March 11, 2022

Chairman’s press release

NEW CASES CONTINUE TO SLOW

COVID-19 cases

As of Thursday, per the CDC, Columbia County’s rate of new COVID-19 cases remains in the substantial risk category. The current average of new daily cases per 100,000 of population currently stands at 5, compared to 10.2 per day last week. The positive test rate is 3.1 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

County vaccination and infection rates

As of Saturday, March 5, the Columbia County Department of Health had administered 11,278 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Second doses now number 9,557. 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 3,829. Johnson & Johnson boosters number 58.

Pediatric first shots number 583, with 569 second shots.

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

41,197 have completed the vaccine series. 45,276 have received at least one dose, or 75.6 percent of the county’s 59,916 population. 83.6 percent of the county’s over-18 population has received at least one shot.

In the community

EMO Religious Leader and Worship Site Project In the summer of 2019, David W. Harrison Jr., director of the Columbia County Emergency Management Office (EMO), requested assistance from Deacon Warren Dorsch, former undersheriff and current chaplain at the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, to design a way to rapidly reach religious leaders in Columbia County during times of emergency and when the Emergency Management Office received information that would be useful for their congregations. Chairman Matt Murrell committed Management Information System (MIS) personnel to the project.

Dorsch assembled a team of clergy consisting of Reverend Kim Singletary, Pastor Dan Herrick, Rabbi Dan Fried, Pastor Jaron Halstead, and Reverend Iris Waddel. Using personal contact information, the Yellow Pages and the internet, information about every religious leader and worship site in Columbia County was identified and data was collected by letter. The information returned included the worship site’s name, site contact information, available resources (especially temporary shelter space in the event of an emergency), and the religious leader’s contact information.

Working with Dorsch, MIS staff created a database file for the collected data that is searchable in several different ways, including search by municipality, search by religion and/or religious denomination, and resources available at the worship site. The system was fully activated in October 2019.

According to Director Harrison, this database is critical if it becomes necessary to reach out to religious leaders for spiritual and emotional support for residents experiencing a crisis. Because it contains worship site resource data, including information about temporary space, feeding capability and toileting for immediate, urgent and short term shelter for people displaced by a natural or man-made crisis, the role of the EMO to ensure citizen safety is greatly enhanced. The ability to contact religious leaders during an emergency is equally important, since they live and work in the community and are an important asset when the EMO needs information.

The database is also used to disseminate routine information received at the EMO that may be of importance to individual members of a congregation through church bulletins and posters. The EMO can rapidly assemble and transmit information to some or all of the worship sites via email. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, useful information was disseminated using the database. In terms of security, religious leaders and their congregations can be assured that the data is securely under the control of the EMO and is never shared.

Student testing, home testing and affirmation reports

Due to low response, the county DOH has discontinued the school COVID testing PODs. The DOH will continue 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

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 March from 3-5:30 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.

Future clinics will be held on a walk-in basis – registration links will no longer be posted. Further information is posted on the county DOH website at columbiacountynyhealth.com.

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.