Troy Mayor Patrick Madden is under quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19.
The second-term Democrat posted on Twitter Sunday that he tested positive "earlier last week...after exhibiting mild symptoms." Madden says it started out as what he thought was a seasonal head cold. Experiencing symptoms he describes as mild, Madden has been in quarantine, having had little contact with other people.
"The test was a week ago today and I got the results the following day, late in the evening." Madden says the positive test came the night of December 22nd, but by then he was already home.
"Actually I started my quarantine before I got the test because I had the head cold. And we have very strict protocols at work that, you don't come in to work if you feel sick, even if you don't think it's COVID, so don't bring anything into work. So I hadn't been at work the prior week except for one day earlier Monday."
Madden said he has always adhered to the suggested social distancing, frequent handwashing and masking measures, and had no personal contact with anyone after testing positive.
"The fact that no one else, I infected no one else in the workplace, demonstrates that those sorts of measures work. Distancing, de-densifying the workplace, holding meetings via Zoom or telephone or other electronic means, wearing a mask all the time, that worked for the city of Troy. It worked quite well."
Madden spokesman John Salka says the mayor didn't disclose his condition immediately because he was the only worker impacted within City Hall, and no additional staff needed to be quarantined resulting from Madden’s positive test.
Madden is working remotely while quarantined and says he has no idea how he contracted COVID.
"I had not been out shopping. I had not gone to restaurants or bars, I hadn't gone to church, you know I had not gone to places where people congregate. You know we wear our masks all the time at work but for a brief moment in time somewhere, I let my guard down and it got in."
Republican City Council President Carmella Mantello:
"This is an extreme reminder, you know that you can be as cautious as you can be, but you can still contract this does horrendous pandemic. So, it's a reminder for the people who may be, are, you know, being a little less precautionary and fear, even though like I've said, the vaccines progressing. This is a real reminder, we need to stay vigilant."
Madden is the highest-profile Capital Region mayor confirmed to have contracted COVID-19. Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison also contracted the disease.
