Albany Med is among the first hospitals in the country to obtain Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to use convalescent blood plasma therapy to experimentally treat critically ill patients who are infected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Convalescent plasma therapy—or plasma from a survivor of an infectious disease—was the same treatment used during the 1918 flu pandemic.
When fighting illness, the body produces antibodies—proteins that counteract a pathogen. Antibodies remain in plasma for weeks or months after recovery. The antibodies in patients who have recovered from COVID-19 attack the virus and can potentially be useful as a treatment for the virus, Albany Med officials said.
Regional Council of NYS Has Website With Information For Ordering Goods Online
The Retail Council of New York State has launched RetailNewYork.com, an online directory for independent Main Street merchants of all sorts from throughout the state.
“Their stores might be closed for now, but they’re open for online and phone orders and ready to ship right to your door,” said Council President and CEO Ted Potrikus. “We want to fill the site with contact information for stores of every sort. These are the Main Street merchants who need our support.”
“While we’re all waiting it out indoors, RetailNewYork is a great way to find your favorite stores and work out some retail therapy,” he said.
ECS Psychological Services Supervisor Says Plan In Place To Talk Remotely With Patients
By Jill NAgy
ECS Psychological Services already had a platform to connect with patients remotely before the COVID-19 restrictions, according to clinical supervisor Dana Jacobs. Clinicians communicated remotely with patients in cases of illness or inclement weather.
Now, all their work is remote.
While many businesses are losing clients and customers because of the health emergency, ECS is actually taking on new clients, she said.
“Of course, our preference is to see patients personally, face to face,” said Jacobs. “But we are doing a very good job and so are our patients. People are very resilient.”
Group Develops ‘Stay Safe’ Protocols To Help Hotels Meet Challenges Posed By COVID-19
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has introduced Safe Stay, an industry-wide, enhanced standard of health and safety protocols designed to prepare America’s hotels to safely welcome back guests and employees as the economy reopens.
Safe Stay represents the top priority for the industry, the health and safety of guests and employees, officials said.
The standards of Safe Stay were developed under the guidance of an advisory council comprised of industry leaders representing all segments of the hotel industry, and in conjunction with public health experts to advance best practices for protecting against the coronavirus, AHLA said.
Adirondack Wine & Food Festival In Lake George Is Postponed Until September
In light of current social distancing guidelines revolving around the COVID-19 pandemic, Adirondack Festivals LLC has rescheduled the sixth annual Adirondack Wine & Food Festival to the weekend of Sept. 26-27.
The festival is normally held the last weekend in June. The decision to reschedule was made to help protect the health and safety of festival attendees and vendors, while providing an alternative date in 2020 with favorable weather, said Sasha Pardy, owner of Adirondack Festivals LLC.
Reserve Expands $600B Business Loan Program
The Federal Reserve has expanded its $600 billion Main Street Lending Program to serve much smaller businesses.
The move comes after the Federal Reserve accepted more than 2,200 comments about the proposed lending program from people, businesses and nonprofits. The Fed has yet to set a start date, saying that will be “announced soon.”
The minimum loan amount under the program will now be $500,000 for new loans and priority loans, down from the originally proposed $1 million, opening up the program to smaller businesses. The “expanded” loan type will be a minimum of $10 million, designed for larger businesses.
Pioneer Bank Will Not Purchase Insurance Co.
By Christine Graf
After two years of negotiations, the agreement which would have allowed Pioneer Bank to purchase Jaeger & Flynn for $12.75 million has been terminated.
With more than 85 employees working in offices in Clifton Park, Saratoga Springs, and Glens Falls, Jaeger & Flynn is the third largest health insurance broker in the region. They also offer human resources consulting and a variety of other services.
According to Pioneer Bank CEO Tom Amell, it was Jaeger & Flynn President and CEO Thomas Flynn who ultimately made the decision to terminate the agreement.
Proprietor Of Paint & Sip Business Offers The Activity Safely During Virus Pandemic
Courtesy Catherine Hover
By Andrea Harwood Palmer
Catherine Hover, owner of Palette Café on Broadway and Paint & Sip on Henry Street in Saratoga Springs, has revised and redirected her business services in the wake of the coronavirus economic shutdown.
“The most important thing for me is my team and keeping them employed. They have so much invested in Palette Café and Paint & Sip, and I have so much invested in them. It’s not someone else’s problem—it’s my problem, and I’m going to be part of the solution. Putting my staff on unemployment is not solving the problem. We’re going to pivot the hell out of this thing,” said Hover.
Hover utilized both businesses to put together “Paint & Take” paint kits. The kit includes a canvas, brushes, all the paint you need for the project. There is a $3 refundable deposit for the brushes, refundable when brushes are returned. Step-by-step instructions are included in the kit, and a recorded instructional session is available as well.
Wine is included with the kit for $15. Customers choose between a white or a red house wine.
NYS Builders Association Asks Gov. Cuomo To Start Now, Not Take Phased-In Approach
The New York State Builders Association has gone on record to ask the state to allow construction to resume right away—statewide—rather than wait for the proposed phased approach by region that the governor has outlined.
Lewis Dubuque, association executive vice president, said in a May 4 statement that homebuilders “have a limited time-frame based on the weather to undertake construction of residential housing. It is critical for the building industry to get back to work to capture as much of the remaining construction season as possible,” according to the statement.
In late April, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo outlined a phased plan to re-open New York and re-imagine a new normal for the state starting with construction and manufacturing. He said the plan will be based on regional analysis and determinations. Based on CDC recommendations, once a region experiences a 14-day decline in the hospitalization rate they may begin a phased re-opening.
Phase one will include opening construction and manufacturing functions with low risk.
But few details have yet to be released.
CDPHP Is Facilitator In Medical Complex To Be Built On Route 9 In Clifton Park
Courtesy CDCHP
By Andrea Harwood Palmer
CDPHP is acting as partner facilitator for a new multi-practice medical specialty complex located at 1785 Route 9 in Clifton Park.
“CDPHP, in partnership with a number of independent physical practices, is building what we consider to be the medical park of the future,” said Ali Skinner, CDPHP vice president of strategic communications. “The goal is to provide the ultimate patient experience in a state-of-the-art complex.”
Though April groundbreaking plans were delayed due to the COVID-19 crisis, the plan remains for the facility to open in late 2021.