As of midday today, the Columbia County Department of Health had recorded 35 new cases of COVID-19 infection. There were a total of 59 Tuesday, 47 Wednesday, and 36 Thursday. “I think we’re seeing the drop off following the Thanksgiving surge,” said county DOH Director Jack Mabb. There are currently 13 county residents hospitalized, nine of whom are patients of Columbia Memorial Health. There is one individual in the ICU. The county’s infection rate now stands at 9.72 percent. All vaccination opportunities are posted on the county DOH website at columbiacountynyhealth.com

ADVISORY: Please note that the numbers distributed in Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell’s coronavirus press releases are morning results provided to the county Department of Health via the state reporting system. Updated numbers are issued again by the state in the afternoon, ordinarily past the time this press release is distributed. Consequently, there may be discrepancies in the numbers that appear here versus the final daily numbers shown on the DOH website and elsewhere.

This morning, Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell participated in a conference call with state leaders during which he learned that Governor Hochul plans to institute a statewide mask mandate effective Monday, December 13.

According to Chairman Murell, the mask mandate is set to last through January 15, at which time it will be re-evaluated. Under the terms of the mandate, when entering a public building, either everyone wears a mask or the establishment must have someone checking vaccination status at the door, Chairman Murell said. The establishment must commit to the model under which it plans to proceed, with no allowance for a hybrid approach.

Full guidance on the mask-wearing mandate was scheduled to be made public by the end of the day today.

As of Saturday, December 4, the Columbia County Department of Health had administered 11,235 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Second doses now number 9,528. The vaccine administered is Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson. Note: J&J – a one dose vaccine – is added as a first shot.

Third shots of Moderna or Pfizer now number 2,246. Johnson & Johnson boosters number 18. Pediatric first shots number 508, with five second shots.

The total number of Columbia County residents by all vaccine providers, as shown on the NYS COVID-19 vaccine tracker website: 38,885 have completed the vaccine series. 43,132 have received at least one dose, or 72.0 percent of the county’s 59,916 population. 80.6 percent of the county’s over-18 population has received at least one shot.

On Thursday, December 16, the Columbia County Department of Health will conduct a multi-brand booster clinic at Columbia-Greene Community College from 3-6 p.m. On Friday, December 17, county DOH will conduct a multi-brand booster clinic at C-GCC from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. All registration links are posted on the county DOH website at columbiacountynyhealth.com

On Tuesdays between the hours of 1 to 3:30 p.m., the Columbia County Department of Health offers COVID-19 vaccinations at its 325 Columbia Street, Hudson location. Every third Tuesday of the month, the immunization clinic runs from 1-5:30 p.m. An appointment is required – call the Health Department at: 518-828-3358

Columbia County Seniors and/or homebound residents in need of assistance getting themselves registered for the COVID-19 vaccine are encouraged to contact the county call center Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The telephone number is 518-697-5560.

The Columbia County call center dedicated to helping those requiring assistance with vaccine registration is active Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The dedicated telephone number is 518-697-5560.

COVID-19 TESTING SITES (as of 8-2-2021)

Those seeking testing are advised to contact the site for insurance eligibility and testing hours.

New York State DOH, 888-364-3065.

CMH Copake Rapid Care, call for appointment, 518-329-3902.

CMH Valatie Rapid Care, call for appointment, 518-758-4300. WellNow Urgent Care, Hudson, 518-267-3496.

CVS-Valatie, call for appointment, 518-758-2200.

Pine Plains Pharmacy, online preregistration required, 518-398-5588. CareMount Medical Urgent Care, Rhinebeck 844-484-6564

CVS-Red Hook, call for appointment, 845-758-9612.

Community Care Physicians, Latham, 518-863-3600.

Whitney Young, Albany, 518-465-4771.

Priority 1 Urgent Care, Guilderland, 518-867-8040.

Rite Aid-Colonie, 518-240-1456.

Central Med Urgent Care, Albany, 518- 240-1456.

Walgreens Rapid Testing, 518-426-2976.

EmUrgentCare, Albany, Saugerties, West Coxsackie, Guilderland, 518-264-9000 for all locations.

LabCorp currently offers an at-home COVID-19 test at https://www.pixel.labcorp.com/at-home-test-kits/covid-19-test-home-collection-kit. This test does not detect antibodies or immunity. It is designed to determine active infection with the virus that causes COVID-19.

After completing a short eligibility survey, choose a billing option, which can be through personal insurance, the use of federal funds to cover the cost of this test on your behalf if you’re uninsured, or with a credit card. The test kit will arrive via FedEx. After collecting and returning your sample, the average time to deliver results is one-two days from when your sample is received at the lab, according to LabCorp.

Monetary: Monetary donations intended for the purchase of coronavirus testing kits and much-needed equipment for emergency responders, medical personnel, and others on the front lines of the coronavirus fight are advised to send a check in care of Columbia County, with coronavirus noted in the memo field. The check can be sent to the Columbia County Controller’s Office, 401 State Street, Hudson, NY 12534. All money received is being placed in a dedicated account.

PPE:  Those wishing to make donations of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as N95 masks, face shields, and gowns, are advised to contact the Emergency Management Office at 518-828-1212.

Food: Donations should be directed to the county Office for the Aging (518-828-4258) and local food pantries.

DISCLAIMER

It is the county’s intention to issue accurate information regarding the coronavirus situation under conditions that can change by the minute. For the most up-to-date, accurate information, visit the County Department of Health’s website at https://www.columbiacountynyhealth.com or their Facebook page @: https://www.facebook.com/Columbia-County-Department-of-Health-469399129790791. The state’s coronavirus website, with up-to-the-minute information, can be located at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home.

Every Tuesday, the county will issue a press release on the coronavirus situation. The releases can be found on the Columbia County website and the Facebook pages of the Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Health, and the Emergency Management Office.