The COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout - Part 2
The COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout - Part 2
After a full year of battling a pandemic, people in our area have many questions about the future and returning to some sort of “normal”. What about Fall Fest? Our summer concerts? Still wearing masks? Brian McFadden, executive director of the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce, is very hopeful about the events planned in Ellicottville this year.
“We’ll take it one step at a time and not get too far ahead of ourselves,” said McFadden. "We have a good feeling about our July 4th concerts. Using Holiday Valley’s golf course gives us a lot of opportunity to spread things out, but I am sure there will be adjustments from previous years. Smaller events like our Gazebo series will begin July 1st and continue Thursday nights into August. Keep checking our website, ellicottvilleny.com for updates.”
To further explore some of the public’s concerns, we reconnected with Cattaraugus County Director of Health, Dr. Kevin Watkins, who graciously took time out to answer a few of our questions.
eNOW: For those who have had COVID-19, does that mean they are in the clear going forward?
Dr. WATKINS: Having Covid does not mean, and I will repeat, it does not make you invincible or it does not protect you from getting reinfected by COVID-19. Studies have shown that after a person has been infected within the past 90 days, that reinfection is very low but it does not mean that it is nil.
eNOW: What would you like to say to the entire community about the losses we've faced locally because of COVID-19?
Dr. WATKINS: So far we have lost 81 residents to COVID-19 and we extend our deepest condolences to those families who had to experience these losses. COVID-19 is nothing to play with; it has really taken its toll on the residents here in Cattaraugus County.
eNOW: What is the message you’d like to send to the people of Ellicottville including bars and restaurants about masks and being vigilant?
Dr. WATKINS: Ellicottville is really a socialite of community where right now, outdoor sports seems to be where everyone really likes to be because there is a large number of individuals interested in participating in those outdoor sports. I still want them to remember that we still have COVID-19 prevalence within that community as well and that face coverings will and should be a requirement of any facility. We’d like anyone visiting the area to continue to wear their face mask or face coverings. And because a number of those visitors could be from parts of different states, we just want them to know that if there is an outbreak, it would really lead to a large amount of investigation on our part. So it would really help us if they would practice those public health measures and help keep everyone safe.
eNOW: Talk about some of the variants of the virus that have now come into Western New York.
Dr. WATKINS: These variants that we’re seeing - one in the UK, one in South Africa and the other one in Brazil or South America - what we do know about these variants is that they are highly contagious - up to 50 to 70% more contagious than the COVID-19 that we are dealing with currently. These variants have been identified in New York State, as close as Allegany County and in Niagara County. Again, these variants are a lot more contagious. One person with one of these variants can infect a lot more people than, say, the COVID-19 that we are currently experiencing here. So we still have to be very careful.
eNOW: What will the region be like when we hit summer? What will happen to Fall Fest, our concerts, the outdoor village gazebo concerts and, in general, get-togethers over the summer and fall?
Dr. WATKINS: This is just being hopeful that we will start to receive more doses of vaccine we can get a number of New Yorkers vaccinated and then that would allow for such activities at this particular time. We will have to maintain the strict executive orders that come from New York State. For those type of concerts and things we have participated in ... in the summer I know last year we had to cancel quite a few events. I’m hopeful that this year we might be able to put a few on, but it might still require some social distance and the number of individuals that will be allowed to attend.
Hopeful news as we get closer to warmer weather, getting outside and enjoying all Ellicottville has to offer. Check out the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce website for the very latest on the planned 2021 events: https://www.ellicottvilleny.com.