On May 13 Columbia County's Board of Supervisors voted to furlough county employees, including those in management roles, to make up some of the budget shortfall the county is facing because of the pandemic. According to the the Employee Furlough Plan, Columbia County employees will not work and will not receive pay for one day out of every two-week pay period from June 6 to Dec. 4. On May 18, Greene County added six more cases of COVID-19, up to 248. Columbia County added one more case, up to 345, and an additional death, the 27th there. Rensselaer County reported six new cases of COVID-19, up to 473. Albany County added 23 more cases, up to 1,478. “The Capital Region has hit six of the seven metrics. I think we’ll be able to start re-opening under Phase One of the plan at some point this week,” Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chair Matt Murell said in the county-issued Covid-19 update press release May 18. The Columbia County Department of Health has three temporary testing sites planned for the next few weeks. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 27 and June 2 there will be clinics at the John L. Edwards Elementary School, 360 State Street, in Hudson. There will be another June 10 at the Columbia County Fairgrounds, 142 Hudson Avenue in Chatham, “I would like to stress that although we are looking for individuals who are symptomatic for the Edwards clinics, or who have experienced symptoms in the recent past, we will gladly accept any essential worker who would like to be tested regardless of whether or not they have symptoms,” said Columbia County Director of Health Jack Mabb. “The Chatham clinic will be open to everyone.” More information is available on the health department’s website www.columbiacountynyhealth.com or by calling 518-828-3358.