The Centers for Disease Control moved Schoharie County into the “high” category for risk of COVID transmission Thursday.
“High” is the highest category, the last step up from “substantial.”
According to the CDC, as calculated on a rolling seven-day basis, through Friday the COVID positivity rate for Schoharie County was 8.97 percent.
As of Tuesday, there were with 43 new COVID cases since the previous Tuesday, August 10.
Also as of Tuesday, statewide, only three counties—Clinton, Schuyler, and Wyoming—were categorized as “moderate”; 19 counties were “substantial” and the rest—including all neighboring counties—were “high.”
From Tuesday, August 10 through Tuesday, August 17, Schoharie County added 43 cases for a total of 1,814.
Statewide, Tuesday’s positivity rate was 3.94 percent with an additional 18 COVID deaths reported, for a total of 43,277.
Tuesday’s positivity rate was 3.67 percent in the Mohawk Valley Region, which includes Schoharie County, and above four percent in Central New York (4.76 percent), Capital Region (4.55 percent), Finger Lakes (4.20 percent), and the North Country (4.18 percent.)
As schools work on their plans for fall, the Health Department continues to urge people to get vaccinated and also recommends that even those who are vaccinated wear masks when around others from outside their household.
Only 50 percent of county residents have had at least one dose of a vaccine; 47 percent are fully vaccinated.
At SUNY Cobleskill, freshmen will begin moving in next Thursday, August 26.
According to the college website, all students planning to live on campus must be fully vaccinated before arrival—though there are limited allowable medical or religious exemptions.
Once the COVID vaccines receive full federal approval, the SUNY System plans to mandate that all students taking in-person classes be vaccinated.
The vaccines are currently available through an FDA emergency use authorization.