Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy today provided the latest update on the county’s progress on vaccinations and controlling the spread of the Coronavirus. As of yesterday, 81.5% of all Albany County residents have received at least the first dose of the vaccine and 74.5% have now completed their original vaccination series. Among the eligible population, 63.9% have now received the booster shot. More information on vaccination rates around the state can be found at the New York State COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker at the link here.
 
County Executive McCoy announced that the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Albany County has now reached 73,426 to date, with 76 new infections identified since yesterday and 230 new infections since the last update on Tuesday. The county’s seven-day average of new daily positive cases is now down to 80.0 from 97.4. Please note that our overall case count will fluctuate as CommCare records are transferred in and out of the county.

Albany County’s most recent seven-day average of COVID cases per 100,000 is now down to 23.5 (with an average percent positive rate of 7.8%), and the Capital Region’s average of cases per 100,000 is now down to 24.0 (with an average percent positive rate of 7.3%). The latest data and trends can be found at the state tracker here.
                                                    
County Executive McCoy reported that there were five new COVID hospitalizations since yesterday and eleven new hospitalizations overall since Tuesday’s update. There are now 33 county residents currently hospitalized with the Coronavirus – a net decrease of eight. Of those hospital patients, there are now three currently in ICU’s, down from the four last reported. Sadly, there are two new COVID deaths to report since the last update – a woman in her 60’s and another woman in her 80’s. The death toll for Albany County now stands at 565 since the outbreak began.

“It saddens me to have to report that latest county residents who lost their lives to COVID complications. My deepest condolences go out to the families and loved ones of these individuals,” said County Executive McCoy. 

“While this virus is clearly still a threat – especially for those with weakened immune systems and underlying health conditions – our metrics continue to move in the right direction. Average cases per 100,000 are still on a downward slope, now the lowest I’ve reported since April 13, and hospitalizations are also declining. Additionally, the wastewater monitoring system at our North and South Wastewater Treatment Plants in Albany are showing decreasing levels of the Coronavirus, which means we will continue to see decreasing levels of infections in the coming weeks, as this is a leading indicator,” he continued. 

Due to New York State closing down its Virtual Call Center, there will be an unknown margin of error in the reporting of our COVID case data, as residency discrepancies and duplicative counting of cases may occur. The issue of data accuracy is compounded by the lack of reporting of at-home test results, which has been a consistent issue since the onset of Omicron. As we have reported previously, hospitalizations and deaths are the preferred metrics that many health professionals continue to use; however, if you use daily case count as a tool to make your personal decisions please do so with the understanding that there is a margin of error in this reporting.

County Executive McCoy continues to encourage residents to submit the positive results of at-home COVID testing on the county website, and they should utilize the online submission link here, or visit the Albany County website here.

Residents can receive free Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines (including booster shots) Monday through Friday, 9am - 3pm, each week at the Albany County Department of Health, 175 Green Street. Aside from Wednesdays, appointments are required and can be made at the link here.  Anyone eligible to receive a COVID vaccine booster dose and would like to receive one from the Albany County Department of Health will be required to provide their vaccination card or the Excelsior Pass Plus in order to view the formula type, lot number and date of the inoculation.
 
Albany County continues to deliver vaccines to homebound residents, which includes seniors, disabled individuals, those lacking childcare and those with other accessibility issues. Anyone who would like to schedule a time for a vaccine appointment should call (518) 447-7198.
 
Residents who want a shot from 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 general information on the vaccine, residents can also dial the United Way of the Greater Capital Region’s 2-1-1 hotline or text their zip code to 898-211 or call the Albany County Department of Health at (518) 447-4580.
 
COVID-19 testing continues to be available throughout Albany County and the Capital Region. Help finding a testing site near you can be found at the New York State website here and the Albany County website here.