Officials review business liabilities

SCHUYLER COUNTY--With the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic spreading, county officials cautioned the local business community that non-compliance with pandemic guidelines will result in repercussions during the Thursday, Oct. 22 weekly pandemic response Zoom meeting. During the call, which was hosted for members of the Schuyler County Partnership for Economic Development and the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, SCOPED Executive Director Judy McKinney Cherry said of Schuyler's 360 or so businesses with employees, only 147 have signed affirmations that they are following state COVID guidelines.
"If you do this as a business (and someone catches COVID on the premises) you won't be liable," McKinney Cherry said. "If you are not affirmed you are a sitting duck because if someone can prove they caught it at your location you don't have coverage. No insurance companies I know are covering this. It's a real concern for me because we have so many businesses playing with fire right now."
County Administrator Tim O'Hearn said he is "kept up at night" over his concern of COVID's further impact on Schuyler and how a spike in cases could result in another shutdown.
"With Chemung and Steuben, Chemung particularly, shutting down businesses, that hits close to home, we share resources and people so we need to be more vigilant than ever," O'Hearn said.
During the meeting, county health Director Deborah Minor said that as of Thursday, Oct. 22, the infection positivity rate for Schuyler was 3.7 percent, just below the 4 percent threshold to be labeled a yellow area.
"Hopefully it's not likely (the percentage will increase), but I wouldn't have thought it likely that our numbers would triple in 30 days," O'Hearn said.
Minor also informed those on the call that two residents of Schuyler County recently died of the virus and there are currently hospitalizations of residents with severe COVID symptoms.
"The vast majority of our positive cases are linked to social gatherings, family birthday parties... large gatherings where people don't wear masks," Minor said. "I think what my staff is starting to hear is that people are starting to let their guard down."
Becky Gould, CEO of Schuyler Hospital, said it is likely the positivity rate of the county is probably even higher due to asymptomatic people not getting tested. Minor also added that contract tracing has proved somewhat difficult with people either forgetting where they were prior to testing positive or not wishing to divulge with whom they had contact.
"When contract tracing occurs respond and be truthful," O'Hearn said. "I know it can be frustrating but it compounds the ability to have a proper health response."
As to the argument that compliance is either too difficult or will negatively affect business, O'Hearn said that has been proven to not be the case.
"Businesses that follow (the guidelines), they are booming," O'Hearn stated. "The restrictions make people comfortable and does not alienate them. It's like the smoking ban 20 years ago when people thought the smoking ban would kill bars."
Regarding the politicization of mask use, O'Hearn said it has been scientifically proven that wearing masks, along with social distancing, have proven the most effective methods for preventing the spread of the virus.
Minor added that businesses who have not filled out the affirmation should not even be open.
"I don't have sympathy for the argument that we can't do this," O'Hearn said. "It's good for business (and will prevent the spread of the virus)."
McKinney Cherry added she hopes the goodwill shown to local medical professionals during the early stages of the pandemic will return now that Schuyler Hospital is actually treating patients.
"Please if you are an elected official get the word out that if a business is not affirmed they shouldn't be open. I can't say it with enough passion, it is very very important," McKinney Cherry said.
New York's business affirmation is available at: https://forms.ny.gov/s3/ny-forward-affirmation#.