POUGHKEEPSIE – As of mid-afternoon Friday, Dutchess County has three confirmed cases of COVID-19 and County Executive Marcus Molinaro has declared a state of emergency. The declaration will expedite the county’s sharing of resources and ability to better respond to the rapidly evolving situation.

Included in the state of emergency are the suspension of large social and community gatherings, including county-sponsored; suspending all visitation to the county jail effective March 13; postponing civil service exams; suspending all classroom and extracurricular functions for 14 days, and closing the county Office for the Aging’s eight senior friend centers effective March 16.

“As coronavirus has emergence as a pandemic, reaching countries on each hemisphere, we in Dutchess County have prepared for the inevitability we would be touched by this emerging health situation,” Molinaro said. “Today’s declaration is the next step in providing Dutchess County the resources necessary to best respond.”

He said the declaration does not limit travel, but we urge residents to limit contact with those who are sick and stay home if sick.”

Dutchess County Clerk Bradford Kendall has updated the DMV policies for the county as a result of the declaration. According to Kendall, the following policies are in effect as of March 16.

Dutchess County DMV’s will only process transactions for Dutchess County residents.

All car and motorcycle permit testing is suspended.

Commercial Driver’s License permit tests will continue to be offered Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

License transactions will be limited to license renewals, name changes, and address changes.

Applications to exchange standard driver’s licenses for REAL ID/ Enhanced Driver’s Licenses will only be processed in conjunction with the renewal process. No other upgrade applications will be processed at this time.

The Pawling DMV will be closed until further notice. Millbrook DMV will now be open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:45 pm.

It is our intent that by instituting these temporary measures, we will reduce the number of clients gathering in our facilities, thereby reducing the potential for the transmission of COVID-19.

Kendall said “We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and will lift these restrictions as soon as possible. Customers are advised that many DMV transactions may be processed online at https://dmv.ny.gov/.”

For more information on COVID-19, please visit: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/DBCH/2019-Novel-Coronavirus.htm