The town of Bethlehem is working hard to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus and protect our staff, our residents, and our businesses.
Ensuring the delivery of essential town services
The town delivers a wide range of services, some of which we consider essential for public health and safety. These essential services include police protection, delivery of clean drinking water, removal and cleaning of sewage, and ensuring that our most vulnerable, isolated senior residents are safe.
We are preparing detailed plans for delivering essential services should the state government shut down, and in turn, the town government have to be shut down. We hope this will not come to pass, but we must be prepared for the worst.
We are also disinfecting our town facilities daily, and sadly we have had to cancel many of our town-organized programs in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, and New York State Department of Health (DOH)recommendations.
Our goals are to keep our employees safe while still providing services, and containing the spread of the novel coronavirus in our community.
Everyone has a role to play
The CDC, state DOH, and Albany County Department of Health have made it very clear that WE individually also have key roles to play. WE must wash our hands more often. WE must practice good coughing and sneezing etiquette. WE must stay home when we feel unwell. And WE must check on our vulnerable neighbors to make sure they’re well, and perhaps even help by going grocery shopping for them.
The COVID-19 outbreak in New York is serious.
We in town government are taking it seriously. We as individuals need to take it seriously as well, and each do our part to limit its spread and help our neighbors.
More information
Because this is a health emergency, we are following the lead of the CDC, state DOH, and the county DOH. They are the experts on epidemics and the novel coronavirus, and they are the best sources of information for Bethlehem residents and businesses.
Centers for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
New York State Department of Health: www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/
Albany County Department of Health: www.albanycounty.com/departments/health/2019-novel-coronavirus
David VanLuven
Bethlehem Town Supervisor
