February 22, 2022

OSWEGO COUNTY – The Oswego County Health Department announced today that an additional 432 residents tested positive for COVID-19 this past week. This includes positive results from lab-confirmed tests and at-home tests from Monday, Feb. 14 through Sunday, Feb. 20.

Four more COVID-19-related deaths were reported by the NYS Department of Health this last week, bringing the total to 174. “Our condolences go out to the families and loved ones of these people,” said Oswego County Public Health Director Jiancheng Huang. “Each death is a painful setback in our efforts to fight this virus.

“Despite this, seven-day accumulated positive case counts continue to decline in the past several weeks, as does the seven-day positivity percentage of lab-confirmed tests,” said Huang. “In addition, slightly more residents got booster doses in the past week than the previous week. We encourage residents to go get a booster dose if they are eligible. Many pharmacies offer the walk-in service for COVID-19 vaccination now.”

According to the CDC, COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing severe SARS-CoV-2-associated outcomes, including those caused by the Delta variant and the now-dominant Omicron variant. A recent study was conducted which shows that having up-to-date COVID-19 vaccinations is critical to protect against serious infection and hospitalization. (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7105e1.htm?s_cid=mm7105e1_w)

The following report reflects data collected from Monday, Feb. 14 through Sunday, Feb. 20:

• Number of lab/provider tests: 3,922
• Number of lab/provider positive cases: 358
• Percentage of lab/provider positive cases: 9.13%
• Number of at-home positive test results: 74

An additional 23 Oswego County residents were hospitalized due to COVID-19 between Sunday, Feb. 13 and Saturday, Feb. 19, according to the hospitalization report received by the Oswego County Health Department. New hospitalization numbers are not part of a running total of hospitalizations. For hospitalization details such as age groups and vaccination status, go to the Oswego County COVID-19 Dashboard at https://oswegogis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/3fd162cd12264b418dc03bdebd7f5300.

The Oswego County Health Department continues to hold COVID-19 vaccination clinics across the county and vaccines are also available at many local pharmacies and health care provider offices. Face masks are still required at all clinics and at-home test kits will be distributed to those getting vaccinated at a County clinic while supplies last.

Go to https://health.oswegocounty.com/information/2019_novel_coronavirus/covid-19_vaccine.php for a full list of upcoming clinics.

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.

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.

“While vaccination continues to be our best defense against COVID-19, it’s good to know that there are now medicines that have received emergency use authorization from the FDA and the CDC for the treatment of the virus,” said Oswego County Medical Director Christian Liepke, M.D. “People who test positive for COVID-19 should contact their primary care provider right away to find out if they meet certain eligibility criteria and can begin treatment.” 

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/information/2019_novel_coronavirus/index.php and click on the appropriate link on the left side of the screen.

Test results received from doctor’s offices, pharmacies and other testing sites DO NOT need to be self-reported. However, if isolation orders are needed for school, employers or other reasons, people can request these documents using the portal’s “Report a Positive (Laboratory) Test” option. 

The health department encourages residents who test positive to immediately notify any close contacts. The close contact should then go to the State’s website at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/new-york-state-contact-tracing to find out if they meet the criteria for quarantine. If they do, they should report the exposure on the County Health Department’s online portal. 

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
• Wash your hands often.
• 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/information/2019_novel_coronavirus/index.php 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 also contact their medical providers directly for personal medical advice about COVID-19 and vaccinations or booster shots.

For information about emotional supports, visit the Oswego County Department of Social Services Division of Mental Hygiene at www.oswegocounty.com/mentalhygiene.

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.