Thursday, January 14, 2021 - 21:29
The federal government made several shifts in COVID policy this week: Requiring international travelers to test negative before flying to the United States, changing the guidance for vaccine eligibility, and releasing doses originally held back.
ALBANY COUNTY Patience was advised this week on both the state and local levels as residents clamored for COVID-19 vaccines while the supply remained limited.
“It’s gonna take time, people. You have to be patient,” said Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy at his Tuesday morning press briefing.
In its 44th week of battling the virus, Albany County broke records for hospitalizations with 163 announced on Thursday and for new cases, with 351 announced on Tuesday, topping the Jan. 1 record of 346.
More people in Maine now have been vaccinated for COVID-19 than have had the virus.
About 46,600 Mainers were vaccinated as of Friday, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. That represents nearly 3.5 percent of the state’s population. At least 3,271 of those vaccinated have received their second dose.
In comparison, 28,400 Mainers have had confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19, as of Friday. More than 1,100 have been hospitalized and 426 have died.
This story was originally published by The Maine Monitor.
The Maine Monitor, formerly known as Pine Tree Watch, is a local journalism product published by The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, a nonpartisan, nonprofit civic news organization based in Augusta.
Friday, January 8, 2021 - 21:04
ALBANY COUNTY With high infection rates and hospitalizations, and six more COVID-19 deaths announced Friday morning bringing Albany County’s death toll to 246 the county is focusing on ramping up vaccinations.
Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple posted on Facebook Friday that his office has been approved by the state as a vaccine provider.
Also on Friday, Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen reported on her department’s first day of giving shots, at a POD, or point of dispensing, set up at the Times Union Center in Albany on Thursday.
“Our distribution network will far outpace our supply,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said at his press conference on Friday.
PHASE 1A
Protecting health care workers is essential to keeping the health care system intact and able to care for COVID-19 and other patients, so phase 1A of vaccine distribution, when the vaccine supply is most limited, will focus on making vaccine available to health care workers.
To support this distribution, the EVAP has recommended, and Dr. Hellerstedt has approved, a tiered definition of health care workers specific to Phase 1A. During this phase, the EVAP will make recommendations based on the priority order in the Health Care Workers definition.
On Dec. 4, following guidance issued by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Dr. Hellerstedt approved the EVAP’s recommendation to include residents of longterm care facilities in the first tier of Phase 1A so they can be among the first Texas residents to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
PHASE 1A
Protecting health care workers is essential to keeping the health care system intact and able to care for COVID-19 and other patients, so phase 1A of vaccine distribution, when the vaccine supply is most limited, will focus on making vaccine available to health care workers.
To support this distribution, the EVAP has recommended, and Dr. Hellerstedt has approved, a tiered definition of health care workers specific to Phase 1A. During this phase, the EVAP will make recommendations based on the priority order in the Health Care Workers definition.
On Dec. 4, following guidance issued by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Dr. Hellerstedt approved the EVAP’s recommendation to include residents of longterm care facilities in the first tier of Phase 1A so they can be among the first Texas residents to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.