Erie County Health Department Update ( 3.26.20 )

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.

o   Complaints about public health hazards will continue to have on-site inspections.

o   Public Health Sanitarians are continuing surveillance and investigation programs for restaurants as they have shifted to take-out only service.

o   Property transfer inspections are suspended until further notice. Replacement sewage system design and inspection will continue.

o   Vector control work for exterior baiting will continue.

o   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.

o   ATUPA/Tobacco Program with local retailers, 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:

o   Amazon: https://www.indeed.com/q-Amazon-l-Buffalo,-NY-jobs.html

o   ARC of Erie County: www.arceriecounty.org

o   Catholic Health: https://jobs.chsbuffalo.org

o   Community Services For Every1: www.csevery1.com

o   CVS: https://jobs.cvshealth.com

o   Dash’s Market: https://www.dashsmarket.com

o   Dollar General: https://careers.dollargeneral.com

o   Erie County Medical Center (ECMC): www.ecmc.edu/careers

o   General Mills: https://careers.generalmills.com

o   HiOperator: https://www.indeedjobs.com/hioperator-417bd07/jobs

o   Instacart: https://shoppers.instacart.com

o   Kaleida Health: https://www.kaleidahealth.org/careers

o   O-at-ka Milk Products: https://oatkamilk.com/careers

o   OLV Human Services: https://www.olvhumanservices.org/careers

o   SERVPRO Southtowns: https://www.servprothesouthtowns.com/careers

o   Steuben Foods            : http://www.steubenfoods.com/job-openings

o   Suburban Adult Services: https://www.sasinc.org/Careers

o   Tops Markets: https://www.topsmarkets.com/Careers

o   Upstate Niagara Cooperative: https://www.upstateniagara.com/careers

o   Walmart: https://careers.walmart.com

o   Wegmans: www.jobs.wegmans.com

Related articles

Hochul orders one-year pause on new hyperscale data centers, highlights Western New York roundtable

Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order pausing state permitting for new hyperscale data centers for up to one year while New York develops a statewide regulatory framework and a Community Investment Framework for localities.

‘Slave tourism’ argument in Trump-friendly SCOTUS brief flagged by legal expert



A law professor flagged a legal theory from a Trump amicus brief that he says would let foreigners bring enslaved people into the U.S.

During an interview on the Legal AF podcast, legal expert Paul Gowder talked about American legal scholar Richard Epstein and an argument he made in an amicus brief filed in Trump's birthright citizenship case. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled against Trump's bid to end birthright citizenship, and Epstein filed the brief on Trump's side.

Gowder explained that Epstein argued that the phrases "subject to the jurisdiction" and "within the jurisdiction" have different meanings in the Constitution. Epstein observed that the phrase "subject to the jurisdiction" is used in the 14th Amendment, which guarantees birthright citizenship, and the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery.

Epstein interprets that to mean that those two amendments can only apply to people who are members of society in the United States, or "subject" to the jurisdiction, not simply within it, according to Gowder.

"Richard Epstein wants to read 'subject to the jurisdiction' to mean like in more control of the U.S., basically a member of the U.S. community, not somebody who's just passing through," Gowder explained.

That would allow Epstein to argue, "We can read the 14th Amendment to exclude tourists and to exclude undocumented people," Gowder said. But with slavery and the 13th Amendment, "he just, like, embraces the notion that therefore the 13th Amendment must mean that if somebody from a country that has legal slavery comes to the U.S. as a tourist, they can bring their slaves with them," Gowder explained.

"Like, what?" Gowder said in dismay as he described Epstein's idea as "slave tourism."

Gowder stressed that Epstein isn't a fringe legal scholar and described him as a "very, very famous NYU law professor, worshipped by the [Federalist Society], like basically, for a certain kind of right-wing thinker, people on the right often think he's like the greatest legal mind of his generation."

However, for Gowder, Epstein is "completely nuts."

Supreme Court Screwed as Nation Demands Reform Now! by Legal AF

Read on Substack

State: FIFA World Cup Generated $2.1B Economic Impact in Early Matches; Statewide Watch Parties and Legacy Investments Announced

Governor Hochul's office says preliminary analysis shows a $2.1 billion economic impact in early World Cup matches, $228 million in June tax revenue, nearly 120,000 shuttle tickets sold and thousands attending free state-led watch parties statewide.