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Moffat Library Databases: ONGOING PANDEMIC - COVID-19
Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Tracking Dashboard
This interactive map from Johns Hopkins University allows users to see a breakdown of the coronavirus's spread and extent in different countries. The data used in the dashboard is drawn from regional and world health departments including the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC), and the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The source for the dashboard can be found at the Johns Hopkins Center for System Science and Engineering.
Updates are published as they become available.
In the event that you want to access a tracking map like the one above, please navigate to them by visiting safe and reliable sources like the World Health Organization, the New York State Department of Health, or NPR. All of these organizations maintain frequently updated data.
Changes In Mobility Due To COVID-19
Collective, anonymized data can provide useful public health insights for nations and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Software companies such as Apple and Google are currently providing mobility reports created from aggregate, anonymous data taken from travel direction requests and visits to different categories of locations.
Apple - COVID-19 - Mobility Trends Reports
Protect Yourself From Fraud
Practices like price gouging, fraudulent advertising, and unsafe products during pandemics are all too common. Federal and state agencies are responsible for protecting consumers from scams and harmful business practices.
Federal Trade Commission
Protecting Yourself Financially During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Call the New York Consumer Helpline to Report Price Gouging: 1-800-697-1220
Medical Databases & Information
Scientists are publishing an immense amount of research on coronaviruses each day. If you want to take a deeper dive into the medical and biological literature, many publishers and libraries are collecting their COVID-19 articles into free and easily accessible information centers. Checking health claims that you see online against published research is a good way to avoid misinformation.
National Institutes of Health - Coronavirus 2019 Disease Situation Summary
Novel Coronavirus Information Center
The Status Of New York State & The Mid-Hudson Region
New York is vaccinating people through state-run distribution site as well as pharmacies, hospitals, and local health departments. The eligibility requirements for receiving a COVID-19 vaccine are the same regardless of where you get it in New York. The vaccine is available for free to everyone.
Use the Am I Eligible app to check your current eligibility. It will ask you for your age, basic contact information, and answers to some basic questions. You must answer each question in order to make the next question appear. If you are determined to be eligible, you will receive a list of locations where you can make an appointment.
Vaccine availability is based on the doses provided to New York by the federal government. New York then distributes them to the various counties based on population and current need.
As of January 14, Orange County does not have any doses remaining. Check back frequently for updates on vaccine availability.
In the interim, New York has released a COVID-19 Winter Plan to ensure that we reach a point of general vaccine availability with a minimum of infections and disruptions. This Winter Plan includes a continuation of the Micro-Cluster Strategy to identify specific at-risk areas with high infection rates and strained hospital capacity. You can check if your address falls within a particular cluster zone here. You can use the New York Forward Business Reopening Lookup tool to receive specific guidance on the restrictions on different nonessential businesses. Check the latest updates at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home
- Broadly, the people currently eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine are EITHER an essential healthcare worker OR an essential worker in a field that requires close contact with other people such as first responders, educators, home care and hospice workers, grocery workers, or public transit workers. Check the Am I Eligible app for complete information.
- People who are eligible must make an appointment with a vaccine provider. Due to supply bottlenecks, eligibility does not guarantee the availability of appointment slots for everyone at this time.
- Once you have a confirmed appointment, you will need to complete the New York State COVID-19 Form. This form can be completed online in advance or in person during your appointment. If possible, New York State recommends completing the form online.
- You will need to bring some form of proof of eligibility to your appointment. For example, proof of age can be established by a form of ID that lists your date of birth. Your employment can be established by an employee ID card, a letter from your employer, or a pay stub.
- All currently approved COVID-19 vaccines require two doses, given several weeks apart, for full effectiveness. During your initial appointment, you will schedule your second shot at your vaccination site.
- The dashboard showing COVID-19 statistics just for Orange County can be viewed here.
- The COVID Alert NY app is available through the Apple and Google Play app stores. It allows people to easily view outbreak numbers in different regions and to receive rapid alerts if someone with whom they have been in close contact has tested positive. Usage is free, voluntary, and anonymous.
Recognize The Symptoms Of COVID-19
Practicing Critical Thinking & Avoiding Misinformation
Conspiracy theories and unfounded information can spread faster than any disease. Some of these rumors and claims may be wrong but are relatively harmless, such as the idea that eating garlic can help protect you from COVID-19. Others are much more dangerous, such as conspiracies that the novel coronavirus is a human-made bio-weapon or that certain treatments or supplements can cure COVID-19. Misinformation makes everyone less safe, by leaving us more vulnerable to infection, to panicked behavior, to harming ourselves through attempting dangerous remedies, and to stigmatizing and fearing other people. But there are simple steps to avoid getting fooled and to slow the spread of misinformation.
- Be Careful Where You Get Your News About Coronavirus (Source: Harvard Health Blog)
- Even though social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and TikTok are taking steps to moderate content and flag misleading information, it is still easy to to spread misinformation on these platforms. Be cautious when reading and sharing news on social media. (Click each social media platform's name to see how they are working to combat misinformation.)
- Prioritize reliable sources like international and government agencies (which have missions to protect and inform the public), major news organizations (which have established expertise and robust fact checking policies), and scientific and medical journals (which have rigorous vetting before publication and do not have vested commercial interests in the information provided).
- Take Some Time To Verify Information Before You Share It
- You don't need to spend a long time trying to find the original source of a claim or exhaustively assess the credibility of its author. But wait a few minutes before sharing a link or interacting with a post. You can use that time to see if other news organizations are reporting the same information. You can check whether the claim has a commercial interest in selling you a product or service. You can reflect when confronting claims that try to sensationalize events or make you panicked or angry. The faster you consume and share information, the easier it is to be fooled.
- Scams will exploit (and already have exploited) fears and concerns about COVID-19 to steal your personal information, place malware on your devices, and steal money. The best defense against such scams is to carefully scrutinize links and information before you act on it. Scammers will try to rush you into a hasty decision. Be suspicious of any unsolicited emails or information.
- Consult Factchecking And Public Health Organizations For More Context
- WHO - Advice For The Public: Myth Busters
- CDC - Key Facts
- Snopes - The Coronavirus Collection
- Factcheck.org - Issue Coverage: Coronavirus
- Consider Taking Breaks From The News
- It is understandable that people want to stay as informed as possible about a rapidly changing situation like the COVID-19 pandemic. But constantly chasing the latest headlines and broadcasts can make you more anxious without actually informing you of anything new or useful. Even if they are accurate, the rapid alerts that you see may lack important context and distract from your daily life. Information that updates less frequently can provide a clearer picture of important trends while still conveying necessary details. Take some time every day to relax and pursue activities that you enjoy. You'll be better equipped to understand the news afterward.
State & Local Health Organizations
State and local health departments are responsible for the safety of New Yorkers. If you or someone you know has information about someone who has had contact with a person infected with coronavirus, please call the hotlines listed below.
PLEASE NOTE: If you or a family member are exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and are seeking medical help, CALL AHEAD to inform your healthcare provider or hospital so that they can take adequate precautions.
Hotline: Call 1-888-364-3065 for Information about Coronavirus
- Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Main Website
- Simple Steps for Preparation
- Executive Order 202 - State Declaration of Emergency
- Executive Order 202.17 - Effective April 17, all New Yorkers must wear a mask or face covering while in public and unable to maintain social distancing
- Executive Order 202.34 - Effective June 27, businesses shall have the discretion to remove or deny admittance to individuals who fail to comply with directives to wear face coverings during the state of emergency due to the pandemic
Orange County Health Department Phone Number: 845-291-2330
Travel Advisories
As of August 6, 2020, the State Department has compiled a list of county specific travel considerations and restrictions due to COVID-19. Further, due to worldwide community transmission, the State Department strongly emphasizes that citizens continue to reconsider and avoid all international travel.
As of December 2020, the CDC has applied a Level 4 Travel Health Notice: Risk is Very High to essentially all countries. It further recommends against all nonessential domestic travel due to ongoing community transmission. For people who do decide to travel domestically, the CDC has a series of recommendations for minimizing risk while traveling.
The State Department is responsible for American consulates in foreign countries and issues travel advisories for American citizens. At this time, they are recommending that all Americans avoid all international travel. Additionally, all Americans abroad who are able to do so should arrange to return to the United States immediately unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period of time. Be prepared for abrupt imposition of new travel restrictions, both entering and exiting the United States.
Information From Other Libraries
Moffat Library is grateful for the swift action and resource sharing on the parts of the Middletown Thrall Library and the Southeastern New York Library Resource Council (SENYLRC). If the information you need is not available through one of the links provided above, we encourage you to explore the resources collected by these libraries.