A Saturday Night Live cast member is the latest celebrity to pack up and move to the Hudson Valley in order to escape New York during the pandemic crisis.

While the Hudson Valley battles its own cases of coronavirus, small towns and communities are also fighting a war against an influx of the rich and famous, who are flocking to our area to ride out the pandemic.

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Small towns in Sullivan and Ulster counties have been reportedly overrun with temporary transplants from New York City, hoping the wide-open space and isolation will be a safer place to wait things out. Unfortunately, this has left local residents with fewer resources and supplies and a fear of the virus spreading faster throughout our communities. Other celebrity hotspots, such as the Hamptons and Rhode Island, have actually considered legislation banning out of town residents altogether to protect local homeowners who are now outnumbered with visitors.

In an Instagram post this weekend, Cecily Strong shared video and photos of her journey from New York City to the Hudson Valley. The SNL cast member says she was "scared and panicked and lonely" in her tiny NYC apartment. Video shows Strong listening to the Cranberries while fleeing upstate with two friends and her dog, Lucy. More footage shows Strong at her Hudson Valley destination, a large home on a secluded property with a pond, surrounded by trees.

To her credit, Strong says she exercised extreme caution before picking up and fleeing to our area. According to her posting, the actress was in close contact with someone who tested positive for coronavirus. As a result, she self-quarantined for 14 days before relocating to the Hudson Valley.

It appears that Strong and two friends are now holed up in Ulster County near New Paltz. Photos and videos of their isolation include a delicious looking meal from the Stone House Tavern in Accord, which the actress calls her "new fave restaurant."

Strong may be freaked out by the Coronavirus now, but just three weeks ago she was having some fun at the pandemic's expense during an appearance on SLN's Weekend Update. Her character, "The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation With," jokingly explained her frustration with the news story, even shoving her hand in anchor Michael Che's mouth several times during the bit.

It's unclear whether Strong or her friends own property in the Hudson Valley, or if they are simply renting the house where they're currently staying. However, Strong's fellow cast members are clearly no strangers to our area. During this year's season opener, guest host Woody Harrelson appeared in a skit mocking the Hudson Valley's apple picking farms.

Listen to the Boris & Robyn Show weekday mornings from 6AM to 10AM on 101.5 WPDH. Stream us live through the website, Alexa-enabled device, Google Home or the WPDH mobile app.

Read more:

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