Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy announced today that as of this morning, there are now 1,375 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Albany County, an increase of 12 over the last 24 hours. Additionally, there are now 913 people under mandatory quarantine and 17 people under precautionary quarantine. To date, 3,388 individuals have completed quarantine, with 837 of them having tested positive and recovered. There have been no new deaths since yesterday’s briefing, keeping the county’s total at 61. 

With 31 people now hospitalized, the hospitalization rate for Albany County stands at 2.25%, up slightly from 2.2% yesterday. The number of those individuals who are in Intensive Care Units (ICU) is 7, a number unchanged since yesterday’s briefing. County Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Whalen joined the County Executive for the briefing to discuss efforts to expand Albany County’s contact tracing workforce through training provided by the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“We continue to expand COVID-19 testing in Albany County and the Capital Region to ensure our capacity allows us to reopen. Despite the new testing of essential workers at UAlbany and bringing testing to more rural communities like Coeymans in the southern part of the region, we continue to see a downward slope in our new daily positive cases, with a five-day average of only 19.6,” said County Executive McCoy.

“I’ve been monitoring the situation at our hospitals, the PPE burn rate at healthcare facilities and working collaboratively with my fellow county leaders since day one. I look forward to continuing that work as a member of the Governor’s Capital Region Control Room and putting forward a plan that ensures we reopen our economy quickly and safely, and get our people back to work,” he continued.

Additional training and resources from the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health will be provided to those who are seeking to become contact tracers. This follows the requirement that regions have 30 contact tracers per 100,000 people, as stipulated by Governor Cuomo and New York State. The training module, which was released to the County Department of Health yesterday, will enable those without any experience to learn to become a contact tracer and includes evaluations for individuals. To apply to become a contact tracer, click here.

During the daily briefing, the County Executive also took time to thank a selfless constituent, Kathy Agneta, who is grocery shopping each week this month for a family being assisted by the Albany County Department for Children, Youth and Families. Kathy has even included a warm, home-cooked meal with the last two deliveries.

The remainder of this week’s schedule for walk-up community COVID-19 testing is below, a partnership between Albany County and the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center. As a regional approach is taken to reopen the economy, testing has been expanded to address additional areas in the Capital Region. The schedule is based on demand and mobile site locations are updated weekly based on that need. To date, 1,124 people have been tested at the sites in Albany and Rensselaer Counties. All testing is by appointment only, after being screened for symptoms over the phone. To be screened, please call (518) 465-4771. 

Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center - 920 Lark Drive, Albany

• Wednesday: 1:00 – 4:00pm
• Thursday: 8:30am –12 noon
• Friday: 1:00 – 4:00pm

Rotating Locations & Dates for the Week of May 11
Each week the mobile sites will rotate morning & afternoon testing. The full updated schedule can be found here.

• Monday, May 11
  • 1:30-4:00pm: Watervliet Health Center, 1804 Second Ave, Watervliet
• Tuesday, May 12
  • 9:00am – 12 noon: Equinox, 500 Central Ave, Albany
  • 1:30-4:00pm: Front of the Rensselaer County Administration Building, 1600 7th Ave, Troy
• Wednesday, May 13
  • 9:00am – 12 noon: Coeymans Town Hall, 18 Russell Ave, Ravena
  • 1:30-4:00pm: Capital South Campus, 20 Warren St, Albany
• Thursday, May 14
  • 9:00am – 12 noon: Watervliet Health Center, 1804 Second Ave, Watervliet
  • 1:30-4:00pm: Front of Rensselaer City Hall, 62 Washington St, Rensselaer
• Friday, May 15
  • 9:00am – 12 noon: Front of the Rensselaer County Administration Building, 1600 7th Ave, Troy
  • 1:30-4:00pm: Whitney Young Troy Health Center, 849 2nd Ave, Lansingburgh

County Executive McCoy continues to highlight the latest testing site in Albany County at Priority 1 Urgent Care that is now also providing antibody testing, located in Hamilton Square at 2080 Western Avenue in Guilderland. The partnership was made possible by Albany County supplying the facility with critical personal protective equipment for the staff and supplemental test kits. Testing will be reimbursed by an individual’s health insurance, and will be done by appointments only after patients come in to be screened for expanded CDC symptoms. Priority 1 is also now doing antibody testing. To schedule an appointment, you can call (518) 867-8040.

The University at Albany (SUNY) has expanded its testing parameters at the drive-thru testing site to include essential workers who are asymptomatic. Those include but are not limited to healthcare workers; first responders; nursing home and long term care facility workers; correction, probation and parole officers; direct care providers; medical specialists; occupational, physical or speech therapists; and workers who interact directly with the public;  among others. The full list has been posted to the Albany County website.  The number to call and make an appointment is 1-888-364-3065 or you can go online to the link here: covid19screening.health.ny.gov.

County Executive McCoy also encouraged those who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms to register for the drive-thru community testing site at Rite Aid, 1863 Central Avenue in Colonie. In the first 12 days, over 500 tests have been given. Testing is free for those who are eligible based on CDC guidelines and are at least 18 years old. It’s available between 9am and 5pm, seven days a week by appointment only. Registration is now available at www.riteaid.com. Tests will be conducted from within an individual’s car with self-swab nasal tests and with the help of a pharmacist.

For those experiencing stress, anxiety or depression while confined to their homes for extended periods of time, the Albany County COVID-19 Mental Health Support Line is available seven days a week from 8am to 8pm at (518) 269-6634. Anyone experiencing a psychiatric emergency should still call the Albany County Mobile Crisis Team at (518) 549–6500. The 24-hour sexual assault hotline number is (518) 447-7716.

The County Executive continues to offer online videos on coping, crafts and reading, AAU karate, exercise, proper use of personal protective equipment and more.

For all COVID-19 questions and concerns, including issues with price gouging and fraudulent products, residents are encouraged to use United Way’s 2-1-1 hotline as well as the State Department of Health’s hotline at 888-364-3065.