Christine Schuyler, county public health director.
File photo

The leader of the Chautauqua County Health Department is growing frustrated with state officials and their lack of communication and unrealistic requirements from local heath departments.

Christine Schuyler, county public health director and commissioner of Social Services, expressed her frustrations during this week’s county Board of Health meeting. “(There is) a lack of respect for local health officials and local health departments in the state on the part of the governor’s office,” she said.

The latest example she gave is when Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in a press release that gyms and fitness centers could reopen but would need to be inspected by their county health departments. “We had no idea we were going to have to do that,” she said. “We don’t have resources or the funding to do that.”

Schuyler noted that the state has not told local health departments what specifically is required. “We have never inspected gyms and health centers before and have no idea how to do it,” she said.

As of Thursday night, the official executive order from the governor’s office had not yet been given to the county health department, even though gyms and fitness centers are scheduled to reopen as early as Monday. It’s expected counties will need to inspect them within two weeks of reopening.

Another example Schuyler gave is on Wednesday night state Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker sent a letter to the county health department saying that Gov. Andrew Cuomo has directed the state health department to ensure counties have adequate testing capabilities for seasonal influenza as well as COVID-19. “He’s requesting detailed plans from the local health department on how we’re going to provide residents in our county the sufficient availability of the access of information about both influenza and COVID-19 tests and also then wants to know in addition to adequate testing capacity, developing a robust vaccination plan to help insure we can continue to respond efficiently.

And this is due Wednesday, Aug. 20 at 3 p.m.”

Heath Board members could be heard gasping over the zoom call as Schuyler continued.

“I think what is become glaringly evident is the governor and the state health commissioner really do not understand what local health departments do, what it is we are mandated and required to do,” she said. “We have never had anything to do with influenza testing. We are not clinical care providers. We are public health policy, practice, oversight and planning.”

Schuyler noted the county health department is among the last to receive influenza vaccines because vaccines first are sent to private practices, where the bulk of residents get them.

Schuyler has sent letters to local representatives, expressing her frustrations, especially since the local health department has been cut so much with budget reductions. “We don’t have the capacity or the jurisdiction to do a lot of what’s being handed down to us,” she said.

But even with all this, Schuyler committed her department doing its best to meet the needs of the county.

She said they received a grant which will allow the county health department to add two staff members for the next two years. “As we all know, this pandemic is far from over,” she said.