New York State Coronavirus Resources Available

ONEONTA, 03/18/20 – State Senator James L. Seward (R/C/I-Oneonta) today announced that several state resources are available in response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“We live in unprecedented times due to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the landscape changes from moment to moment,” said Senator Seward.  “Along with health concerns, there are major economic factors at play and many individuals and businesses are in need of assistance.  Several resources have already been announced by the governor, and I will be pushing for additional support to insure our small business owners and work force are able to survive this crisis and thrive when normalcy returns.”

For the latest health information regarding the COVID-19, the New York State Department of Health website is updated regularly.  You can access the site at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home.  A toll-free hotline is also available at 1-888-364-3065.

Information regarding unemployment insurance is available online at https://www.labor.ny.gov/home/ or by calling 1-888-469-7365.  New York State is waiving the 7-day waiting period for unemployment insurance benefits for people who are out of work due to Coronavirus closures or quarantines.

Empire State Development (ESD) has a special section at https://esd.ny.gov/esd-covid-19-related-resources and has initiated a special online intake portal https://esd.ny.gov/covid-19-help for individuals and businesses to relay business-related COVID-19 questions and concerns. Any information or issue submitted through the portal will be routed to the relevant ESD department, enabling the agency to rapidly respond to questions.

The Department of Financial Services (DFS) has consumer and industry information at https://www.dfs.ny.gov/.  Special sections regarding health, travel, and business interruption insurance are included.

“Steps being taken to thwart the spread of Coronavirus are necessary.  However, we will need to implement a comprehensive strategy to recover economically once the pandemic has passed.  I have been in contact with a number of small business owners and will be advocating for several additional steps to address their concerns and make sure employees are back on the job as soon as possible,” Seward concluded.

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