Oswego – The Oswego County Health Department is investigating confirmed cases of COVID-19 at two Oswego businesses.  Anyone who visited the following businesses during these time periods may have been exposed to COVID-19:

• Subway,  21 E. Bridge St., Oswego: Tuesday, Dec. 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Bosco and Geers, 343 East Ave., Oswego: Wednesday, Dec. 2 from 3:30 to 9 p.m.

Oswego County Public Health Director Jiancheng Huang said people who visited the businesses during those times should monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days. Symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, chills, repeated shaking with chills, gastrointestinal illness and new loss of taste or smell.

“For the safety of yourself and your loved ones, and for the community, you must wear a face mask over your nose and mouth in public, wash your hands frequently and practice social distancing,” said Huang. “Social gatherings of any size – even between family members who don’t live together – are not recommended. We all need to practice these measures. They are imperative if we want to preserve our local first response teams and health care system.”

Huang said the locations were made public because the health department’s investigations show there is a possibility of exposure to members of the public. This is consistent with the department’s policy of notifying the public when investigations of positive cases determine there is a possibility that people who couldn’t be identified or contacted may have been exposed.

Those who are required to quarantine must stay home and away from other members of their household.

Senior Public Health Educator Diane Oldenburg emphasizes, “Whether you are sick or feeling well, waiting for your test results or have been exposed to a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, you must quarantine. It is important that you stay home and isolate yourself from other household members. Those who are quarantined should sleep alone in a separate room, designate a separate bathroom for their use if possible and disinfect the bathroom after each use. Wash your hands frequently, cover your coughs and sneezes, wear a mask if you must be in common areas of the household, and keep six feet apart whenever possible.”

Health officials strongly urge residents to take these precautions:

• Stay home if you are sick and keep your children home if they are sick.
• Wear a face mask or covering over your nose and mouth.
• Avoid non-essential gatherings of all types.
• Keep six feet from other people.
• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Call your healthcare provider from home if you are experiencing symptoms such as a fever, cough, or shortness of breath.
• Do not go to the emergency department unless you are experiencing life-threatening conditions.

A list of testing sites and additional information is posted on the health department’s COVID-19 page at health.oswegocounty.com/covid-19.

For more information, call the Oswego County Health Department COVID-19 hotline at 315-349-3330 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For information about emotional supports, visit the Oswego County Department of Social Services Division of Mental Hygiene at www.oswegocounty.com/mentalhygiene.

New York State provides online links to report violations of health and safety restrictions and requirements for businesses, gatherings and individuals. To file a complaint about a business, location or incident in your community, go to https://mylicense.custhelp.com/app/ask. To file a complaint against your employer or place of work, go to https://labor.ny.gov/workerprotection/laborstandards/coronavirus-complaints.shtm.

Under New York State Public Health Law, the Oswego County Health Department is the sole local public health authority regarding the COVID-19 pandemic response over all persons and entities within the County of Oswego. The Oswego County Health Department works closely with New York State Department of Health regarding COVID-19 monitoring, response and reporting.