Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information and Resources

TCHD urges the community to continue to do the following: 

1.     Get vaccinated when you are able 

·        Information on local vaccination is available on the Health Department website: https://tompkinscountyny.gov/health/covid19popup  

2.     Get tested if you have symptoms. 

·        Cayuga Health Mall Site location and hours: 40 Catherwood Dr., Monday–Friday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm; Closed Sat. & Sun. The Sampling Site will be open on Monday, September 6 from 8:30 am – 4:00pm. For more information visit: https://tompkinscountyny.gov/health/factsheets/coronavirussamplingsite  

·        Testing is free and accessible to Tompkins County residents. If you do not have transportation to the Mall Site, please call 211 

While TCHD recommends the more sensitive and accurate PCR tests, over the counter at-home antigen COVID-19 tests have become available at pharmacies.  For information on obtaining test kits through your health insurance or free at home test kits through the County, Call 2-1-1 (1-877-211-8667).  All positive at-home test results should be immediately communicated with your primary care provider and TCHD (alert TCHD by calling 607-274-6604).   

·        COVID-19 symptoms are often similar to the common cold or can be mistaken for allergies. Symptoms include: 

·   Fever or chills 

·   Cough 

·   Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing 

·   Fatigue 

·   Muscle or body aches 

·   Headache 

·   New loss of taste or smell 

·   Sore throat 

·   Congestion or runny nose 

·   Nausea or vomiting 

·   Diarrhea 

4.     Monitor for symptoms, especially when traveling or if you attend a large gathering where precautions are not in place or followed. Remember the virus can also be carried by someone who is asymptomatic.  

Testing remains one of the most effective tools in identifying positive cases and stopping the spread.  Testing remains free for Tompkins County residents through Cayuga Health System.  You can also obtain four free rapid testing kits per household via the USPS.

TCHD recommends that individuals seeking a COVID-19 test do so with a PCR test, which is the most sensitive and reliable. These tests are available through Cayuga Health System, testing information can be found here. All PCR test results are automatically reported to TCHD and allow for isolation and quarantine and contact tracing.

At this time, you should seek a COVID-19 PCR test if you are:

• Symptomatic for COVID-19 (See list of symptoms here) regardless of your vaccination status.
• An unvaccinated close contact of a positive individual, 5-7 days after exposure
  • Unvaccinated close contacts are still required to complete quarantine.
• A fully vaccinated close contact of a positive individual, 3-5 days after exposure.
• If your employer or affiliated institution or school requires testing.

Close contacts are individuals who are within six feet from a positive individual for 10 minutes or more.

While TCHD recommends the more sensitive and accurate PCR tests, over the counter at-home antigen COVID-19 tests have become available at pharmacies for purchase or free through various local sources. TCHD is alerting the community that all positive at-home test results should be immediately communicated with your primary care provider and TCHD (alert TCHD by calling 607-274-6604).

If you would like assistance in finding a primary care provider in the area, call the Cayuga Health Physician Referral Service at (607) 274-4615.

Local businesses and organizations can email Tracy Gates, Chief Operating Officer, at tgates@cayugamed.org to contract for testing services for their employees.  Non-Tompkins County residents must continue to meet the COVID-19 testing requirements listed on cayugahealth.org. 

If you need a ride to the Tompkins County COVID-19 drive-thru Testing Center, first register for testing online at www.cayugahealth.org or by calling 607.319.5708. Then call 2-1-1 (or 1.877.211.8667) between 8:30 am and 5 pm to schedule a safe and free ride with ASAP Cab Company.

If you are unable to leave your home and require food delivery there are some local options that may be able to assist you:

FoodNet Meals on Wheels – Expanded Home Meal Delivery

Call 266.9553

Hot, frozen, and sandwich meals available for delivery. Most Tompkins residents 60+ qualify as do many others – call to ask.
Expanded delivery is subject to change with pandemic conditions.

United Way of Tompkins County – Emergency Grocery Request
Call 2-1-1 or 1.877.211.8667, ask to complete an emergency food delivery request or complete the online registration form.

Tompkins Community Action – Grocery Delivery or Pick Up

Call 273.8816 ext. 113 or complete the online registration form. 

Pickup at 701 Spencer Rd. by appt. on Tues., 1-4 pm or Wed. & Thurs., 10 am – 1pm.
Contact a service agency for a delivery referral.

For questions or concerns, please contact:

Francis Zaryski, School Lunch Manager
607-758-4110 ext. 1338 
fzaryski@cortlandschools.org 

You can find more information by visiting their website.

For information visit their website.

For information visit their website.

For  information, please visit their website.

Meal Delivery/Pickup

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Katie Swearingen at 607-533-3020 x 3119 or by email kswearingen@lcsd.k12.ny.us.

Please use the following link to access the virtual meal delivery/pickup form: Virtual Meal Form.

Visit their website.

Visit their website for food resources.

We appreciate your patience and welcome your questions and suggestions during these challenging times at rhanson@tburg.k12.ny.us or call at (607)387-7551 ext. 4453 

The Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce has assembled a thorough guide to resources for businesses and organizations.

TCAD (Tompkins County Area Development) also has helpful resources on their website.

United State Small Business Administration Guidance & Loan Resources

To submit Coronavirus-related questions to NY State there is a form on their website.

COVID-19 and Re-opening posters for businesses, workplaces, and community locations are available for download here: https://tompkinscountyny.gov/health/factsheets/coronavirusdownloads.

The President’s American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 has created some funding opportunites for municipalities, nonprofits, and individuals,
read more about the plan and see how it might assist you or your organization.

The Tompkins County Office for the Aging has compiled a list of useful Resources for Caregivers

Child Development Council staff are still here to help you with child care needs! 

• If you need child care, call us at 607.273.0259 or email info@childdevelopmentcouncil.org. We will return your call or email as soon as possible.
• For more information visit their website at https://www.childdevelopmentcouncil.org/covid19-resources/

The Moratorium on Evictions has ended in NYS.  If you are facing eviction, call 2-1-1 (1-877-211-8667) for resources to assist you.

What You Should Know if Your Landlord Tries to Evict You:

New York’s Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 created new protections for tenants, including a new provision that makes it a crime (a Class A misdemeanor) for a person to either evict an occupant from their home without a court order, or to fail to restore an occupant who was evicted without court order. This new law empowers law enforcement to intervene when encountering unlawful evictions.

Highlights of the Law of Note:

• It is an unlawful eviction if a person evicts or attempts to evict a person by:
  • Using or threatening the use of force;
  • Interrupting or discontinuing essential services (i.e. heat, water, electricity);
  • Removing the occupant’s possessions from the dwelling unit;
  • Removing the door at the entrance to the dwelling unit;
  • Removing, plugging, or otherwise rendering the lock on the entrance door inoperable;
  • Changing the lock on an entrance door without supplying the occupant with a key; and
  • Any other action which prevents or is intended to prevent the occupant from the lawful occupancy of the dwelling unit, which interferes or intends to interfere with the occupant’s use and occupancy of the dwelling unit, or induces the occupant to vacate.
• The law protects any person who occupies a dwelling unit (which can be an apartment, a room, or a bed) through a written or oral lease, or who has occupied the unit for at least 30 days from the unlawful eviction, including tenants whose leases have expired, family members who have been in the dwelling unit for at least 30 days, and roommates or other licensees of tenants and occupants who have been in the dwelling unit for at least 30 days.  
• Furthermore, the law also requires an owner of the dwelling unit to take all reasonable and necessary actions to restore an occupant who has been unlawfully evicted to their unit. Alternatively, the owner can provide the occupant another habitable unit within the dwelling.

If you have questions or believe you have been a victim of harassment or discrimination of this kind, contact the OAG Civil Rights Bureau by emailing civil.rights@ag.ny.gov or calling 1.800.771.7755.

More information on Tenants Rights

The Ithaca Tenants Union launched a legal housing hotline, which the group started in collaboration with Cornell Law School. If you are having a tenancy-related legal concern, you can reach out to the hotline for free legal advice. Hotline Phone Hours: M-F 10am-2pm and 7pm-9pm, email the Hotline at ITUHousingHotline@gmail.com, or call/text 607.301.1560. Visit the group’s Facebook page for more information. They also have a fact sheet that was compiled by Cornell Law with resources for those facing eviction.

Financial Assistance – United Way ALICE Program

ARE YOU, OR IS SOMEONE YOU KNOW, FACING FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES?

Residents, and those who work in Tompkins County, may be eligible for a mini-grant of up to $500 per qualified household to address basic need expenses. 

Call 2-1-1 (1-877-211-8667) or visit https://www.uwtc.org/united-way-2-1-1-alice to learn more.

New York’s health insurance Open Enrollment is ongoing.  New Yorkers can apply for coverage through NY State of Health, New York’s health insurance Marketplace, or directly through insurers.

Call 2-1-1 (or 1.877.211.8667) or visit https://hsctc.org/health-appointment-booking/ to book a navigator call and get connected to other local resources.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched an Emergency Broadband Benefit Program to help households struggling to pay for internet service during the pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, and virtual classrooms.

This program will provide a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they can contribute toward the purchase price. Funding is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.

The Broadband Benefit program has been authorized and FCC is working to make the benefit available as quickly as possible. Please continue to check the program webpage for updates.

Tompkins County has compiled a list of available support resources.

Residents of New York State can also call the state’s hotline at 1.844.863.9314 to schedule a free appointment with a Mental Health professional.

Information for Employees

Information for Employers

Contact Robert Crounse at the NYS Dept of Labor with any questions – robert.crounse@labor.ny.gov or call 607.741.5184

ERAP

The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) assists households behind on their rent that have experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19 and are at risk of homelessness or housing instability.  For more information, visit otda.ny.gov/ERAP or call 844-NY1RENT (844-691-7368).  You can also call 2-1-1 (1-877-211-8667) for screening and application assistance.

HSSP

The Housing Stability and Support Program (HSSP) supports renters at the highest risk of displacement from the City of Ithaca with direct payments of $300 per month for 18 months, and personalized assistance from a 2-1-1 Housing Specialist for navigating local resources.  Interested City of Ithaca residents can call  2-1-1 (toll-free 877-211-8667) for referral to  a 2-1-1 Housing Specialist who will guide  them through an initial assessment.  Priority will be given to BIPOC  applicants because of the  disproportionate housing instability  faced by this community due to  systemic racism.

Visit https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus for more information

You can obtain four free rapid test kits per household via the US Postal Service.

The Community Health Advocates program at the Human Services Coalition can assist with obtaining rapid test kits via your health insurance or for individuals without insurance.  Call 2-1-1 (1-877-211-8667) to speak with a Community Health Advocate for assistance.

TCAT

TCAT is requiring all passengers to wear a face mask.

For more information visit the TCAT website at www.tcatbus.com

Passengers are advised to look for service information and updates at TCAT’s Bus Tracker. 

GADABOUT

Call the Gadabout office at 607.273.1878 for information.  

CORTLAND TRANSIT

For information on service changes, please see this page maintained by Way2Go Cortland.

OTHER UPDATES

For consolidated information on local transportation visit the Way2Go web page.

If you need a ride to the Tompkins County COVID-19 drive-thru Testing Center located at The Shops at Ithaca Mall –  First register for testing online at www.cayugahealth.org or by calling 607.319.5708. Then call 2-1-1 (or 1.877.211.8667) between 8:30 am and 5 pm to schedule a safe and free ride with ASAP Cab Company.

Detailed information is available on the New York State Department of Labor website.

The New York State Bar Association says it will help you for free if you are denied an unemployment insurance claim. The president of the association says more than 700 attorneys throughout the state have signed up to help and have all been trained on these cases. They say it’s best to use this service as quickly as possible since claimants only have 30 days to challenge a denied claim for unemployment insurance.

Health Department Announces COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution – The vaccine is safe, effective, and readily available in New York State. More information is available on the NYS Department of Health website.  Information on pop-up vaccination clinics can also be found on the TCHD website.

Check out this video where virologists answer the 5 most commonly asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccines.

For more information on vaccinations in Tompkins County visit their website at https://tompkinscountyny.gov/health.  If you do not have internet access, please call 2-1-1 (1-877-211-8667) for information and assistance.

Mutual Aid Tompkins fund for essential needs. According to the www.mutualaidtompkins.com website, “We will match donations with people who request assistance through our Mutual Aid Form (we prioritize the poor, sick, elderly, disabled, undocumented, queer, Black, Brown, Indigenous and/or people of color).” The funding is being used for immediate needs like housing, food, transportation, . Here is the link to donate. 

Ultimate Reentry Opportunity – A fund for previously incarcerated individuals. “While all of us are facing numerous challenges right now, this crisis has shown us that some people are much more vulnerable than others. In particular, formerly incarcerated folks seeking reentry into our community are facing enormous challenges right now.” The Ultimate Reentry Opportunity, in collaboration with OAR, Richard Rivera of OAR, STAP and REACH Medical, and a few folks from Decarcerate Tompkins have created a fund to help with food insecurity, homelessness, needs for essentials like water and propane, and many other issues for individuals who have reentered the community and found themselves among the most vulnerable.

No Mas Lagrimas/No MoreTears (NMT) is a 501-c-3, grassroots community organization, NMT strives to identify and address gaps in the immediate needs of residents in our community.  They hold weekly food and supply distributions staffed by all-volunteer teams. Youth programs such as movie nights to engage and lift up our young people also have been launched during the last year.  They accept donations through paypal: nomoretearfamilia@gmail.com ,Venmo, or by check that can be mailed to: PO Box 814. Ithaca, NY, 14851. For more information, please visit their Website:https://nmlagrimas.wordpress.com/ or our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/126458227429051