Washington County’s Chairman of the Board, Samuel J. Hall, issued the following on March 25th.
Washington County’s Chairman of the Board, Samuel J. Hall, today, March 25, 2020, calls upon our visitors, weekenders, second-home owners and short-term rental owners and those with rental listings to refrain from visiting Washington County during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
There are currently six (6) confirmed cases of COVID-19 (2019 Novel Coronavirus) in the County and we are attempting to proactively reduce further exposure as it impacts the County’s population and our limited health and public safety assets.
We are beginning to see an influx of travelers from outside the County who are staying at second homes and short-term rentals, like AirBNB and VRBO. We are also seeing people who believe that they will receive faster testing services by leaving their main residence and coming here. Washington County is already following one positive case in which a non-County resident arrived thinking they would receive better access to testing. Unfortunately, seeking refuge from the more populous areas will not protect you from this global pandemic.
Both Governor Cuomo and Washington County have called upon the populace to halt the spread of the COVID-19 virus by limiting their movements to travel that is absolutely necessary. That is the only way we can stop the spread and protect our families and friends from this dangerous virus that can be dangerous and even fatal to the elderly and people with underlying health conditions.
It is unquestionable that the number of exposed people will increase with a more mobile population. An influx of people, no matter where their original domicile, can only lead to more cases in Washington County, thereby overwhelming its resources.