Full Notification

The Highway Department’s street vacuuming began this week and, with forecasted heavy rain and winds tonight, leaves will be falling in greater amounts.  Please help Highway crews by not leaving leaf piles on the paved surface, which can force pedestrians and bicyclists toward the center of the road, and keeping storm drains clear of accumulated debris, leaf piles, and lawn bags.  More details, including the street-by-street vacuuming schedule, is here, with additional information below.
 
COVID-19 is unfortunately continuing to spread in our community, with hospitalizations spiking to numbers not seen in five months.  CDC’s data shows that for a second consecutive week, the community spread remains high in Albany County.  The wearing of facemasks is strongly recommended in public indoor settings. 
 
COVID-19 Weekly Update
 
Albany County DOH’s COVID-19 Dashboard reported no new COVID-19 related deaths over the past week and that the County’s pandemic death total remained at 583.  The number of hospitalized persons increased by 21 patients to now 54 patients, the highest number since early May.  The County’s seven-day average of positive cases over the past week decreased from 10.3% to 10.1%.   
 
For the second consecutive week, Albany County has a “high” rate of community spread of COVID-19 under CDC’s latest weekly data.  Nine other counties in the State, including Rensselaer County, are also at a high rate.  The CDC recommends wearing a facemask in indoor settings and on public transportation in counties with a high infection rate.  Please remember that wearing facemasks in indoor public settings in Town facilities is strongly encouraged.  CDC updates its data on community spread on Thursday evenings.
 
The CDC reports that the percentage of the nation’s counties with a high community level decreased from 3.32% to 2.89% and that the percentage at the medium level decreased from 22.89% to 20.41%.  The percentage of counties at the low community level increased from 73.79% to 76.7%.
 
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 decreased over the past week from 20.8 to 20.1 cases.  The State’s seven-day average also decreased from 21.1 to 19.5 positive cases.  The hospitalization rate increased in the State from 12.11 to 13.6 patients per 100,000.  State DOH reported that there were 108 COVID-19 related deaths last week in the State and that 74,464 residents have died since the start of the pandemic.
 
Last evening, the CDC’s Director expanded eligibility for the updated COVID-19 boosters to include children as young as six years of age for the Moderna vaccine and five years for Pfizer’s vaccine.  In issuing the emergency authorization, the CDC stated:
 
Since children have gone back to school in person and people are resuming pre-pandemic behaviors and activities, there is the potential for increased risk of exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19.  Vaccination remains the most effective measure to prevent the severe consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death.
 
While it has largely been the case that COVID-19 tends to be less severe in children than adults, as the various waves of COVID-19 have occurred, more children have gotten sick with the disease and have been hospitalized.  Children may also experience long-term effects, even following initially mild disease.  We encourage parents to consider primary vaccination for children and follow-up with an updated booster dose when eligible.
 
A reminder that updated COVID-19 boosters are available at local pharmacies, clinics, and physician offices.  You can check on 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. 

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