Editor’s note: This press release was provided by Village of Pelham Mayor Chance Mullen.

Happy New Year. I hope you’ve enjoyed a restful holiday break. I regret the need to start my first message of 2021 on such a serious note, but as of this morning, there are 56 active cases of COVID-19 in the Village of Pelham and 71 active cases in Pelham Manor. It’s been many months since we’ve seen a spike as clear and pronounced as this current one. Additionally, the Governor confirmed yesterday that New York State has seen its first positive case of the new coronavirus strain identified in the UK, which is believed to be more contagious than previous strains. Please stay safe. Maintain social distance, wear a mask when out in public or interacting with others outside your family unit, and continue to wash your hands and use hand sanitizer regularly.

Village Hall will be operating with staggered work shifts, but we are still available to handle any resident needs. If you need to visit, please call ahead for an appointment. Each department’s contact information is available on the Village website.

Thankfully, vaccine distribution is now underway. The first phase of Governor Cuomo’s plan is focused on providing the vaccine to high-risk hospital workers, nursing home residents and staff. This group will be followed by long-term and congregate care residents and staff, EMS workers, and other health care workers. It will likely be months before the vaccine is available for the general public, but I will update you as the Governor’s plan evolves.

The Westchester County Department of Consumer Protection has issued a warning about potential scams related to the vaccine. Please be aware of the following information:

• Medicare and Social Security will not be calling you to get your vaccine (scammers often act like they are calling from government agencies)
• There are no sign-up lists for the vaccine
• The vaccine is expected to be free and you can’t pay to get your vaccine earlier
• You will not need to give out your SSN, credit card or banking information before you are able to get a vaccine.

If you are contacted by someone looking to sell you early access to the vaccine or unnecessary products, treatments or medicines, please call Westchester Consumer Protection at (914) 995-2155 or send an email to [email protected].

As we await our turn to receive the vaccine, the county has also created a new online dashboard where you can get up-to-date information about COVID-19. A link to the dashboard has been added to the Village’s website. It provides a range of information, including the current number of positive cases in each municipality, areas in Westchester that are considered “cluster zones,” and a Test Site Finder.

This will be the year we beat this thing, but it’s clear that our victory will not come quickly. Hang in there, Pelham. And please continue to stay vigilant.