Jack Wheeler

"We're kind of hoping, and we're being promised that these test kits — over the counter test kits and antigen test kits — are going to become more readily available."

Since the statewide mask mandate was announced last week, New York’s counties have grappled with how to implement it. Certain counties have embraced the mandate. Others have refused to carry it out.

“We really hope that we’ll begin receiving additional allotments so that we can become a larger player in that group of vaccinators."

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo deemed part of Chemung County an orange "warning" zone and part of Steuben County a yellow "buffer" zone.

“Certainly no fault that we’re placing on the facility at all,” Wheeler said. “It's just more of a clearing up of those communication lines."

As of Wednesday, 18 people have died of COVID-19 in Steuben County. Some at Hornell-area nursing homes.

As of Tuesday, 16 residents have died of COVID-19

Like counties across New York, Steuben has to deal with a few new state mandates. 2019 is the first year Steuben County has to budget for Raise the Age and new indigent defense mandates.