ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH UPDATE - March 26, afternoon

ERIE COUNTY, NY – The Erie County Department of Health is making the following announcements.

• We have received reports of 31 Erie County residents who are hospitalized as of yesterday due to COVID-19. As of today at 12 p.m. we have had 166 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Erie County residents.
• FRAUD ALERT: At this time there are no FDA-approved drugs or treatments for COVID-19. There are also no over-the-counter COVID-19 tests. If you get an email, phone call, offer by mail or other solicitation for these scams, hang up and ignore them. This is a very important warning to reinforce for every Erie County resident. The best medical advice for you comes from your physician. 
• Our COVID-19 Information Line team is working with many county departments and outside agencies to keep our Frequently Asked Questions updated. Review that list here: http://www2.erie.gov/health/index.php?q=frequently-asked-questions-and-answers-about-covid-19-coronavirus
• People who use or operate ride shares, taxi services or public transportation should make every effort to keep six feet away from others to the extent that is possible. Taxi and ride share operators should take steps to properly disinfect hard surfaces in the vehicle in between riders and stops.
• The Division of Environmental Health offices at 503 Kensington Ave. in Buffalo have restricted access to the public by appointment only.
  • Complaints about public health hazards will continue to have on-site inspections.
  • Public Health Sanitarians are continuing surveillance and investigation programs for restaurants as they have shifted to take-out only service.
  • Property transfer inspections are suspended until further notice. Replacement sewage system design and inspection will continue.
  • Vector control work for exterior baiting will continue.
  • Our Rabies Program is available by phone at (716) 961-6800. Individuals who encounter a bat or other wild animal, or who are bitten by a dog, cat or other mammal, should call our office.
  • ATUPA/Tobacco Program with local retailers continue, though compliance checks with minors are suspended. 
  • We are sharing this resource from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for assistance in quitting smoking and tobacco use. https://smokefree.gov/ has texting programs, phone apps and a live online chat to support people in reaching their smokefree goals.  
• Erie County has received information from some local employers who are expanding hiring at this time. This list is subject to change, but as of this afternoon the following companies and web sites have career and application information available:
  • Amazon: https://www.indeed.com/q-Amazon-l-Buffalo,-NY-jobs.html
  • ARC of Erie County: www.arceriecounty.org
  • Catholic Health: https://jobs.chsbuffalo.org
  • Community Services For Every1: www.csevery1.com
  • CVS: https://jobs.cvshealth.com
  • Dash's Market: https://www.dashsmarket.com
  • Dollar General: https://careers.dollargeneral.com
  • Erie County Medical Center (ECMC): www.ecmc.edu/careers
  • General Mills: https://careers.generalmills.com
  • HiOperator: https://www.indeedjobs.com/hioperator-417bd07/jobs
  • Instacart: https://shoppers.instacart.com
  • Kaleida Health: https://www.kaleidahealth.org/careers
  • O-at-ka Milk Products: https://oatkamilk.com/careers
  • OLV Human Services: https://www.olvhumanservices.org/careers
  • SERVPRO Southtowns: https://www.servprothesouthtowns.com/careers
  • Steuben Foods: http://www.steubenfoods.com/job-openings
  • Suburban Adult Services: https://www.sasinc.org/Careers
  • Tops Markets: https://www.topsmarkets.com/Careers
  • Upstate Niagara Cooperative: https://www.upstateniagara.com/careers
  • Walmart: https://careers.walmart.com
  • Wegmans: www.jobs.wegmans.com