Living with COVID-19

Manor residents grapple with the contagion’s new normal

SINCE SUNDAY, MARCH 20, nearly all New Yorkers have been staying home. Whether they have been working remotely, trying to come up with ways to serve their customers at a distance, looking after their school-aged children or simply wondering if they still have a job and how they will pay the bills, people’s lives have changed dramatically in five weeks since Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s “Pause” mandate was imposed. Then there are others who have been keeping essential businesses and services going, some risking their lives daily for the safety and well-being of others. Here in Livingston Manor, it’s no different. To find out how people are coping with the changes, Manor Ink reached out to a number of the hamlet’s officials, health-care workers and residents. Here is what they told us.

Jennifer Squires | Self-employed worker

Jennifer Squires is self-employed, the owner of Squires Housecleaning. The coronavirus has left her, and many others, in an uncertain situation.

Squires normally cleans four to five homes a day, and has a total of 65 clients, 22 of which are year-round. Now she is left with only the Livingston Manor Free Library, and that institution is currently closed. She had seven rental homes, but she lost those as well, now that people are not vacationing.

Her clients can’t risk her coming inside their homes because of the virus. A quarter of her year-round clients are between the ages of 65 and 80, some with respiratory issues, and are at the highest risk for the coronavirus. Many clients also have young children and are taking precautions for their safety.

“It’s been rough with this happening,” she said.

Squires stopped working on March 23, following the imposition of the quarantine, and has been trying to keep herself busy at home. “I’ve been sending cards to my clients, because I really miss them,” she said. They feel like family, and she misses talking to them and catching up on their lives.

Squires has been trying to register for unemployment since March 28, but has been unable to get through to the state Department of Labor by phone, and their website has crashed. She has been living on her savings, money that was originally put aside for taxes, since she doesn’t have to pay them until July. Squires isn’t only supporting herself, but also her son who works with her in her cleaning business. Worried by her failure to connect with the unemployment office, she estimates that her savings will only last her another month.

– Interview by Emily Ball

Fred Kovalyov | Shop owner, Fare Haven Farmacy

For Fred Kovalyov, produce manager and a founder of Fare Haven Farmacy, business has tripled in the last month. “Every week is a new record for us,” he said.

Kovalyov said that initially customers were “panic buying” due to the coronavirus, but more recently, as everyone has seen that fresh produce is readily available, ordering has settled down. The increase in sales, however, has taken its toll on Kovalyov, his family and the store’s volunteers. He, along with his mother Maya and his brother Sam, are the only full-time employees – although they receive no salary. There are three other part-time volunteers.

Due to the increased volume and the fact that most customers are pre-ordering pick-up boxes, they have been working 60-plus hours each week. “Every day when the quarantine began felt like a week,” said Kovalyov. “But we are getting to a better place now.”

The Farmacy is a nonprofit business that sells organic produce and other goods at wholesale prices. They ask for a 20-percent donation to help defer expenses, and some give even more. They also have a “Giving Tree,” hung with “apple” gift certificates that can be used by lower-income customers when they shop. A big part of the Farmacy’s mission is making wholesome and organic foods affordable to everyone.

In addition to organic vegetables and fruits, the store now stocks other items such as nut-based “cheeses,” spices, oils, vinegar, salad toppings, honey, nutritious snacks, and home and body products. Their kitchen, run by Sam Kovalyov, a trained nutritionist, is now making soups, sandwiches and other prepared foods for takeout.

“Most of our customers have been careful to wear masks while in the shop,” said Fred. “We follow distancing rules, and we greatly appreciate the nice words of encouragement and thanks we have received.”

Kovalyov added that they are trying to keep themselves safe and sane, and are grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve the community.

– Interview by Zachary Dertinger and Art Steinhauer

Evan Irwin | Manager, Peck’s Market

Evan Irwin, the manager of Peck’s Market in Livingston Manor has certainly had an interesting month.

“Yes, it’s been stressful but we’re handling it pretty well now,” Irwin said, referring to the COVID-19 crisis. “It’s taken getting used to a lot of things and adapting especially the first couple of weeks when everything was changing daily.”

Irwin said that the store’s staff and customers have settled into a new routine. He laughed, saying, “Initially we had a lot of critics and advice givers, but as the customers have seen that we’re mostly able to restock product, and the steps we’ve taken within the store for everyone’s safety, the patrons have calmed down.”

How is the staff handling the added stress? “Pretty well – although some are, of course, more worried than others about themselves or family.”

The customers too are handling the situation better. Evan said ninety percent were wearing masks in the store, though this interview took place before the state mandate. He said there was a lot of excess buying when the crisis first hit, some of that due to panic and some probably because customers are cooking more at home with restaurants closed.

Evan explained that re-stocking was a nationwide problem. “Warehouses and producers are struggling to keep up,” he said. Day by day, it’s hard to know what will be available because the store is now limited to ordering some items on strict “piece counts.” Peck’s, he said, has not had any problems restocking meats and produce. “Everyone, I think, knows we’re doing the best we can,” he said.

– Interview by Art Steinhauer

Ralph Bressler | Volunteer Ambulance Corps

Ralph Bressler is a 33-year member of the Livingston Manor Volunteer Ambulance Corps and is one of the many volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians who have been dealing with the coronavirus pandemic since it began to hit the area.

Surprisingly calls to the LMVAC have decreased rather dramatically since the beginning of the pandemic. Ralph said EMTs often get calls about situations that aren’t true emergencies, but now people are changing their perspective on what they consider an emergency.

“I think they are being respectful of emergency services due to the virus crisis, and there may be some who fear being taken to the hospital,” Ralph explained.

Of course, while there is a decrease in call volume, the Corps still take every precaution when dealing with the calls they do receive. The coronavirus has made it more difficult to determine the cause of situations, and that cause is important to know so the proper precautions for the EMT volunteers – and patients – can be taken.

“Whenever the pager goes off, it’s a stressful situation,” Ralph said. “Now when we go, we don’t really know what we’re going up against. Someone may have difficulty breathing because they are a smoker, but someone may also have difficulty breathing as a COVID-19 symptom.”

This virus situation, though, has resulted in misinformation about what the hospital will and will not do for patients. Bressler corrected the rumor that the Catskill Regional Medical Center will not treat non-virus patients. “Paramedics and EMTs will do everything they can in the field, according to New York State Department of Health protocols,” Ralph said. The hospital has a procedure to separate virus and non-virus patients during admission. Everyone with symptoms that might indicate COVID-19 is checked before being admitted. When patients are transported to the Emergency Room, the hospital staff meets the ambulance outside to transfer the patient. Only patients in cardiac arrest are taken directly into the ER by the ambulance crew so that life-saving efforts can be continuous.

Bressler said that the Corps is still well equipped with personal protective equipment, or PPE, as they had stocked up during the last Ebola alert. Also, New York State has been able to provide some of the needed supplies.

However, despite ample PPE and fewer calls to the LMVAC, there is a lot of stress because some crew members are involved with other work-related crisis issues. Some others need to be sure not to place themselves or their families in any danger due to their own health concerns.

Of course, everyone wants to avoid bringing the virus into their home, and thus some people do not go outside at all. Ralph Bressler advises otherwise.

“You should get out of the house. If you see someone on the street or trail, walk to one side or the other to keep a distance,” he said. “Just for your mental and physical health, get some sunshine. You will feel better.”

– Interview by Demi Budd

Rob Eggleton | Supervisor, Town of Rockland

Rob Eggleton said he, his family and staff are doing fine. While there have been some issues and challenges to running the Town during the coronavirus crisis, Eggleton said, “We’re managing.”

As an example, tax grievance day is coming up in May and the assessor needs to decide how to hold it – either virtually or by paper submission. While the Town’s offices are closed to the public, the staff is there every day. Code Enforcement Officer Glenn Gabbard has also been quite busy both with construction permits and ensuring businesses and the public comply with social distancing and mask requirements. The Highway Department is also keeping crews safe, thanks to Rep. Aileen Gunther for securing three dozen masks.

Rob said that one area of concern is the Town’s finances. The county just pulled $20K in funding that was to help with the removal of the derelict building at 60 Main Street.

“Everyone now respects the seriousness of the situation and is pretty much behaving,” said Eggleton, referring to the pandemic. He said no decision has been made yet by the Department of Health on whether to open summer camps – but it is something the Town is watching.

“Personally,” Rob said with a chuckle, “I haven’t yet gotten to most of the things I had intended to do if I had time, but best wishes for everyone to stay safe and well.”

– Interview by Art Steinhauer

Amanda Krause | Patient Care Technician, CRMC

About three weeks ago, Amanda Krause donned knee-high shoe coverings, a full gown, N95 respirator, gloves and head covering, and stepped into a heated tent, cascaded with chairs, each separated by cloth dividers decorated with flower patterns.

Krause is a Patient Care Technician in the Emergency Department at Catskill Regional Center. Usually her job is to do EKGs, phlebotomies, patient care, and stock and order supplies for the Emergency Room. Once the coronavirus struck, her job was altered in several ways.

The tent is where patients displaying signs of COVID-19 are brought and tested. Patients of the ER are immediately sent to a separate tent to be evaluated and then either sent to the coronavirus main tent or to the ER for their original inquiry.

There are exceptions made, however, if a patient’s problem is serious enough. In that case, the patient immediately receives care. If you are sent to the tent, you wait to be called in to be swabbed and advised to self isolate in your home away from everyone, including family, until you receive your test results. If you test positive, you are advised to continue isolation for two to three weeks. If symptoms are serious enough, the patient is brought to an isolation room in the ER for further treatment.

Krause hasn’t been in the tent for three weeks, but her job at the ER isn’t the same either. “The hospital is eerily quiet,” she said. “People are more hesitant to come to the Emergency Room for just anything. Now they’re actually coming for emergencies.” Patients aren’t allowed visitors anymore, and they’re also no longer allowed to be accompanied by anyone.

Krause says she believes the hospital was well prepared for the virus and that it does a good job of protecting the safety of its workers while still doing its best to provide proper care for patients. Krause is grateful for all of the letters from students and the general support the hospital staff have received from the community.

– Interview by Hunter Krause

Christine Wong | Lawyer, second home owner

Christine Wong is a resident of Forest Hills, Queens, and Livingston Manor. She and her husband bought a house in Livingston Manor because of her husband’s love for fly fishing. They have owned the Manor house for a little over 10 years, longer than their apartment in the city. The couple comes up to Livingston Manor on most weekends. “There’s more space here, and it’s a lot prettier,” Wong said. “I like how I get to see more people and am in a more social environment.”

The third week of March, the couple came up to their home in Livingston Manor just in case the coronavirus got worse. “We decided to come up here instead of staying in the city, because if there was a chance of being stuck somewhere, we would rather be stuck up here,” Wong said. Her house is three times the size of her apartment, and she takes a walk once a day with her sister who is staying with her. “That wouldn’t be feasible in the city,” she said.

Wong is an attorney and is currently working from home. She had a long commute in the city and now has more unused time. “My day is pretty different. I’m working at a desk that is two feet from my bed. I get up, get my morning coffee and then just sit down at my desk,” Wong explained. “I usually have a lot of meetings and am running back and forth from them, which now makes the rhythm different.” She’s also been doing many online meetings, but doesn’t find them the same. “My favorite part of the job is interacting with clients. They tell me what’s going on in their life,” she said. “That’s something I like to be involved in, which doesn’t come through with the Zoom meetings.”

When she first came up, she was not prepared to stay for so long, but she and her husband decided to keep themselves quarantined after arriving. Wong said, “I took the subway every day and walked through Grand Central, so I thought I could pose a risk to everyone. We spent time alone to make sure we weren’t infecting anyone when we came up, and another week once my sister did.” Wong’s husband Jamie is the “designated food shopper” to limit their exposure in town.

“I’m so grateful that I have this home to come to, to be able to spend the time,” said Wong. “It would’ve been significantly more difficult and stressful to be in a small apartment, where even to go out into my hallway there would be no way to properly socially distance myself.”

– Interview by Emily Ball

Jessica Mall | Art teacher, Livingston Manor Central School

As a teacher by trade, one might assume I have an unfair advantage when transitioning into home schooling my children as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While I am flattered by that vote of confidence and wish I could offer tips and suggestions to all of you who are also educating your children at home, sadly I can not.

The new reality is this: I am educating a fourth grader, a set of kindergarten twins, and 66 9-through-12 graders, all from the “comfort” of my home. Remotely teaching a hands-on subject such as art almost seemed impossible at first. However, with guidance from LMCS’s terrific team of administrators and encouragement from our superintendent, this pandemic has proven that where there is a will, there is a way.

Although high school students at LMCS receive a minimum of 45 minutes of instruction per subject during a normal school day, the expectation that remote lessons would adhere to this schedule was unrealistic. Instead, the high school staff have worked together to establish lessons that flow into one another, so as to not overwhelm students. For example, in lieu of designing a separate lesson for my drawing and painting class, I worked with Mrs. Gillman, an English teacher, to assign a project based around her book assignment.

With each lesson assigned, I packaged up materials and sent them directly to students so that they were equipped fairly and equally for the task at hand. With each assignment given, my message was consistent: “Do your best and keep your mind sharp.”

Nothing I have learned during my studies in college prepared me for this new reality. However, I wholeheartedly believe that during any kind of crisis, “No” is not an option.

Even as I sit writing this article, my own children run circles around me asking for something to drink, for help reaching a toy up on a high shelf or finding a misplaced item, and on and on and on. We truly are “all in this together” in more ways than one, so take solace in knowing that we are all living this and the need for kindness and understanding is greater now than ever before.

– Story by Jessica Mall