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COVID-19 Coverage

Home Care Workers Face Deadline To Get Vaccinated In NY

ALBANY (AP) — Home health aides who refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccination are barred from working in New York as of Friday under a new state mandate that one industry group warned could lead to thousands of caregivers losing their jobs. The mandate, put in place by Gov. Kathy Hochul, also applies to workers at assisted living homes, hospice care, treatment centers and AIDS home care programs. It comes on top of another mandate, implemented last month, that covered hospital and nursing home workers. Data on how many of the state's more than 210,000 home health aides had been ...

Masking Issues Discussed By Falconer School Board

FALCONER — Wearing face masks in school and on school buses is mandatory in New York state — but that doesn’t mean it is easy. The Falconer Central School Board at a meeting Tuesday discussed a concern regarding masking on athletic bus runs. Board president Todd Beckerink asked Scott ...

Care Center Vaccinations Vary, State Finds

Skilled nursing facility COVID-19 vaccination numbers in Chautauqua County appear to be quite promising. According to the most recent statistics through New York state on Tuesday, 94% of residents in these locations are vaccinated while staff levels are at 99%. In Cattaraugus County, the number is 97% for residents and 94% for staff. Dunkirk Rehabilitation and Nursing Center as well as Lutheran Social Services have 100% of staff vaccinated with Absolut Center For Nursing and Rehabilitation at Westfield and Chautauqua Nursing and Rehabilitation Center at more than 99%. Heritage facility ...

Reaction Strong To Federal Judge Decision On Masks In Warren County

WARREN, Pa. -- Reaction among parents to the decision by a federal judge to grant a temporary restraining order on the Warren County School District’s de facto optional mask policy was strong. The Times Observer asked for feedback from parents on the decision Wednesday afternoon. “(I)t’s all contradictory and honestly, it’s just creating a huge war among the county,” Kayla Belcher said. “The separating, dividing, derogatory towards each other is going to stem more and more issues and in the end all these kids everyone is trying to protect are going to suffer, mask or ...

Pfizer Asks US To Allow COVID shots For Kids Ages 5 To 11

Pfizer asked the U.S. government Thursday to allow use of its COVID-19 vaccine in children ages 5 to 11 -- and if regulators agree, shots could begin within a matter of weeks. Many parents and pediatricians are clamoring for protection for children younger than 12, today's age cutoff for the ...

Ghost Towns: Nursing Home Staffing Falls Amid Pandemic

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — When Natalie Walters arrived at her father's nursing home, the parking lot was nearly empty and, inside, the elevator made no stops. On the 13th floor, the lights were off and the TVs silent. The last time she was allowed inside, nine months earlier, aides passed in the ...