Tuesday 25, 2022 Chairman’s press release

GOOD SIGN: NO NEW VARIANT IN SIGHT

On Friday, the Columbia County Department of Health recorded 80 new cases of COVID-19 infection among county residents, with 55 cases Saturday, 70 for Sunday-Monday, and 86 as of midday today.

“Four days in a row, including today so far, with new infections coming in under 100. That’s been good to see,” said county DOH Director Jack Mabb.

There are currently 27 county residents hospitalized with the virus. Four are in the ICU. Twelve of the 27 are patients at Columbia Memorial Health, with seven of those vaccinated.

The thinking among the health care community indicates that the Omicron variant is burning out, with no new variant in sight. Further, the leveling off of new infections is expected to come when warmer weather returns. Free test kits and masks have been received by the county and have been distributed to all municipalities. Residents are advised to contact their municipality for its distribution policy. 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.

COUNTY VACCINATION RATE

As of Saturday, January 15, the Columbia County Department of Health had administered 11,270 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Second doses now number 9,536. 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 3,624. Johnson & Johnson boosters number 44. Pediatric first shots number 575, with 557 second shots. The total number of Columbia County residents by all vaccine providers, as shown on the NYS COVID-19 vaccine tracker website: 40,517 have completed the vaccine series. 44,851 have received at least one dose, or 74.9 percent of the county’s 59,916 population. 83.0 percent of the county’s over-18 population has received at least one shot.

STUDENT TESTING, BOOSTERS, HOME TESTING REPORTS

The Columbia County Department of Health has begun holding weekly testing times for students who need a negative test to return to school. County DOH will be at A.B. Shaw Fire Company in Claverack on Mondays and Thursdays from 9-11 a.m., and at the Chatham Firehouse on Wednesdays from 9-11 a.m. Any student of a county school may visit at any of these times and locations. Vaccination boosters are available through the county DOH for those 12 and above. Further information and registration links are posted on the county DOH website at columbiacountynyhealth.com On Wednesday, February 2, the county DOH will conduct a vaccination clinic at the Hudson Boys Club from 3-5 p.m. The Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available. Also available on the county DOH website is information on filing home testing reports as well as affirmation letters of quarantine and/or isolation that may be required by employers.

UPCOMING COUNTY DOH VACCINATION CLINICS

The Columbia County Department of Health is offering first, second, and third doses of COVID-19 vaccines as well as boosters for those aged 16 and above at Columbia-Greene Community College every Thursday in February from 3-5:45 p.m. The DOH will offer a pediatric (ages 5-11) Pfizer clinic at this clinic. Those who are receiving boosters or subsequent doses of vaccine should bring their vaccine record card. Further information is posted on the county DOH website at columbiacountynyhealth.com. Future clinics will be held on a walk-in basis – registration links will no longer be posted.

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

AT-HOME COVID-19 TEST AVAILABLE LabCorp currently offers an at-home COVID-19 test at https://www.pixel.labcorp.com/at-home-testkits/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.

DONATION INFORMATION 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 and Friday, 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.