July 22, 2022

Chairman’s press release

COUNTY REMAINS AT LOW RISK

COVID-19 cases

COVID-19 cases for the week ending today held steady with last week, reported Columbia County Department of Health Director Jack Mabb. Total cases last week were 87, with 90 reported through noon today. Ten people are in the hospital, with one person in the ICU.

As of Monday, per the CDC, Columbia County’s rate of new COVID-19 cases continued in the low risk category. On Thursday, the CDC-reported current average of new daily cases per 100,000 of population stood at 14.9. The positive test rate is 10.9 percent.

Although New York State has lifted the mandate for mask wearing while inside a business, local health care officials continue to encourage the wearing of masks while indoors, particularly for those with health problems.

Additional information on daily COVID-19 cases and more can be found on the Columbia County Department of Health’s website at https://www.columbiacountynyhealth.com

Monkeypox

Columbia County has joined the growing number of New York State counties reporting a probable case of monkeypox, said Director Mabb today. The individual, tested at Columbia Memorial Health Tuesday, meets the characteristics of the majority of other cases being reported across the country, he said.

Director Mabb noted that the case is deemed probable at this time because Wadsworth Laboratory has identified it as an orthopoxvirus. “Monkeypox is one of a handful of orthopoxviruses, but the only one currently circulating in the United States, so we’re fairly confident we’re dealing with monkeypox,” he said.

The sample has been sent to the CDC for confirmatory testing. County DOH has completed the case investigation on the positive individual, identified the close contacts, and is awaiting word from state DOH on a vaccine for those contacts.

County vaccination and infection rates

As of Saturday, July 16, the Columbia County Department of Health had administered 11,289 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Second doses now number 9,568. The vaccine administered is Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson. Note: J&J – a one dose vaccine – is added as a first shot.

Third shots (boosters) of Moderna or Pfizer now number 4,123. Fourth shots (boosters) of Moderna or Pfizer now number 672. Johnson & Johnson boosters number 65.

Pediatric first shots number 636, with 577 second shots and 22 boosters.

The total number of Columbia County residents by all vaccine providers, as shown on the NYS COVID-19 vaccine tracker website:

45,591 have received at least one dose, or 76.1 percent of the county’s 59,916 population.

Student testing, home testing and affirmation reports

The DOH continues to provide testing for students and staff of Columbia County schools who need a negative test to return to school. This will be by appointment only at the DOH Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 12:45-3:30 p.m. Parents may contact (518) 828-3358 X1251 to schedule these appointments when needed.

This testing will still only be for staff/students of Columbia County schools who need a negative COVID test to return to school. 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 DOH vaccination clinics

Director Mabb has issued a reminder that the county DOH continues to offer vaccine clinics at Columbia-Greene Community College on Thursdays from 3-5:30 p.m. throughout the month of July. All vaccines are available on a walk-in basis. For additional information, contact the county DOH at 518-828-3358.

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 Friday afternoon, Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell 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.