Oswego County’s COVID-19 Community Level Raised to ‘Medium’
OSWEGO COUNTY – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) increased Oswego County’s COVID-19 community level to ‘medium’ following the ongoing rise in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.
The agency and the New York State Department of Health (DOH) continue to recommend that people keep their COVID-19 vaccinations up to date and get tested if they have symptoms. In addition, the CDC now advises people who are at a high risk for severe illness to talk to their health care provider about whether they need to wear a mask or take other precautions.
The health department announced that 297 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 from Monday, Aug. 8 through Sunday, Aug. 14. This includes both lab-confirmed and at-home tests.
The following report reflects the breakdown of data collected during that time period:
Number of lab/provider tests: 1,567
Number of lab/provider positive cases: 234
Percentage of lab/provider positive cases: 14.93%
Number of at-home positive test results: 63
In addition, eight Oswego County residents were hospitalized due to COVID-19 between Sunday, Aug. 7 and Saturday, Aug. 13, according to the hospitalization report received by the Oswego County Health Department.
The Oswego County Health Department continues to hold weekly vaccination clinics. COVID-19 vaccines are available for children aged 6 months and over as well as adults. The clinics run every Tuesday afternoon from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. by appointment only. An additional clinic runs from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month. Walk-ins are accepted on Wednesdays, but residents are strongly encouraged to go to health.oswegocounty.com/vaccines to make an appointment to avoid wait times.
The Oswego County Office for the Aging can help people aged 60 and older who need help navigating the internet to make appointments. Call 315-349-3484.
Vaccines are also available at local pharmacies and health care provider offices. Face masks are required at all clinics and at-home COVID-19 test kits will be distributed to those getting vaccinated at a county clinic while supplies last.
Free transportation is provided to residents to go to COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites through a partnership between Oswego County and Oswego County Opportunities, Inc. Rides are available between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 315-598-1514 to schedule a ride in advance.
Oswego County developed a portal for residents to report positive at-home COVID-19 test results, exposure to the virus and get the necessary isolation/quarantine paperwork for schools and employers. Go to https://health.oswegocounty.com/COVID-19 and click on the appropriate link.
Residents are urged to continue taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 including:
Get vaccinated and keep your COVID-19 vaccinations up to date.
Stay home if you are sick and keep your children home if they are sick.
Wear a well-fitting mask.
Stay six feet from others.
Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces.
Test to prevent virus spread to others.
Follow recommendations for isolation and quarantine.
For more information, go to the Oswego County Health Department’s COVID-19 page at https://health.oswegocounty.com/COVID-19 or call its COVID-19 Hotline at 315-349-3330. Callers may need to leave a message and a staff member will return the call.
Residents should contact their medical providers directly for personal medical advice about COVID-19 and vaccinations or booster shots.
Under New York State Public Health Law, the Oswego County Health Department is the local public health authority regarding the COVID-19 pandemic response within the County of Oswego. The Oswego County Health Department works closely with New York State Department of Health regarding COVID-19 monitoring, response, and reporting.
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