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We've had a couple of people reach out and ask how they might help in the current crisis. We reached out to UMMC and our contact there shared this document with us:

Gifts of Supplies

We are so appreciative of the support of our community and the desire to help our caregivers in their jobs. Businesses and individuals have offered to donate masks, hand sanitizer, gloves, and other personal protective equipment. Here are some guidelines as you consider a gift of supplies:

• Many types of equipment and medical items are in short supply, but due to regulatory requirements we are only allowed to accept items under certain circumstances. 
• Please do not buy items with the intent of donating them. Rochester Regional Health and other health systems are working closely with suppliers to ensure that critical supplies are available. When individuals buy these items, however well-intentioned, it further depletes the supply chain and can make it more difficult for healthcare providers to get what they need.

If you have an item you wish to donate, please contact the Rochester Regional Health Foundations at 585.922.4800 or RRHFoundation@rochesterregional.org. For the safety of our patients and caregivers, donations will be accepted by appointment only and distributed throughout the system where they are needed most. 

The Best Way to Help

The best way to help is to make a monetary gift, which will give our hospital leadership the flexibility to allocate help where it is needed most. Gifts of any amount will show Rochester Regional caregivers that the community is standing with them. The COVID-19 Support Fund was set up in response to requests from the community asking how to help our frontline care providers and the patients they serve. This emergency fund will provide critical support to Rochester Regional Health care teams as they navigate these unprecedented times.

Some of the many needs already identified are additional staff support, essential medical supplies, comfort for patients in isolation, and supplemental emergency structures. Your donation will enable our clinical staff to continue providing safe, high-quality care to patients.

Thanking our Frontline Heros

Our caregivers are at the beginning of this fight and they need our support to keep going. You can help raise their spirits by sending encouraging notes and positivity their way. Photographs of drawings and letters from children are incredibly uplifting and are especially welcome to bring bring a smile during their stressful days and night.

Please email RRHFoundation@rochesterregional.org with notes of encouragement and thanks, and we will distribute the messages across the system.

Among the 226 new state troopers who graduated in the 209th class Basic School of the New York State Police Academy was Evan Cole, a 2015 graduate of Elba High School.

He has been assigned to Troop D.

“After months of difficult classwork and training, the 209th Basic School graduates join the ranks of one of the finest police agencies in the world,” said New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett. “This graduation is the culmination of 26 weeks of hard work and perseverance. I congratulate all of our new Troopers and thank them for their continued dedication and determination.”

Photo submitted by Lynn Bezon.

In case you didn't have enough to deal with right now, winter isn't done with you yet.

Accuweather is predicting a winter snowstorm, with up to eight inches of snow, hitting our region sometime Monday morning.

Weather.gov reports:

Sunday evening: Snow showers likely before 2 a.m., then rain and snow showers. Low around 30. East wind 8 to 13 mph becoming southeast after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Monday: Rain and snow showers before 9 a.m., then rain. High near 41. South wind 10 to 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

At about 3 p.m., we're talking with Jennifer Blackchief, VP Housing, St. Ann's Community in Le Roy.  We're going to talk about St. Ann's providing their employees with a generous bonus as well as what they're doing to keep their residents safe.

At about noon, we'll be talking with Tom Turnbull, president of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

Press release:

St. Ann’s Community has announced that it will give approximately $400,000 in bonuses to 875 employees this week in a major show of appreciation and support. The organization’s workers are helping to provide around-the-clock care to residents and patients – the most vulnerable and at-risk populations of the rapidly spreading coronavirus COVID-19 global pandemic.

“The extraordinary performance of our employees during these unprecedented times deserves appreciation and recognition,” said St. Ann’s Community President and CEO Michael McRae. “We can only hope that the bonuses, along with other measures, help acknowledge their service and sacrifice. We would not be able to provide care to those most in need without our dedicated and brave healthcare workers.” 

Appreciation bonuses will be paid on Friday, March 27, to all full-time and part-time workers. Full-time workers will receive $500 and part-time workers will receive $250. Senior managers are excluded from the bonus.

In addition to the bonuses, smaller measures are also being implemented to show support for staff members. St. Ann’s is providing complementary food to all workers while on duty, and has also relaxed the uniform and dress code for all employees.

“Our team members are balancing work with the support and care they need to provide to their own families, especially during this anxious and difficult time for all of us,” McRae said. “They are incredible, and we are completely in awe of their willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty.”

NOTE: St. Ann's operates in Le Roy what was formerly known as the Greens of Le Roy.

The Genesee County public health briefing for March 20, 2020.

Key points:

• There are now 16 people in Genesee County under mandatory quarantine (one more than yesterday). There is still only one confirmed case in Genesee County, a patient who remains in isolation.
• Of those in mandatory quarantine in both Genesee and Orleans counties, 39 percent are symptomatic. Being symptomatic is not necessarily a sign of COVID-19. It could be the flu or another respiratory illness. The health department is still awaiting results of swabs of those patients.
• Private providers continue to perform COVID-19 tests on patients who are symptomatic but it can take up to five days to get results back. While those patients have not received a written order from the public health director, Paul Pettit, to quarantine, they are under doctor's orders to quarantine and they should follow those directions. "This is very important because once you’ve been tested, we don’t want people walking around our communities who have been tested for COVID-19," Pettit said. "Regardless of whether it’s COVID-19 or influenza or something else, we want you home if you’re symptomatic."
• Pettit reiterated that anybody of any age can get COVID-19 and while the vast majority of people under age 54 who contract the disease have mild symptoms, it can still lead to hospitalization for people of any age, and even death. “We want to remind people that just because you feel invincible, you feel strong, you can’t get sick, you still can," Pettit said.
• There is still a shortage of test kits locally.
• The flu is still prevalent in the region. Genesee County currently has 32 confirmed cases (as of March 7) and 532 cases for the season. Odds are right now, if you're symptomatic, you don't have COVID-19, you have the flu. The same protocol of social isolation applies as much for people with the flu to help prevent spread. "It's not too late (in the season) to get vaccinated," Pettit said. And if you haven't, you should.
• Dan Ireland, CEO of UMMC, said as a precautionary measure the hospital will start erecting tents. The community shouldn't read too much into this. There are still plenty of beds available in the hospital.

EDITOR'S NOTE: With this update, moving this post back to the top of the home page.

Yesterday, Mike Pettinella reported on the high volume of requests for assistance the state's unemployment offices are receiving for benefits.

Today, spokeswoman Deanna Cohen provided an update:

Yesterday we received 532,000+ site visits from New Yorkers filing UI claims.

Today we received 475,000+ calls.

Our dedicated staff is doing the best they can and are committed to serving every single person, no matter how long it takes.

Paul Draper and I are talking about doing a special live edition of The Batavian Sessions featuring several local musicians. We haven't picked a date yet but tonight we recorded a test-run for your entertainment. Watch The Batavian for more information about the upcoming live, online concert, which will also be a fundraiser for a local charity.

We have an interview scheduled for 3 p.m. with Matt Gray, owner of Alex's Place and Eli Fish Brewing Co.

UPDATE: A couple of people wanted more information about the small business loans Matt and I discuss in the interview.  Here's a link to the Forbes article that is the source of the information.

We're talking with Genesee County Sheriff William Sheron.

We're going to talk with John McKenna, CEO, and president of Tompkins Bank of Castile about programs available to assist small businesses and homeowners.

A dog in a residence at 236 State St., Batavia, reportedly died in a fire that was reported at 12:20 p.m.

A second dog reportedly lived in that home but its status is unknown at this time, said Batavia Fire Chief Stefano Napolitano.

The chief credited his crew with a quick knockdown preventing what could have been a dangerous, wind-driven fire.

The fire appears to have started at the rear of the first floor.

Nobody was home at the time of the fire.

The cause is not known at this time.

Initial report:

A structure fire is reported at 236 State St., Batavia.

The initial call was for smoke coming from the residence.

The caller doesn't believe anybody is home.

City fire responding.

How is the current soft quarantine affecting you? If you're sheltering in place, how are you keeping yourself busy/entertained? What has the experience been like for you? If you're working from home, do you miss your coworkers? Do they miss you? Are you able to stay on task? What adjustments did you need to make or new things did you need to learn? How are you coping with the kids not going to school? Are you getting the help you need?

Whatever you're story, please grab your smartphone and make a selfie video about your experience and email it to howard@thebatavian.com (you can also use WeTransfer.com).

Start your video by introducing yourself.  

And if you're one of the people under a health department-directed quarantine and are willing to go on camera for an interview (Skype, live stream), email howard@thebatavian.com and we can discuss it.

Press release:

Starting this afternoon at 4 p.m. Nate McMurray, candidate for U.S. Congress in New York’s 27th District, will hold digitally accessible Town Hall-style events in an effort to stay accessible to voters during COVID-19 pandemic and necessity of social distancing. The events will be streamed live and participants will have the opportunity to ask the candidate questions and receive answers in real time.

“This is a difficult time for our nation; the already struggling families of this district will be hit hard by this pandemic and need access to their leaders and candidates now more than ever," McMurray said. "The focus of our campaign has always been to lift up the good people of this region; while the coronavirus will inarguably impact the way we interact with them, it’s critical that we maintain open lines of communication and support for one another.

"My team is committed to utilizing alternative forms of engagement in order to address concerns, discuss the issues that matter most to NY-27 residents, and connect people with the resources they need throughout this crisis."

McMurray will begin live streaming today at 4 p.m. and will start every session by reading to the children of those participating. Those interested in attending the live session may access the event here.

McMurray is a native of North Tonawanda. He ran for Congress in NY-27 in 2018 and lost by less than 1 percent of the vote. He is a family man, an Eagle Scout, and one of seven children raised by a single mother when his father died of cancer at the age of 39. McMurray worked his way through community college, earned a bachelor’s degree at SUNY Buffalo, then earned a law degree from California’s Hastings College of Law.

The U.S. government awarded McMurray a Fulbright Scholarship to study the development of constitutional democracy in South Korea. His academic successes led to positions in private law practice, where he represented U.S. business interests in Asia. He was formerly the town supervisor of Grand Island, a conservative community in Western New York, where he was instrumental in bringing fiscal responsibility to local government and millions of dollars in new business investment to the town.

Shortly, we will be live in an interview with Shawn Heubusch, Batavia's chief of police.

This is a recording of today's press briefing. Key points:

• There is still just one test-positive case of COVID-19 in Genesee County.  
• There are now 15 people under mandatory quarantine (10 yesterday).  Some of those people are symptomatic. None of the test results are back yet for the people who are symptomatic. The five additional people in quarantine are as a result of the ongoing case tracing by health department staff to identify people who were in contact with the positive case.
• There is a person from Orleans County who tested positive. That person was not symptomatic when that person traveled to another state on vacation. That person became symptomatic while on vacation. That person, who is at least 60 years old, is now in quarantine in that state. The health department is working to find out who that person might have had contact with before leaving on vacation.
• The ability to test is still limited and that is frustrating, said Paul Pettit, director of public health.
• People can get tested by their doctors. Providers also get test kits through their health care networks but those kits are also in limited supply.  Doctors are putting people into quarantine but the health department would only be notified of a positive test result so the health department does not have a count on people who might be in quarantine on a doctor's orders.

Interview with Bill Hume, owner of Foxprowl Collectables.

This is a live interview with Shelly Stein, chair of the County Legislature, co-owner Stein Farms, that we conducted at 2:30. The stream to YouTube started and then stopped.  I restarted it in the middle of the interview. This is a video recording of the entire interview.

While there have been no new confirmed cases of patients infected by coronavirus in Genesee County since yesterday, there are now 10 people under mandatory quarantine and "a couple" of them are symptomatic, according to Paul Pettit, director of public health.

Yesterday, Pettit announced Genesee County's first confirmed case. Today he revealed that the person who contracted the disease has some sort of association with the Girl Scouts.

The 10 people now in mandatory quarantine -- up from just two yesterday -- are people who came into contact either directly or one-person removed from the person who contracted COVID-19.

That person is described as at least 65 years old. The person is not hospitalized and is quarantined in isolation at home.

Pettit said Department of Health staff has worked diligently over the past 24 hours to identify the people the infected person came into contact with -- within six feet -- either while symptomatic or 24 hours prior, and he said he's confident most of those people have been identified and contacted and placed into quarantine.

"The Girl Scouts of America are being very cooperative in providing us information to help us in that investigation," Pettit said. "At this point, the relative risk to the general public, again, as we talked about in regards to this case, remains very low through our investigation. We have a very good timeline of where this individual has been and where they've gone. And we have made, again, most of those contacts at the moment and put those folks under quarantine."

There remain seven people in the county under precautionary quarantine. 

Pettit reiterated the need for people to practice social distancing -- don't touch, remain six-feet apart -- wash your hands frequently, don't touch your face, stay home if you're sick, isolate yourself as much as possible.

That will help protect you and vulnerable residents from the spread of the disease, but just as important it will help slow the spread of the flu, which can also lead to hospitalization for some people.

"I know it can be painful and it's not what people want to do, but the reality is we need to free up capacity in our health care system," Pettit said. "And that's why the governor is currently looking at alternate sites to provide additional capacity because at the moment, a lot of our beds are still full and we need to make room for folks if they do have a higher level of severity with this illness so that we can handle them. Again, going back to what we keep talking about, flatten the curve, push it out, let's free up some capacity in our health care system so we can respond to those in need."

Pettit said if you have flu-like symptoms, contact your primary health care provider. 

"We're going to continue to report out that flu still remains very prevalent in our communities," Pettit said. "So if you are having a respiratory illness, it does not necessarily mean you have COVID-19. You may have the flu or you may have some other respiratory illness, regardless of what it is. We're asking folks to stay home. This is no different than our messaging that we do year-round when you have flu."

Pettit said he's frustrated that there are so few testing kits available and that the county cannot, as of yet, offer widespread testing for COVID-19.

"It's been very challenging," Pettit said. "There's just a shortage. They're just not available, contrary to what we are hearing from the federal government, from the state government, you know, 'folks wanting to get swabbed can get swabbed.' Unfortunately, locally, that's not the case at the moment. And we're working as hard as we can to provide that capacity to our residents."

It was President Donald Trump who said on March 6 that "anybody who wants a test can get a test." 

As of March 17, there have been 25,000 tests administered in the United States. Over the same time period, there have been 274,000 tests administered in South Korea. South Korea is reportedly making progress in fighting the spread of the disease.

There are several factors involved in the lack of available tests in the United States.

Asked about the slow response by the federal government, Pettit said, "I can't comment too much on the national level. I mean, that's out of our realm and out of our wheelhouse. Is it anything we can control? I mean, 'would it, could it, should it,' those are all things that we can debate later on. The reality is we need to focus on what's going on on the ground in our community and that's what we're doing here locally with county government and what we're doing in the health department.

"And I can tell you, as I told you yesterday, we are pushing back where we're saying we need these. We're being as aggressive as we can. Any time you have community spread, we need to identify cases. That's how we contain it. That's how we isolate and quarantine folks to try to minimize that continual train of exposure. So all I can tell you is, we are doing our best."

In Italy, where news reports indicated the society and government was slow to respond to the first cases in the country, there were 475 deaths reported today. The most of any country in one day.

Additional reading: The Single Most Important Lesson From the 1918 Influenza (The New York Times Opinion Section)

NOTE: Thank you to Alecia Kaus/Video News Service for sharing a couple of minutes of video from today that I missed because I didn't notice that my camera stopped recording. Regarding our second failed attempt to live stream the press conference, my MacBook wouldn't recognize either mic I tried to use with it, so all I could do was record the press briefing.