Oswego County Urges Residents To Be Vigilant About Social Distancing

OSWEGO COUNTY – Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup reminds residents that Governor Cuomo has ordered that non-essential gatherings of any size must be canceled or postponed at this time.

This includes not only parties, celebrations and social events for any reason, but also close contact sports and recreation such as basketball, football and soccer.

Weatherup also urges residents to follow social distancing guidelines set out by public health officials. 

Dr. Christina Liepke, Oswego County Medical Director, agreed, “Our community needs to understand that we are at a critical junction. Social distancing is imperative in stopping the transmission and spread of the COVID-19 virus. If we do not implement these practices correctly, we will find ourselves in the middle of a crumbling health care system that is overwhelmed by the sheer volume of sick patients.”

The coronavirus situation is rapidly evolving. It is no longer a travel-related issue, community transmission is occurring. No one in any area is immune from the virus and it knows no boundaries. Weatherup advises that no one should be out in public unless the trip is necessary. Grocery trips and other errands should be minimized. 

“We do have hope,” Weatherup said. “As a county, we have taken drastic measures to try to prevent the spread of the virus, such as closing our schools before the first case was found. However, we are at the beginning of this and we have a long way to go before we’re on the other side of it. 

“I know people are sick of staying at home and away from their friends, but now is the time for a renewed commitment to the only weapon we have at our disposal to fight the coronavirus – social distancing. Stay at home, stay six feet away from other people if you have to go out, and remember that we’re all in this together and we’ll all get through this together.”

Oswego County Public Health Director Jiancheng Huang urges all residents across Oswego County to take personal responsibility and follow these guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

• Stay home as much as possible.
• Avoid non-essential gatherings of all types and sizes. (All non-essential gatherings of any size are banned.)
• Keep six feet from other people.
• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth 
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home if you are sick.
• Call your healthcare provider from home if you are experiencing symptoms such as a fever, cough or shortness of breath.
• Do not go to urgent care or an emergency department unless you are experiencing life-threatening conditions. 
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

“COVID-19 has come to Oswego County and is across central New York,” Huang said. “It’s no longer a travel-related issue, it is also being transmitted in the community. It’s imperative that we all follow the important measures I’ve outlined here. Social distancing will help to slow the spread of the virus in our community and limit your chance of exposure.”

Oswego County presents videos highlighting various COVID-19 topics on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. They are scheduled to be posted by 4:30 p.m. on Oswego County’s COVID-19 YouTube playlist, Facebook and the county government website at oswegocounty.com.

Residents are asked to continue monitoring reliable sources of information. Go to oswegocounty.com or health.ny.gov or cdc.gov. 

Additional questions can be directed to the NYS COVID-19 hotline at 1-888-364-3065 or the Oswego County Health Department COVID-19 hotline at 315-349-3330.

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