The Examiner

COVID Cases Continue to Decline in Westchester County

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Active cases of the COVID-19 virus have been steadily dropping throughout the month of August in Westchester County. During his weekly briefing Monday, Westchester County Executive George Latimer reported the number of active cases of COVID-19 as of Aug. 21 were 2,033, as compared to 3,581 on July 21. He said the infection rate is at about seven percent, a drop from double digits earlier this summer.

“We seem to be managing it as well as we can,” said Latimer, who recalled there were approximately 36,000 active cases in the county during the winter holiday season. “We’re not going to take a victory lap because we don’t know what can be next. We don’t know what variant might be lurking around the corner.”

The county’s Health Department is offering free pediatric COVID vaccines for youngsters six months to five years old on Fridays between 9 a.m. to noon at 134 Court St. in White Plains by appointment only. Other vaccines children are required to have to attend school are also being offered by the Health Department on Fridays, starting Aug. 26, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Appointments are also required by going on the county’s website or calling (914) 995-5800.

Meanwhile, Latimer also reported there were currently 40 active cases of monkeypox in the county. To date, 75 individuals have contracted monkeypox. Monkeypox vaccines have been given to 700 county residents so far.

“We have taken an aggressive approach to monkeypox,” Latimer said.

HERRO Program

Latimer also spoke highly about the Higher Education Recruitment and Retention Opportunity (HERRO) program that he launched several months ago to help bolster the ranks of volunteer fire departments and EMS agencies. HERRO provides active volunteer emergency services personnel with tuition reimbursement or student loan repayment assistance.

Close to $250,000 has been dispensed so far to more than 50 recipients under the HERRO initiative.

“The HERRO program seeks to encourage more people to serve their communities as volunteer firefighters or ambulance corps personnel,” Latimer said. “We are off to a great start and hope to build further on the success we have had in the program’s first few months.”

Volunteers are eligible for up to $6,000 annually in tuition reimbursement or student loan repayment assistance. To be eligible, a HERRO applicant must be an active member of a volunteer fire department, fire company, fire district or EMS agency for one year. Volunteers must maintain acceptable volunteer activity and training levels as set forth by the County during their entire course of study. An applicant’s department or agency will have to verify that these training and service requirements have been met.

The HERRO program is administered by the Department of Emergency Services, which oversees volunteer fire and EMS training programs in Westchester County.

HERRO recipient Madelyn Contreras, who volunteers with the Mount Kisco Fire Department, said, “The HERRO program has enabled me to pursue my educational aspirations while being a present member of my department. I am so appreciative of the program, not only for what it has provided me with, but simply for the recognition that Westchester County is giving back to us as we serve our communities.”

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