluegrass begins at 6:30 p.m. 

 This is PLAN’s first major event since COVID-19 protocols have been lifted. Proceeds from the event will benefit Saratoga PLAN’s ongoing protection of critical resources helping to combat climate change, including farms that provide local food, forested lands absorbing CO2 and rainwater, and open spaces providing wildlife corridors for native plants and animals. The only land trust focused on Saratoga County, PLAN is currently working on 18 land projects totaling over 2,000 acres.   

 Limited tickets are available and can be purchased at: saratogaplan.org/events/bluegrass-concert.