New York

9 New York Counties Back at ‘High' Risk, Masking Advised Amid COVID Uptick

Close to 10% of the country's "high" risk counties are in New York state, the CDC says

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There is a new push to get more people vaccinated with the latest COVID booster, especially ahead of the fall and winter. Andrew Siff reports.

For the first time in months, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending masks in Central New York because of an uptick in COVID-19 cases and patients hospitalized with the virus.

As of Thursday, the CDC identified nine counties in New York state that met the criteria, w which is based on new cases per 100,000 population, new hospital admissions per 100,000 population, and a rolling average percentage of hospital beds being used for COVID patients.

According to the agency's community level maps, those nine counties are Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Jefferson, Montgomery, Onondaga, Orange, Oswego, and Rensselaer. Only 13 counties remain at "low" risk, while the majority of the state is holding at "medium."

While COVID levels in the state are still a fraction now of what they were in past "waves," including back in January, they are also definitely on the rise.

CDC map of New York state highlighting COVID risk among its 62 counties.

Statewide, New York has seen a 27% increase in cases in the past 14 days. And its neighbor, New Jersey, is close behind with a 17% jump in the same two-week period.

Nationwide trends paint a couple different pictures. More than two dozen states saw a decrease or slight dip in cases in the past two weeks. Beyond New York, which had the fourth highest increase, only four other states jumped more than 25%.

The "high" risk classification comes with the recommendation that people return to regular mask wearing.

Almost one month ago, New York's governor put an end to the MTA mask mandate implemented at the start of the pandemic. The rule also ended in for-hire vehicles, airports, homeless shelters, correctional facilities and detention centers statewide. 

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