COVID numbers add up; vax rate 57.6 percent

10/21/2021

Local schools have reported 64 cases of COVID since classes began in September, according to the state Health Department.
The Centers for Disease Control reports 47 new cases overall in Schoharie County from October 13-19.
That’s a positivity rate of 4.79 percent.
There were no additional deaths, but two hospitalizations for COVID.
The vaccination rate for those eligible is 57.6 percent.
The school breakdown follows:
Cobleskill-Richmondville—24 cases.
Schoharie—18.
Jefferson—18.
Middleburgh—2.
Gilboa-Conesville—2.
Sharon Springs—0.
Worcester—0.
Tuesday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the launch of a new centralized website for New York State COVID-19 data, Coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-data-new-york.
The website includes new data and reorganizes previously released data to make it easier for the public to access, read and understand.
Statewide, the COVID positivity rate is at 2.58 percent, but Governor Hochul called the end of the year and the holidays a vulnerable time.
“We need to get more people vaccinated to drive these numbers down,” she said.
Statewide, the vaccination rate is 86.1 percent.
Governor Hochul noted the death Monday of former United States Secretary of State Colin Powell from COVID complications, despite being vaccinated; he suffered from multiple myeloma--blood cancer--which experts have said could lead to lower vaccine efficacy, as well as Parkinson’s disease.
“Our sympathies go out to his family and we thank him for his extraordinary service, but his story cannot be hijacked by the ant-vaxxers,” Governor Hochul said.
“He had unique circumstances as many older people have…they’re immunocompromised. There are other circumstances that clearly went into his unfortunate death.”
Governor Hochul also stressed the importance of COVID booster shots once they have final approval from the FDA and become available.