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The Tompkins County Health Department announced last Friday that it received notification of a second employee at The Boatyard Grill (525 Old Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, NY 14850) who has tested positive for COVID-19. Based on the Health Department's contact investigation, this individual is connected to the previously identified positive case reported on September 2, 2020.

Potential public exposures may have occurred at The Boatyard Grill during the following dates and times, including the previously reported dates:

• Friday, August 28: 4pm-11:00pm
• Saturday, August 29: 4pm-11:00pm
• Sunday, August 30: 4pm-11:00pm
• Monday, August 31: 4pm-11:00pm
• Tuesday, September 1: 4pm-11:00pm
• Wednesday, September 2: 4pm-11:00pm

If you dined at The Boatyard Grill, indoors or outdoors, during the dates and times above, please do the following:

It is recommended that you get tested at the Cayuga Health Sampling Site located at The Shops at Ithaca Mall parking lot, 40 Catherwood Rd. Register for an appointment online at cayugahealthsystem.org or call the Cayuga Health Call Center at 607-319-5708. Regular hours for the Sampling Site and Call Center are Monday-Friday 8:30AM-4:00PM. The Sampling Site will have special hours on Saturday, September 5 from 8AM – 12:30PM because they are closed on Monday for Labor Day.

If potentially exposed, Cornell University students should contact Cornell Health at 607-255-5155; do not go to an arrival or surveillance testing site.
All other students and community members should seek testing at the Cayuga Health Sampling Site.
Monitor your health for any symptoms of cough, fever, and shortness of breath for 14 days from the last time you dined at The Boatyard Grill. For a full list of symptoms, go to the TCHD website.
If you seek testing and the result is negative, continue to monitor your health for the full 14 days from the last time you dined at The Boatyard Grill. If you become symptomatic, seek testing again.
The individual who tested positive is in isolation and the contact investigation is ongoing. Any close contacts will be encouraged to seek a test and will be placed in mandatory quarantine. The Health Department defines a close contact as any individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 10 minutes starting from two days before illness onset or, for those without symptoms, two days prior to a positive sample collection, until the time the patient is isolated.

"The Boatyard management continues to work closely with their staff and the Health Department to take all necessary precautions. They continue to follow their reopening plan requiring staff to wear masks at all times, distance between tables, and thorough cleaning of their facility," stated Kruppa. "It is unfortunate to learn of another case associated with The Boatyard. It is important to note that the initial exposure of these cases, like many others, is unknown. A small group of employees, including those who tested positive, commute together and attended small non-work gatherings, leading to prolonged exposure to each other."

Contacts who are essential workers are allowed to return to work with a negative test result and if not symptomatic but must quarantine while not at work.

"The COVID-19 virus continues to be present in our community. We are encouraging people to be cautious and continue to consider density, keep distance, wear face coverings, and wash hands well and often to stop the spread of COVID-19." stated Frank Kruppa, Public Health Director. "As we begin this holiday weekend, please be mindful of the size of gatherings and wear face masks at all times while maintaining distance."

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