Covid cases soar

Positive Covid-19 cases have been steady during most of the summer, hovering around 100 a week or less. The past couple of weeks, though, from Thursday to Thursday, have seen 145 and 133 positive cases. There have also been two deaths in the past two weeks, after none for most of the summer.

In the most recent Columbia County news release, Friday, Sept. 16, Columbia County Department of Health (CCDOH) Director Jack Mabb attributed this rise to the very contagious BA.5 omicron variant and two substantial outbreaks in the county, at the County Fair and at Barnwell (the Grand Rehabilitation & Nursing/Barnwell facility in Valatie).

Mabb said, “There have been 40 cases reported so far at Barnwell among the residents, along with 12 staff.… Barnwell has been moving the positive cases into a separate wing and have been dealing with this in a positive fashion.”

Mabb continues to recommend masking in public indoor places, especially for those with health problems that could make them more susceptible to serious Covid complications.

CCDOH is administering the new bivalent Covid booster vaccines, approved for everyone age 12 and above, as well as the monovalent series approved for children under 12. CCDOH is also holding flu and monkeypox vaccine clinics.

For information on all vaccination sites, days, and times, go to https://www.columbiacountynyhealth.com

Local pharmacies also have a good stock of the Covid boosters and original series, all brands (availability of one or another brand may differ per pharmacy), as well as flu vaccines for the upcoming flu season. You can get both the flu and Covid vaccines at once if you like. Contact the pharmacies directly.