See the message below from Dr. Elizabeth Whalen, MD, MPH Commissioner of Health from the Albany County Department of Health:
Read and download the official letter here.
3/15/2020
Dear Parents,
The Health Department has received communication from many parents in regard to the letters sent out yesterday identifying known contacts to a case of COVID-19 in Farnsworth Middle School. We would like to provide additional information.
- We are getting some reports that people may not have received the communication. Please check your SPAM folders. If you have not received contact from us it means that you have not been identified as a contact and are not being asked to quarantine at this time. We ask you despite this, to consider general guidance for families when COVID-19 is in the community, which includes use of hand hygiene, staying home if symptomatic, and avoiding large gatherings. For further information please see these links:
https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
https://www.albanycounty.com/departments/health/2019-novel-coronavirus
- Any parent (or other members of the household) who, during the 14 day period cannot avoid direct contact with the child that has been identified as a close contact must also quarantine themselves from others in the home through the end of the child or children’s 14 day period.
- We advise those placed on quarantine to take these measures extremely seriously to aid in stopping the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
Thank you for your cooperation in this rapidly evolving situation. Your cooperation is essential to this essential public health response. If you have any questions please call 518-447-4580.
Sincerely,
Dr. Elizabeth Whalen, MD, MPH
Commissioner of Health
Albany County Department of Health