Latest Coronavirus Update | The Highlands Current

COVID situation in Putnam County improves

■ As of Monday (Jan. 3), Putnam County had been upgraded to “medium” on the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions scale of COVID-19 spread. At that level, mask-wearing in public indoor spaces and on public transportation is no longer recommended, unless someone is at high risk for serious illness. The 7-day average of cases per 100,000 in Putnam stood at 26.6 on Tuesday, compared to 34.1 on Dec. 14.

■ The level of COVID-19 infections in Putnam County has been downgraded to “high” by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At that level, the CDC recommends that people wear masks in public indoor spaces, including on public transportation. The agency also recommends that people test for COVID-19 if they have symptoms and take additional precautions if they are at risk for severe  illness.

■ The 7-day average of COVID cases per 100,000 residents in Dutchess County rose to 24.5 on Dec. 8, compared to 14.7 on Nov. 24, according to data from the state Department of Health. Putnam County’s average was also higher, 27.7 on Dec. 8 versus 23.5 two weeks earlier. The state data does not include positive results from home tests.

■ Putnam Hospital Center reported 11 COVID patients on Dec. 8, the facility’s highest one-day census since Feb. 5. Five of the patients were admitted specifically because they were sick with COVID. The remaining patients were admitted for reasons other than COVID but tested positive for infection.

■The Food and Drug Administration authorized on Dec. 8 the dispensing of the bivalent COVID booster shot for children as young as 6 months old. Both Moderna and Pfizer updated their original vaccines to also target two subvariants of the Omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID. For more information, read the FDA’s announcement.

By the Numbers

■ State health officials said that the seven-day average of positive tests was 10.3 percent in Putnam and 13.4 percent in Dutchess. For the latest numbers, click here.

■ Statewide, at least 60,595 people had died as of Jan. 5, including 141 residents of Putnam County and 729 from Dutchess.

■ The number of people with COVID-19 who are hospitalized in New York state as of Jan. 5 stood at 4,157; the number in intensive care was 410; and the number of intubations was 164.

■ As of Jan. 5, 71.6 percent of Dutchess residents had completed the primary vaccine series and 21.2 percent of those eligible for boosters were up to date, according to the COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker. In Beacon (12508), 68.1 percent had completed the primary series and 17.2 percent of those eligible were up to date.

■ As of Jan. 5, 76.2 percent of Putnam residents had completed the primary vaccine series and 19.1 percent of those eligible for boosters were up to date. In Cold Spring and Philipstown (10516), 87.9 percent of residents had received a primary series and 28.1 percent were up to date, while in Garrison (10524), 82.5 percent had received a primary series and 22.2 percent were up to date.

■ Dutchess County vaccine information

■ Putnam County vaccine information

■ An advisory panel to the federal Centers for Disease…