Full Notification

Tomorrow is the Autumnal Equinox, and almost on cue, temperatures will struggle to get out of the 50’s tomorrow.  And also timely, the Town’s fall newsletter that includes the leaf vacuuming street schedule and other items of interest was mailed and is now reaching over 18,000 households.   
 
While the threat of COVID-19 remains in our community, it is at much reduced levels.  That said, I know of many friends and colleagues who have recently tested positive, but thankfully are fully vaccinated and doing fine.  With the nation still averaging over 400 COVID-19 related deaths per day, the risks of the pandemic remain present.  The updated COVID-19 boosters are now available at local pharmacies, clinics, and physician offices.  You can find information about the availability of updated boosters by entering your zip code at vaccines.gov, texting your zip code to 438829, or calling 1-800-232-0233. 

COVID-19 Weekly Update

Albany County DOH’s COVID-19 Dashboard reported one COVID-19 related death over the past week and that the County’s pandemic death total has increased to 582.  The number of hospitalized persons increased by 13 patients to now 36 patients.  The County’s seven-day average of positive cases over the past week increased from 9.2% to 9.3%.    

The CDC’s data finds that Albany County continued for another week with a medium level of community COVID-19 spread.  The community spread expanded in the State, with Broome and Tioga Counties at a high level, and 38 of the State’s 62 counties at a medium level.  The CDC updates its mapping of community spread each week on Thursday evenings.

The CDC reports that the percentage of the nation’s counties with a high community level decreased from 17.23% to 13.37% and that the percentage for the medium level decreased from 39.7% to 35.9%.  The percentage of counties at the low community level increased 43.08% to 50.73%.

State DOH’s method for assessing COVID-19 spread in a community uses a seven-day average of positive cases per 100,000 residents.  Albany County’s number increased over the past week from 16.6 to 18.3 cases.  The State’s seven-day average also increased from 18.6 to 22.5 positive cases.  The hospitalization rate declined from 11.2 to 11.06 patients per 100,000.  State DOH reported that there were 187 COVID-19 related deaths last week in the State and that 74,084 residents have died since the start of the pandemic.

Please click here to read the full version of the weekly newsletter.

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter. 
 
Peter G. Barber
Town Supervisor