TC Health Department

​TOMPKINS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Your Partner for a Healthy Community
Frank Kruppa – Public Health Director
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
March 14, 2020
 
For media inquiries: Samantha Hillson, 607-274-6600, shillson@tompkins-co.org
For general inquiries (non-medical): Call 2-1-1 or 877-211-8667
For health inquiries: Community Health Services at 607-274-6604  
 
New York State Hotline for COVID-19: 1-888-364-3065
COVID-19 Response: State of Emergency and Emergency Operations Center
(Ithaca, NY – March 14, 2020) – As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve and impact our community, multiple agencies and organizations are working together to provide a unified, coordinated response.
On Friday, March 13, a State of Emergency was declared by County Administrator Jason Molino. An emergency declaration allows local officials to mobilize quickly and activate all necessary resources to respond to this public health emergency. The County has also opened an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to centralize our response.
 
“I encourage residents to take precautions, especially those who are more at risk, as they continue daily activities. The EOC gives the County a structure to ensure emergency response and support agencies are working in coordination to meet the needs of our community,” states Jason Molino, County Administrator.
 
What does the State of Emergency mean in Tompkins County? 
 

• Allows officials to obtain and purchase goods and services quickly.  
• Assistance can be provided to municipalities and school districts.  
• County operations will continue unchanged unless otherwise advised. 
• This declaration does not impact travel in Tompkins County. 
• This declaration allows the County to use funding with less restriction. 

 
What is an EOC (Emergency Operations Center)? 
 
·       A central facility where a team of public health and County officials come together to do the following: 

• Monitor information 
• Prepare for response 
• Exchange information and communicate readily to coordinate the response 
• Make decisions quickly 
• Ensure continuity of operations 

 
·       The physical EOC includes: 

• One central location
• Necessary technology to assess and respond to a public health or other emergency 

 
Where can the public get information about COVID-19 in Tompkins County?
 

• Call 211 for information, including questions about food, transportation, events and gatherings, cancellations, and other human service needs
• TCHD will continue to send out public updates
• Check Facebook @TompkinsPublicHealth and Twitter@TompkinsHealth
• Go to the TCHD website for up-to-date information
• Get answers to Frequently Asked Questions on the TCHD website

 
If you develop symptoms of illness including fever, cough, or trouble breathing, call your healthcare provider before you go to the office. In the event of an emergency, call 911.
 
Stay informed. Get updated information about COVID-19 at:
NYS DOH: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Visit the CDC’s Traveler’s Health webpage for the latest travel health notices at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html
For more information go to the Health Department website: https://tompkinscountyny.gov/health. Frequently Asked Questions are here:  https://tompkinscountyny.gov/health/factsheets/coronavirusfaq
Find us on Facebook @TompkinsPublicHealth and Twitter@TompkinsHealth.