Schoharie County supervisors aren’t pushing COVID vaccinations or masks at local schools—something they made clear in a unanimous vote Friday.
Over the past few weeks, local schools have hosted afterhours COVID vaccination clinics for children and adults; adult boosters have also been available.
“There are some misconceptions that the Board of Supervisors have given schools carte blanche over regulating masks and vaccines. That schools are pushing vaccines,” Seward Supervisor Earlin Rosa said.
But, no, replied supervisors’ chair Bill Federice, “nothing would be further from the truth.” Counties are not in the position of mandating either.
It should be a decision made after talking to a trusted health care provider, added Schoharie Supervisor Alan Tavenner.
At Mr. Federice’s suggestion, supervisors unanimously voted to affirm “that we are not mandating any vaccines.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, as of Friday the threat of COVID transmission in Schoharie County remains high and “everyone…should wear a mask in public, indoor settings.”
There have been 54 new cases of COVID reported over the past seven days, for a positivity rate of 4.34 percent, no new deaths and one hospital admission.
According to the state Health Department, 14 new cases of COVID were reported in the county Friday.
Also Friday, the CDC has approved the COVID booster for all adults with no age or health requirements.
Twenty-four people have died of COVID in the county since tracking began.
Fifty-nine percent of those 12 years and older have been vaccinated.
The number of reported COVID cases at local schools since September 1 follows.
Cobleskill-Richmondville—37.
Middleburgh—5.
Schoharie—33.
Sharon Springs—2.
Jefferson—19.
Gilboa-Conesville—7.
Worcester—4.