Ask Syracuse.com: Extension for property taxes? When will schools open? Is it OK to order takeout?
Updated Apr 10, 2020; Posted Apr 02, 2020
Mishayla Bellows leaves Kitty Hoynes with her takeout meal. Restaurants and bars adhere to the closing or limiting of their hours due the the coronavirus outbreak..
By Brent Axe | baxe@syracuse.com
Update: This post has been corrected to fix an error in the property tax item.
We asked for your questions about coronavirus, and you sent in a bunch. As we work through them, we're posting answers as soon as we have them.
Q: Will an extension be granted for land (property) taxes? – C.S.
A: No. Jan. 31 was the deadline to pay property taxes in Onondaga County, said Justin Sayles, spokesman for County Executive Ryan McMahon. Property owners had until March 31 to pay their taxes, with penalties added on. After April 1, unpaid property tax bills go to the county for collection, Sayles said. At a news conference earlier this week, McMahon said the deadline would not be extended. County tax bills went out at the end of December.
An earlier version of this post incorrectly said the deadline to pay property taxes was April 1.
Q: When will schools in Upstate NY go back? Aiden H.
A: Aiden, the latest update from Gov. Cuomo says schools in New York state will be closed until April 15 and the state will reassess at that time.
Cuomo had previously waived the state's requirement that schools hold at least 180 days of instruction.
It was also recently announced that spring break in New York state is cancelled and online learning and meal programs at schools must continue during that time.
Q: Why is it okay to order takeout? What if a worker coughed in the air around the food or didn't wash their hands as often as they should? -Rachel F.
A: Rachel, it's a fair question because there is a certain level of trust that a restaurant followed proper procedure when preparing your food.
That said, the risk of contracting coronavirus through food is incredibly low, and there's currently no evidence that COVID-19 can spread through food, the FDA says.
Dr. John Torres of NBC News offers some good advice about how to handle takeout food safely in the video below.
Here is a list of restaurants in Central New York that are offering takeout.
Q: What exactly does the stay at home order entail? If we are supposed to be staying home why are there articles promoting parks visitation and outdoor activities? -Karen M.N.
A: Karen, Gov. Cuomo's "New York on Pause" executive order says "individuals should limit outdoor recreational activities to non-contact and avoid activities where they come in close contact with other people." State parks and outdoor trails provide an environment where it is easier to stay at the recommended six feet apart from others per social distancing requirements.
Q: Florida is requiring people flying in from New York self-isolate for 14 days. Should that be true for "snow birds" returning from Central New York from Florida and other winter homes?
A: Dr. Stephen Thomas, chief of the Infectious Disease Division at SUNY Upstate University Hospital, addressed this question in a live Q&A on Tuesday. Earlier in the conversation, he had mentioned COVID-19 hotspots like Florida. Here is his advice:
"All people, whether they are traveling or not, should be practicing very strict physical distancing. Assuming that you're coming back to your family, then this is probably a discussion you should have with your family. Certainly, if you have been in contact with someone, [and] there is a suspicion that they might be COVID-positive, or [they are] definitely COVID-positive, then I would absolutely self-isolate in my home, and monitor myself for symptoms, and if I got sick I would go to the doctor to get tested, and I would do that for 14 days.
"But let's just say that you didn't have contact with anyone who is sick, would I still self-isolate within my home? I probably would. We are seeing a number of people who have traveled from these hot spots back here. They feel fine, they come back, they don't feel fine, they get tested and they're positive, and now they've exposed people in their family unit. So for me, I personally would do that if I were returning from a hot spot like Florida, or New York, or Detroit, or these other areas."
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