Southern Tier Readies for Students’ Return in a Coronavirus World

Broome County Executive Jason Garnar says he’s concerned about the number of community-spread infections of the coronavirus over the past several weeks and is now bracing for the return of some 17,000 to 18,000 college students

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Garnar says the County is working with Binghamton University, SUNY Broome Community College and the municipalities in planning for keeping returning college kids safe in interactions with each other and the surrounding community.

Garnar says concerning the local economy: “we can’t go back” and urges people to just wear a mask when going out.  He says, it’s the single most important thing if you want to do anything or go anywhere.

In addressing concerns about business where people have been seen without masks or not keeping six feet apart, the Broome County Executive says he doesn’t intend to follow what Chemung County is doing in publishing the businesses that have been named on New York State’s COVID-19 non-compliance complaint site.

Garnar says the state reports those complaints back to the regions for them to address scofflaws.  The Democrat says most businesses are trying to comply but just miss something, like someone going the wrong way down an aisle.

Garnar says Broome is not out to shame businesses or damage reputations but has emergency services officials making checks at locations to work with them on compliance.