Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy held a briefing today to announce progress being made on the county’s efforts to administer the COVID vaccine and control the spread of the virus. The most recent data shows that 32.5% of Albany County’s population has received at least their first dose, and 16.4% has been completely vaccinated, compared to the State’s first dose rate of 25.7%. In order to get homebound seniors vaccinated, Albany County has sent 425 doses of the Johnson & Johnson shot to area partners, including 95 doses to Colonie EMS, 95 doses to Guilderland EMS, 10 to Marra’s Pharmacy in Cohoes, 25 doses to Eddy Senior Care and 200 doses to Eddy Visiting Nurse and Rehab. Association.

County Executive McCoy announced today that the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Albany County has now climbed to 21,745 to date, an increase of 50 new positive cases since yesterday. The five-day average for new daily positives has increased slightly to 68 from 67.6. Please note that our overall case count will fluctuate as CommCare records are transferred in and out of the county.

Among the new cases of Coronavirus, 28 had close contact with positive cases, 20 did not have clear sources of infection at this time and two are healthcare workers or residents of congregate settings. There are now 505 active cases in the county, down from 508 yesterday. The number of people under mandatory quarantine decreased to 1,233 from 1,282. So far, 69,076 people have completed quarantine. Of those who completed quarantine, 21,240 of them had tested positive and recovered. That is an increase of 47 recoveries since yesterday.

There were no new hospitalizations overnight, and there are now 23 county residents hospitalized from the virus – a net decrease of two. There are still four patients in ICU’s, unchanged from yesterday. There are no new COVID-related deaths to report, and the death toll for Albany County still stands at 365 since the outbreak began. For the briefing, the County Executive was joined by County Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Whalen.

“The last time we didn’t have to report a single new hospitalization in a 24-hour period was back on November 26, so this is another sign that we’re heading in the right direction. However, we know that COVID has taken the lives of not only people who are at least 60 years old, but those in their 50’s as well. We need the State to expand vaccine eligibility to these individuals, as well as broaden the definition of what they consider an essential employee. There are still too many people risking their health and wellbeing by going into work and keeping our economy running,” said County Executive McCoy. 

“To that end, I’m happy Albany County continues to make progress on getting the vaccine delivered to homebound seniors. We’ve now distributed over 400 Johnson & Johnson doses to the EMS teams in Colonie and Guilderland, along with Marra’s Pharmacy, Eddy Senior Center and Eddy Visiting Nurse and Rehabilitation Center. This will ensure those who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic have some peace of mind and they don’t have to worry about a second dose,” he continued.

During the briefing, County Executive McCoy announced a county-wide reusable bag art contest to encourage the public to reduce our reliance on disposable paper bags and protecting the environment. Students in grades three through fives from schools throughout the county are invited to submit their own design illustrations with corresponding slogans that raise awareness for this issue by April 9. 

School districts interested in participating in the design competition should contact the County Executive’s Office by March 29. All submissions should be sent to AlbanyCountyKidsCare@AlbanyCountyNY.gov. The winners of the contest will be announced on Earth Day, April 22, and the winning submission will be printed on reusable bags and distributed by Albany County to community partners.

Due to the previously scheduled NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Regionals at the Times Union Center, some of the COVID-19 second vaccine doses scheduled for next week and the following week at the Times Union Center are being moved to the Albany Capital Center. Those with appointments on Thursday, March 25; Saturday, March 27; and Monday, March 29 will now be receiving their vaccination at the Capital Center at 55 Eagle St, Albany, NY 12207.

Residents who want to check their eligibility for the vaccine and sign up for a shot at a state-run facility should use the state's website at the link here or call the state vaccine hotline at 1-833-697-4829. For those who would like additional information on vaccinations and vaccination clinics at the Times Union Center, or to pre-register for a vaccine appointment through Albany County’s pre-registration tool, please use the link here. For general information on the vaccine and eligibility, residents can also dial the United Way of the Greater Capital Region’s 2-1-1 hotline.

Walmart pharmacy locations in Albany on Washington Avenue Extension and in Glenmont on Route 9W are now offering vaccination appointments. Other locations are in Troy, Schenectady and Amsterdam. Eligible populations include the 60+ population, educators, and staff of licensed childcare providers. To make an appointment, call the Washington Ave. Ext. location at (518) 869-4697 or the Glenmont location at (518) 432-1747. You can also use the online registration at the link here.

Community-wide free testing continues on the University at Albany (SUNY) campus by appointment only for those with or without symptoms. Appointments may be made by calling the NYS hotline at 888-364-3065 or by visiting the State Department of Health website.
 
County Executive McCoy continues to highlight the testing site in Albany County at Priority 1 Urgent Care, which also provides antibody testing, located in Hamilton Square at 2080 Western Avenue in Guilderland. Testing will only be provided after appointments are made and after patients come in to be screened for expanded CDC symptoms. To schedule an appointment, you can call (518) 867-8040.
 
The County Executive also encourages those who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms to register for the drive-thru community testing site at Rite Aid, 1863 Central Avenue in Colonie. Testing is free for those who are eligible based on CDC guidelines and are at least 18 years old. It’s available between 9am and 5pm, seven days a week by appointment only. Registration is now available at their website at the link here. Tests will be conducted from within an individual’s car with self-swab nasal tests and with the help of a pharmacist.
 
Walgreens is operating a testing facility at the 41 Holland Avenue location utilizing a self-collection model. Residents will be able to remain in their cars while assisted by pharmacists when necessary. Based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, individuals who are 18 years or older may be tested once completing an eligibility assessment at the Walgreens website or at their app. Patients can get their results from PWNHealth.
 
Price Chopper/Market 32 is piloting a free COVID-19 test program at three of its New York drive-thru pharmacies. Customers can register for a test at the website here and they will get a voucher to go to one of the testing sites on a specific date. Local participating pharmacies are in Latham, Clifton Park and Johnstown. Testing is on Tuesdays from 7am to 9am. Customers won’t leave their car and will administer the test themselves with guidance from a pharmacist. Results will be provided by eTrueNorth.
 
CVS is offering drive-thru testing at select stores. You must register online for an appointment. To do that and find locations offering the drive-thru testing, go to the CVS website.
 
Central Med Urgent Care, 1662 Central Avenue, Colonie offers the rapid antigen test, lab-based PCR and antibody testing. No appointment is required but you can call 518-240-1456 if you would like to make an appointment. Testing is available for children.

For the all latest data on COVID testing and results, you can refer to the Albany County COVID-19 Data Dashboard, as well as the New York State Department of Health COVID-19 Tracker.
 
For those experiencing stress, anxiety or depression during the ongoing pandemic, the Albany County Mental Health Support Line is available seven days a week, from 8am to 5pm at (518) 269-6634. Anyone experiencing a psychiatric emergency should still call the Albany County Mobile Crisis Team at (518) 549–6500. The 24-hour sexual assault hotline number is (518) 447-7716, and the free and confidential online text chat feature can be found at the link here.