SARATOGA SPRINGS — A continued adherence to social distancing and face-covering guidelines have reduced the COVID-19 infection and hospitalization rate significantly across the Capital Region during the past few weeks, and as such, businesses in the Spa City and the surrounding communities are preparing to potentially enter the Phase 2 reopening of their establishments next week. 

“It’s working,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said this week, referring to New Yorkers across the state reducing the curve of the virus infection. 

Cuomo’s NY Pause order went into effect March 22, and the city of Saratoga Springs and the greater Capital District Region were cleared by the state to begin the phase 1 re-opening of the local economy beginning Wednesday, May 20. 

There are four reopening phases in all, and an up-to 14-day incubation period between phases to ensure that infection rates and hospitalizations are maintained at a manageable level. 

And while the state has yet to release Phase 2 reopening guideline, or give the OK to cycle into the next phase, there is a general belief that that the region will meet the metrics required and be able to reopen for Phase 2 at the expiration of the 14-day incubation period on Wednesday, June 3.

Phase Two reopening allows for the following: Professional Services (including hair salons and stylists among them); Retail; Administrative Support; Real Estate / Rental & Leasing. Social distancing, face coverings and limited occupancy requirements will remain in place. 

WHAT IS REQUIRED OF BUSINESSES

Every business is required to develop a written safety plan outlining how its workplace will prevent the spread of COVID-19. Businesses may develop their own safety plan or use the template below provided by the state. To download that state created Safety Plan Template, go to: governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/NYS_BusinessReopeningSafetyPlanTemplate.pdf. 

A copy of the plan must be retained on business premises at all times and be made available to the NYS Department of Health (DOH) or local health or safety authorities in the event of an inspection.

CONTACT TRACING

One key factor in reducing the spread of the virus is, when discovering someone has been infected with the virus, tracing that person’s previously known whereabouts and with whom they had come into contact.  According to the CDC, the goal is to trace and monitor contacts of infected people, notify them of their exposure and support the quarantine of contacts to prevent additional transmission.

“We’ve done that from day one in Saratoga County and that’s how we flatten the curve, how we were able to reopen, and how we’ll be able to stay open,” Cathy Medick, Department of Health Director of Patient Services said during a forum the county hosted May 27. 

{loadmoduleid 268}

Additional questions were raised during the forum regarding the topic. 

Q: How do big box stores like Walmart, Target, etc. Do tracing? Is that any different than small businesses? 

A. Cathy Medick, Department of Health Director of Patient Services: “No. As far as their employees go, they have to keep track of all the employees that are on for a shift and it’s their responsibility to have it as part of their safety plan. We have worked with bigger businesses and places that have had positive cases. Many of them had used their security cameras or their Frequent Shopper cards to identify people who may have come into contact. We do realize it would be impossible to write down every single customer that comes into the store, so, that’s the main difference there.” 

Q. How is our privacy protected, and what type of information is to be given to a contact tracer? 

A. Medick: “Under Public Health Law, HIPPA is skewed a bit. As a Public Health entity, we have the right to collect information to protect the health of the greater public.”

Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President Todd Shimkus, a panelist at the forum, was also asked about the topic. 

Q. What happens to a business owner if contact tracers track a cluster back to their business – and, what is the extent of that liability? 

A. Todd Shimkus:  “One of things businesses need to do as part of their safety plan is to figure out how they are going to manage contact tracing should somebody from the county show up at their business a day later, or at any point in time and say: ‘OK, you had a customer who was here three days ago, we need to make sure we notify you, your employees and anyone else who might have been here.’ So, every business as part of your plan, you have to have some way of recording who was in your store, your business or workplace every day, so in case there is contact tracing going forward you can contact those people who were there. It’s part of your responsibility as part of your safety plan. 

“The second is liability. This is a much bigger challenge. The liability provisions in terms of insurance and the law do not cover COVID-19. 

“That means you at the very least, have to comply with the existing law which goes back to having a safety plan. Making sure that safety plan uses all the right protocols: that your employees are following it, that your customers are following it, so that you don’t have any issues that cause you liability concerns.” 

The NYS Forward Safety Plan Template regarding the issue, directs that customers may be “encouraged” to provide their information, but are “not mandated to do so.”   

That specific segment reads: “Maintain a continuous log of every person, including workers and visitors, who may have close contact with other individuals at the work site or area; excluding deliveries that are performed with appropriate PPE or through contactless means; excluding customers, who may be encouraged to provide contact information to be logged but are not mandated to do so.”

Additionally, “Which employee(s) will be in charge of maintaining a log of each person that enters the site (excluding customers and deliveries that are performed with appropriate PPE or through contactless means), and where will the log be kept?”

Again, while a Safety Plan is required, the state informs that a business may use the NYS Forward Safety Plan Template to fulfill the requirement, or may develop its own Safety Plan. 

An official announcement regarding the OK for the second phase of reopening is anticipated soon, as Friday marks 14 days since a handful of regions in the state began phase one. And in what may ease any confusion, the state is also expected to release detailed updates regarding Phase Two plans. For the most current update, go to: forward.ny.gov. 

There are too many heroes to name at Saratoga Hospital. Everyone on the staff is going beyond the call of duty to fight this pandemic. 

Physicians, advanced practice providers, and nurses on the front lines providing direct patient care. Environmental Services, scrubbing everything clean. Engineering, reconfiguring rooms and equipment to provide the safest levels of quarantine. Information Services, finding technological answers to data tracking and connecting isolated patients with their families. These are but a few of the multiple departments tirelessly giving their all.  

Today, we are recognizing four of Saratoga Hospital’s many front-line and behind-the-scenes heroes who are making sure those on the front lines of COVID-19 have everything they need to provide life-saving medical care and keep patients, staff, and our community safe. Learn more at SaratogaHospital.org.

Nichole Mello, MS, RN

COVID-19 Navigator and Manager of Population Health & Engagement, Saratoga Hospital Medical Group

I was born and raised here in the Saratoga Springs area. My husband and I enjoy summertime at our camp with our two daughters, who are 5 and 10 years old. I’m a bit of a workout enthusiast. We hike, ride bikes, and walk our dogs.

I love my job, which touches on several areas, including chronic care management, quality and safety, public health, and health policy. Since February, I have taken on an additional role, COVID-19 Navigator. I manage the testing tent next to the Emergency Department.

 It is a complex task with many moving parts, such as making sure the tent is staffed and supplied, collecting data to help track the spread of the virus, and being the hospital’s liaison with county public health departments, our urgent and emergent care facilities, first responders, our medical group members, and other local providers. 

As of April 21, we have conducted 195 inpatient tests and collected another 2,124 specimens through the tent that were sent to Wadsworth, the test lab. On a single day, our tent team handled as many as 115 tests. 

We contact all patients with their results. I personally reach out to patients who have tested positive. I help them understand their symptoms, go over quarantine requirements, and connect them with a primary care physician if they don’t already have one. 

I have a great team doing vital work. I am proud to be able to do what I can for our community during this crisis.

Marissa Broadley, BSN, MPH, MSEd, RN, CIC, CPHQ

Manager, Infection Prevention at Saratoga Hospital 

Originally from Rockland County, I relocated to Saratoga Springs four years ago. My golden retriever, Jakey, and I love to get outside and spend time in Downtown Saratoga walking along Broadway and visiting its shops and restaurants, looking forward to when they reopen. I also like to relax with my knitting needles or read on my balcony, over-looking the Saratoga landscape. 

As a registered, board-certified nurse in Infection Control and Epidemiology, now more than ever, Infection Prevention is a job I find extremely rewarding and essential. 

As we learn more about the COVID-19 virus, new data and best practices are being identified minute-to-minute around the world. During the course of a day, I am investigating evidence-based guidelines and in constant communication with the NYS Department
of Health and regional Public Health Offices. One of my most important roles is to serve as a resource to every department within Saratoga Hospital and our numerous off-site locations. 

At the on-set of the COVID-19 pandemic, Saratoga Hospital implemented stringent visitation restrictions and patient isolation precautions. Collaborating with Hospital Leadership, all department plans have been continually evolving and re-evaluated as
updated information is received. Working with the Environmental Services Department, specific cleaning protocols have been implemented throughout the organization. Personal protective equipment (PPE) alternatives were discussed with our Materials Management and Occupational Health Departments, and Nursing triage processes were also augmented to include COVID-19 risk factors.

I am amazed at the impressive level of expertise and professionalism of the Saratoga Hospital staff during this challenging time. We will all get through this together.

{loadmoduleid 268}

Susan Armer, RN

System Director, Sourcing and Contracting, Saratoga Hospital

I was born in Gloversville and live in Ballston Spa. I’m a runner and a mentor for a local Fleet Feet beginner 5k. I also volunteer for Saratoga Hospital Foundation. 

I had my first job at the hospital in 1990, when I was a senior in high school. I have worked in procurement for more than 20 years and have never seen anything like what we’re seeing today within the supply chain. 

The materials we have come to rely on are few and far between. We are experiencing the confiscation of supplies so that they can be redistributed to areas of highest need. So, we pivot and source similar materials from different vendors, being highly vigilant to avoid price gouging, counterfeiters, and products that aren’t up to our standards for safety. Everyone needs to be on their toes right now.

We’ve also found creative alternatives and methods to extend the life of what we have. We are using UV lighting to sanitize medical N95 masks so staff can use them longer. Every department that could spare supplies has been very generous in conserving and
redistributing items to areas in the hospital with the greatest need. 

We’ve been creatively sourcing isolation gowns, gloves, face shields, eye protection, hand sanitizer, procedure and surgical masks, and other items on short supply due to high demand, as countries all over the world are needing the exact same supplies at the same time. But, we’re lucky. Given what we were seeing in China, we began preparing for this back in January. We didn’t know the virus would come here, but we knew supply chains would be affected.  

With great effort from my sourcing team and the generous Saratoga community’s donations, we’ve been able to hold out much longer than expected. My purchasing and distribution teams have done a wonderful job of making sure departments are getting something, even if it’s not exactly what they were requesting. I can’t thank my teams and community enough for their incredible support, which has kept us able to continue to provide the high quality of care needed in this crisis.

Dr. Michael Holland 

Medical Director, Employee Health Services and Occupational Medicine, Saratoga Hospital and Saratoga Hospital Medical Group

I’ve lived here since ‘89 and all four of my kids went to Saratoga Springs schools. My wife and I now have three grandchildren. I’m a volunteer fitness instructor at Saratoga YMCA’s Wilton branch, which I enjoy very much.  

I’ve been working in Occupational Medicine for over 30 years, and with so many businesses closed and not hiring, that portion of my work has slowed considerably, but it has risen dramatically on the Employee Health side. As a hospital, it is critical for us to do everything we can to keep our employees safe and healthy, which also keeps our patients and community safe and healthy. 

Our team established a Sick Line call center, in record time, I might add, to provide a knowledgeable and compassionate resource for any questions employees may have about symptoms, possible exposures, or any health concern. For those who are home sick, we provide follow-up calls to continue to be a resource for them and their recovery. 

Given we have nearly 3,000 employees, we are quite grateful to the many nurses and staff from other departments, including Occupational Medicine, who have pitched in to help. Debbie Zaloga, RN, Taryn Woodard, RN, Marcy Dreimiller, MBA, SPHR, Associate Vice President of Human Resources, and everyone at Employee Health Services, Occupational Medicine, and Human Resources have been instrumental in establishing our protocols. Their work has been extraordinary.

We authorize tests for every employee with any possible COVID-19 symptoms, quarantining them until we have results. Any who are positive or sick at all are also quarantined until, following very strict protocols, they can return. Currently, employees who have tested positive contracted the virus from out in the community, not from patients. I have to thank the Infection Prevention and Environmental Services teams for their tremendous efforts, as well.  

The staff here at Saratoga Hospital are real troopers. It’s hard to maintain social distancing in the cafeteria and breakrooms, especially in stressful times when you want to be with your friends and colleagues—but everyone is doing their part, all highly committed to keeping the hospital safe for all our patients and our staff.

While life has been turning upside-down, 23rd [and Fourth] has been turning inside out.

“We’ve been doing design work and continuing to focus on clients’ needs; working on the main website and focusing on getting our ducks in a row. We’re rearranging, tightening-up loose ends, and asking, ‘What is the new normal?’,” said Jamie Davies, co-owner of 23rd [and Fourth].

Finding a New Normal

For many, their new normal involves taking walks – a calming, socially-distant way to get out and about. 

Until taking a stroll around the inside of your favorite stores is a normal, fun thing to do again, an old favorite is coming back into style – window shopping. 

Recognizing how perfect the walls of windows and covered patio (at the corner of the Empire Run apartment building, 130 Excelsior Avenue in Saratoga Springs) were for window shopping, they have now turned all their furniture displays to face out. “We want people to know – you can still shop us,” said Davies.

Finding Joy

Window shopping taps into our sheer pleasure for perusing.  It brings joy.

A well-liked pastime for ages, leisurely browsing a physical store is so much more impressive than experiencing it online. 

For a nice day out, combine window-shopping at 23rd [and Fourth], with an excursion on the nearby Spring Run Trail, a handicapped-accessible pedestrian and bicycle loop.

“Everyone needs a project right now. When you’re at your home more, you notice more. You want to feel good about your home. It’s an opportunity for people to do something for themselves.”

{loadmoduleid 268}

…and a Rainbow

At the front of the store, displays of brightly-colored contemporary furnishings, home décor, accessories and gifts bring out all the good vibes. 

Affordable favorites from the Gus Modern collection join innovative window treatments, area rugs and throw pillow selections. 

See the durability of neat items ideal for the spring and summer, like their Cape Cod inspired doormats woven with lobster nets from The Rope Co. 

Details and prices for some of what you see is now available on their website, email for more info on others. 

All Hands On Deck

Thoroughly rearranging things at 23rd [and Fourth] has involved a lot of brainstorming.

“It’s been an all-hands-on-deck type of thing,” said Davies. 

They keep asking themselves the same question.

“What else can we do to bring a little bit of joy to people?”

On their list:

• A Pop-Up Shop offering home décor and a discount on samples launched at the beginning of May on their website, 23rdandfourth.com

• Virtually answering questions about measurements, styles, color selections and more. 

• Posting drool-worthy designs to their Instagram page @23rdandFourth

Coming Soon!!

An interactive walk-through scavenger hunt in their widow displays… Search for and scan the codes with your phone for a chance to win gift certificates and other prizes. 

Rearranging for the new windows created a lot more space inside 23rd [and Fourth], so once gathering restrictions are loosened for retailers, small gatherings can be held here and still adhere to social distancing guidelines, such as a Girl’s Night Out; a Q&A session where you can pick the designer’s brain.

While life has been turning upside-down, 23rd [and Fourth] has been turning inside out.

“We’ve been doing design work and continuing to focus on clients’ needs; working on the main website and focusing on getting our ducks in a row. We’re rearranging, tightening-up loose ends, and asking, ‘What is the new normal?’,” said Jamie Davies, co-owner of 23rd [and Fourth].

Finding a New Normal

For many, their new normal involves taking walks – a calming, socially-distant way to get out and about. 

Until taking a stroll around the inside of your favorite stores is a normal, fun thing to do again, an old favorite is coming back into style – window shopping. 

Recognizing how perfect the walls of windows and covered patio (at the corner of the Empire Run apartment building, 130 Excelsior Avenue in Saratoga Springs) were for window shopping, they have now turned all their furniture displays to face out. “We want people to know – you can still shop us,” said Davies.

Finding Joy

Window shopping taps into our sheer pleasure for perusing.  It brings joy.

A well-liked pastime for ages, leisurely browsing a physical store is so much more impressive than experiencing it online. 

For a nice day out, combine window-shopping at 23rd [and Fourth], with an excursion on the nearby Spring Run Trail, a handicapped-accessible pedestrian and bicycle loop.

“Everyone needs a project right now. When you’re at your home more, you notice more. You want to feel good about your home. It’s an opportunity for people to do something for themselves.”

…and a Rainbow

At the front of the store, displays of brightly-colored contemporary furnishings, home décor, accessories and gifts bring out all the good vibes. 

Affordable favorites from the Gus Modern collection join innovative window treatments, area rugs and throw pillow selections. 

See the durability of neat items ideal for the spring and summer, like their Cape Cod inspired doormats woven with lobster nets from The Rope Co. 

Details and prices for some of what you see is now available on their website, email for more info on others. 

All Hands On Deck

Thoroughly rearranging things at 23rd [and Fourth] has involved a lot of brainstorming.

“It’s been an all-hands-on-deck type of thing,” said Davies. 

They keep asking themselves the same question.

“What else can we do to bring a little bit of joy to people?”

On their list:

• A Pop-Up Shop offering home décor and a discount on samples launched at the beginning of May on their website, 23rdandfourth.com

• Virtually answering questions about measurements, styles, color selections and more. 

• Posting drool-worthy designs to their Instagram page @23rdandFourth

Coming Soon!!

An interactive walk-through scavenger hunt in their widow displays… Search for and scan the codes with your phone for a chance to win gift certificates and other prizes. 

Rearranging for the new windows created a lot more space inside 23rd [and Fourth], so once gathering restrictions are loosened for retailers, small gatherings can be held here and still adhere to social distancing guidelines, such as a Girl’s Night Out; a Q&A session where you can pick the designer’s brain.

Click Here to Read: 
Don’t Fall for These COVID-19 Scams

Last month’s empty supermarket shelves and worries about food contamination from the COVID-19 crisis led to calls for a resurgence of “Victory Gardens.” 

Popularized during World War II, it is estimated that “Victory Gardens” (filled with edibles planted in backyards and other small spaces) produced 40 percent of the nation’s fresh fruits and vegetables. 

While today’s home gardeners aren’t typically aiming for something quite so ambitious, they are buying more edibles for their patio planters, window boxes and to incorporate into their landscapes. 

Both functional and beautiful, growing your own food is giving people a much-needed victory right now. 

FEEDING THE SOUL

Container plantings give you the comfort and security of having food growing right outside your door.

“People come to the greenhouse and they want to feed their soul. They’re saying, ‘Wow! You can eat the leaves and the flowers and it’s beautiful!’ That feeds many parts of the soul,” said Suzanne Balet Haight, owner of Balet Flowers & Design.

Because of the current conditions, she saw people coming into the Ballston Spa greenhouse earlier in the season this year.

They needed color. Knowing they could put something colorful and edible, like pansies, on their windowsill put a smile on their face.

GETTING OFF TO A GOOD START

Preventing gardeners from getting discouraged starts with choosing the right planting materials. 

Fill pots with a combination of a 1/3 compost and 2/3 potting mix, recommends Balet Haight.

“I’m really sold on Booth’s Blend compost. It’s a cow manure compost that we have for sale here at the store and I just love it,” she said. 

Adding compost right from the start will make plants grow greener and produce more fruit. Containers filled with potting mix alone can dry out more quickly and will need to be supplemented with a fertilizer. 

Planning to create a garden plot? Test the pH of your soil first. 

“We do sell pH tests here. They’re relatively inexpensive and very simple to do. A pH of 6.5 is ideal,” she said.

ADDING EDIBLES INTO THE LANDSCAPE

Tucking edible plants into your existing landscape adds texture, color and an additional food source. 

Balet’s “Pizza Garden” pots are filled with tomatoes, sweet banana peppers, chives, oregano, curly and Italian parsley.

“They’re great for pizzas, pastas and salads. Just put a pot like that in between your shrubs and it’ll grow fantastic,” she said. 

Growing so many different plants together is possible! 

Balet-Haight wants her customers to be successful, so will help them choose plant varieties that grow well together and produce a ton of fruit. 

“By incorporating the right things in the right space, we are maximizing every single inch of the garden or landscape,” she said. 

For example, early germinators like radishes can be planted in the same row as carrots, which will come up later in the season. 

Cascading plants like Indian mint are unique ways to utilize space, look great in planters and have a pungent flavor fantastic for teas, said Balet-Haight. 

SMALL SPACE – BIG SUCCESS

When a customer comes to Balet’s, Suzanne is happy to answer questions and draw planting diagrams, but her team will also come out to your house and plant your garden for you. (This year, wearing masks and abiding by all the social distancing guidelines).

In just one 4ft.x 8 ft. raised bed, they’ve planted cherry tomatoes, sweet banana and bell peppers, long purple eggplant, nasturtiums, swiss chard, kale, zucchini, yellow squash, parsley, cucumber and marigolds!

“It was a garden where they constantly had new things coming up all the time. It was a very small space but they were able to get a ton of produce and had a good variety,” said Balet Haight.

UNIQUE VICTORIES

Unusual times make way for unique victories. 

Herb wreaths, as well as other unique edible and beautiful ideas have been added this year to create an awareness that individuals can feed themselves. 

This summer, why not reward yourself with a patriotic and productive garden adventure? 

A combination of red Russian Kale, white Tri-Color sage, and blue Munstead Lavender, will give you the classic beauty of an edible, colorful, red, white and blue container. 

A variety of vegetable and herb plants will be available both at Balet Flowers greenhouse and at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market on Saturdays, 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Wilton Mall. 

Balet Flowers & Design, 5041 Nelson Ave. Ext., Ballston Spa is open 7 days a week from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. To order online for curbside pick-up, or for more information, go to www.baletflowers.com

ELMONT — The New York Racing Association (NYRA) this week announced a number of safety initiatives and entry rule changes for the upcoming 25-day spring/summer meet at Belmont Park. The Belmont spring/summer meet kicks off on Wednesday, June 3.

NYRA says after consulting with independent experts, veterinarians, horsemen and regulators, it has implemented a number of racing rules to further enhance equine safety and ensure trainers/owners are equitably represented in the entries due to the lengthy suspension of live racing on the NYRA circuit due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New rules for horses coming off layoffs or making career debut as 4-year-old: Horses which have not started in more than 180 days, or less than 365 days, will be placed on the Veterinarians’ List and must be presented to the NYRA Veterinarian prior to racing.

Horses which have not raced in 365 days will automatically be added to the Veterinarians’ List and must satisfy the same requirements for removal from the Veterinarians’ List as horses designated as “unsound.” If a start has not been made within 60 days of the NYRA Veterinarians’ clearance, then the horse will be placed back on the Veterinarians’ list.

Horses which have not made a start prior to Feb. 1 of their 4-year-old year will automatically be placed on the Veterinarians’ List and must satisfy the same requirements for removal from the Veterinarians’ List as horses designated as “unsound.” If a start has not been made within 60 days of the NYRA Veterinarians’ clearance, then the horse will be placed back on the Veterinarians’ List.

Waiver Claiming Option – Claiming Races:  At time of entry into a claiming race an owner/trainer may opt to declare a horse exempt from being claimed. For the Belmont spring/summer meet, the following waiver claiming rule applies: The horse has not started since March 16, 2020; The horse is entered for a claiming price equal to or greater than the price it last started for (horse must have started in a claiming race in the previous start to qualify); Failure to declare the horse exempt at the time of entry may not be remedied; The waiver rule can only be applied to said horse’s first start following each such layoff.                             

New Trainer Entry rule: In all overnight races no same trainer entry will be allowed to draw into the body of a race to the exclusion of a different trainer entrant.  At time of entry, trainers must designate a “different owner first choice (DO1) and a “different owner second choice (DO2).”  Stakes races are excluded from this rule.  A different owner second entry (DO2) is preferred over a same owner second entry (SO2).

For more information, please go to: www.nyrainc.com/about/nyra-safety.

NEW YORK — Following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s announcement that racetracks may reopen June 1, the New York Racing Association is preparing to resume live racing at Belmont Park, and potentially relocate to Saratoga later in the summer. 

The Saratoga meet is slated to begin July 16. That date has not been changed. 

“Our ability to continue the training operation at Belmont Park throughout the pandemic informs the strict safety protocols that we currently have in place at Belmont Park and would seek to implement at Saratoga Race Course,” NYRA Director of Communications Pat McKenna said April 29.  “As such, NYRA is seeking to resume live racing at Belmont Park in the absence of fans and we have prepared operating plans that follow the same model for Saratoga.” 

The Oklahoma Training Track opposite the main track on Union Avenue – which was to open in April – has been delayed and is still not open. 

{loadmoduleid 268}

This week, NYRA issued an updated statement. “NYRA and the New York racing community are thankful for Governor Cuomo’s steady leadership throughout this public health crisis and we applaud his decision to authorize the resumption of horse racing, without fans, beginning on June 1,” NYRA President and CEO Dave O’Rourke said. “This is a reasoned and responsible decision by Governor Cuomo that will enable horse racing to resume in a way that prioritizes health and safety while recognizing that NYRA is the cornerstone of an industry responsible for 19,000 jobs and $3 billion in annual economic impact.”

NYRA says it has developed a “comprehensive safety plan” and “extensive protocols.”

Live racing, to be conducted without spectators, will return on Wednesday, June 3, at Belmont Park. The Belmont Stakes will take place June 20, as the first leg of the Triple Crown series. The spring/summer meet at Belmont will conclude on Sunday, July 12.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Wednesday’s dawn brought to Saratoga a morning unlike any of the 58 days that had come before it. 

After hitting on all of the region’s required benchmarks that both document the downward trajectory of infections past, and prepare for potential viral spikes of the future, Saratoga and the seven other counties that surround it were cleared by the state to begin phase 1 of re-opening the local economy on May 20. 

“I feel like we’ve been in a bubble,” said Emma Lance, poking her masked face through the door of the Saratoga Tea & Honey Shop on Broadway, where the day’s online orders and curbside pickups were being prepared.  “You can’t see my mouth behind this mask,” she added, “but I’m smiling.” 

Commercial photographer Tom Stock escaped his daily honey-do list posted inside his home by planting a metal folding chair in front of Uncommon Grounds coffee shop on Broadway, where he took in all the wonders the blue-sky Wednesday offered, while thinking about future reopening phases that will allow more shops to open and people to more readily mingle. 

Wednesday’s Phase One reopening allowed for the first wave of industries to re-start – construction, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, manufacturing and wholesale trade, among them. Retail is limited to curbside or in-store pickup or drop off.  For all businesses reopening, physical distancing measures, face covering protections and maximum indoor capacity adjustments must be implemented and maintained.

Public Safety Commissioner Robin Dalton, city police Chief Shane Crooks and Fire Department Chief Aaron Dyer – all members of Saratoga Springs’ COVID-19 Reopen Task Force – visited businesses door-to-door Wednesday morning, talking to store owners and employees, and handing out safety plans outlining how businesses’ workplaces can prevent the spread of COVID-19. New York State requires each re-opening business to develop a written safety plan. Businesses may develop their own safety plan or use a template provided by the state. (Details about obtaining those forms are below). 

An Executive Order signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo put New York State on PAUSE on March 22, setting social distancing measures in place, closing non-essential businesses, and limited public gatherings in an effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19. 

Statewide to-date, just over 350,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus. Overall, more than 28,000 have died due to COVID-19 in New York, more than 92,000 in the U.S., and more than 325,000 across the globe, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. 

{loadmoduleid 268}

Current daily figures point to an average of just over 100 deaths per day in New York due to the virus, matching just about where those figures were on March 26. In April, the death tally spiked to greater than 700 per day for several days.   

“We’re basically back to where we started before this tragedy descended upon us,” Gov. Cuomo said, this week. 

“What will happen with reopening?” Cuomo remarked May 20, on the day the Capital Region reopened for phase one. “Whatever we make happen. There is no predestined course. What will happen is a consequence of our choices and a consequence of our actions,” he said. “If people are smart and responsible and if employers and employees are responsible, then you will see the infection rate stay low. If people get arrogant, if people get cocky, if people get casual or people become undisciplined – you will see that infection rate go up. It is that simple. It has always been about what we do.”   

The governor also announced on Wednesday that religious gatherings of no more than 10 people will be allowed as long as statewide social distancing measures are enforced and participants wear masks. Earlier in the week, Cuomo announced racecourses – such as Saratoga Race Course and the Saratoga Casino’s harness track – may open June 1 without fans. NYRA subsequently announced the Belmont meet will get underway June 3 and will concludes July 12. The Saratoga meet is slated to open four days later.   

“Do your part: wear a mask. It is amazing how effective that mask actually is,” Cuomo said Wednesday, pointing to statistics that show frontline workers – downstate hospital employees, transit workers, NYPD and FDNY/EMT workers – each having lower infection rates than the general population. “How can they all have a lower infection rate? They’re wearing the mask,” Cuomo said. “The mask works. It’s in the data.”    

Meeting the metrics and maintaining control over the virus spread is key to remaining “open,” as well as in moving forward through the series of successive phases that will see the reopening of an ever-increasing number of additional businesses. That holds true for the entire “Capital Region” designation. The Capital Region sector is comprised of eight counties: Albany, Columbia, Greene, Saratoga, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Warren, Washington. 

There are four reopening phases in all, and 14 days – or less, should metrics not increase, as deemed by regional leaders –  are in between the phases. Those phases and dates are:

Potentially June 3 or sooner – Phase Two: Professional Services (which includes hairdressers and salons), Retail, Administrative Support, Real Estate / Rental and Leasing.

Potentially June 17 or sooner – Phase Three: Restaurants /
Food Services.

Potentially July 1 or sooner – Phase Four: Arts / Entertainment / Recreation, Education. 

For businesses: Business plans do not need to be submitted to a state or local agency for approval, but must be retained on the premises of the business and must be made available to the New York State Department of Health (DOH) or local health or safety authorities in the event of an inspection. 

An entire range of resources for businesses and residents are available via the city’s website. For questions on the re-opening plan for NY State and how it affects Saratoga Springs, email eileen.finneran@saratoga-springs.org or aadyer@ssfdny.org, or call 518-587-3550, ext. 2627. If calling, leave your name, address and a call back number.

MALTA — The Malta Drive-In Theatre will officially open this Friday, May 22 to kick off their summer season. 

As the weather gets warmer, families are anxious to go outside and enjoy the community all while being safe. The Malta Drive-In Theatre plans to re-open with a few precautions set in place. The drive-in announced the new rules staff and guests must adhere to on their website this Tuesday. The safety precaution will be reviewed and modified on a weekly basis as conditions in the community develop and change.

Credit cards and contactless payment transactions are being encouraged by the staff to limit social interaction. The staff will wear gloves and a mask at the ticket booth and in the concession stand. 

The theatre will allow 50 percent of capacity and guests are encouraged to arrive earlier to avoid long lines. They also will allow guests to bring food and beverages from home if they purchase a $5 permit. The theatre was unable to comment at this time.

The following are the Malta Drive-In Theater re-opening rules:

For parking and viewing, vehicles are instructed to park exactly in the middle of adjacent poles, allowing 12 feet of space between cars. Everyone should view movies from inside the vehicle in seats, through an open hatchback or from a pickup truck bed. Even though viewing is encouraged inside the vehicle, the theatre will allow two lawn chairs if they are placed between the vehicle and the screen.

{loadmoduleid 268}

If guest go outside the vehicle, masks must be worn at all times but guests should limit contact to necessary bathroom and snack bar trips. 

For the use of restrooms, guests are asked to limit use and an attendant will not permit access to any guest not wearing a mask. They have also blocked every other stall and sink to increase distance. 

In order to purchase concessions, guests are encouraged to order online though an online concession ordering system on their smart phone. When the order is ready for pick up the guest will receive a text message and can grab it from their dedicated snack bar window. They will allow restricted entry into the concession building where staff will be walled off from guests. 

The drive-in also put in place a zero garbage policy as guests must discard trash directly in a dumpster or box office trash corral. 

The Ozoner 29 Drive-In Theatre in Broadalbin opened their season this previous weekend with similar restrictions in place. Concession orders were filled out at a distance and collected with cash only for purchases.

The four movies featured this weekend at Malta include: Troll World Tour and Jumanji: The Next Level on the first screen as well as The Wretched and The Invisible Man on the second screen.