Ontario County Public Health: COVID-19 numbers trending in right direction
HOPEWELL — Ontario County is not out of the woods when it comes to COVID-19, according to Public Health Director Mary Beer.
The COVID-19 deaths of two unvaccinated county residents last weekend is proof of that.
But after several months of being classified as a community with a high risk of COVID-19 transmission, Ontario County as of Thursday was upgraded to medium. Or, using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention color coding system, out of the red, into the yellow and trending toward green.
Also at medium risk are neighboring Wayne, Seneca, and Yates counties.
Beer told members of the Ontario County Board of Supervisors on Thursday that nearby counties such as Monroe and Livingston are in a green zone, meaning there is a low risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Beer said she is encouraged.
“I’m very optimistic that within another week or two, we probably will be as well," Beer said. “That’s all good news.”
People in a yellow zone who are at high risk for severe illness are encouraged to consult with their doctors about the need to wear a mask and take other precautions, according to the CDC. Also, the agency encourages testing if you demonstrate symptoms and to vaccinate if you haven’t done so already.
The CDC said people may choose to mask at any time. People with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask. Masks are required on public transportation.
As sudden and dramatic as the rise in COVID-19 cases in Ontario County when the omicron variant arrived, so too is the fall.
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On a random Sunday in January, a total of 175 COVID-19 cases were reported. During one week in January, Ontario County reported a whopping 1,585 cases.
Contrast that with the 20 cases reported in Ontario on Thursday.
Earlier in the week, the sharp decrease in cases prompted UR Medicine Thompson Health’s F.F. Thompson Hospital to resume pre-pandemic visiting hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
All visitors will still need to be screened for symptoms of illness upon entry to the hospital.
Even though Beer said the county and local schools are no longer doing this, the hospital will still be collecting information for contact tracing purposes.
The mask mandate in Ontario County schools was lifted earlier this month. In February, Ontario County employees and members of the public were no longer required to wear masks inside county facilities.
“We are going in the right direction,” Beer said.
Since the start of the pandemic, 20,354 cases have been reported in Ontario County and 187 people have died.
This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Health Director Mary Beer: COVID numbers headed in right direction
