Uptick in NY's COVID deaths last month. Could mask mandates, restrictions return?

Another 288 New Yorkers died due to COVID-19 last month as hospitals and nursing homes considered reinstating mask mandates and other infectious-disease safety measures.

The rising monthly COVID-19 death toll — up from 188 in August — consisted almost entirely of older New Yorkers ages 60 and above, including dozens connected to nursing homes, state data show.

While still far below earlier pandemic waves, the uptick in deaths underscored the continued need to protect those most vulnerable to the virus, despite concerns many New Yorkers would forgo updated COVID-19 vaccines and mask wearing.

One North Country hospital renewed its mask mandate in part because COVID-19 infections sidelined about 50 of its workers during recent outbreaks, local media reported. It joined a handful of other hospitals across New York to bring back masking for workers and visitors since the state lifted its health care mask mandate in February.

Meanwhile, employers and schools also faced growing numbers of COVID-19 infections, raising questions about whether state officials would renew restrictions intended to limit the virus’ spread indoors.

How many in NY getting vaccine? How many New Yorkers are getting new COVID vaccine? We may not know for a bit. Here's why

When would New York consider mask mandate?

State COVID-19 guidelines for mask wearing and other infectious-disease prevention measures are based on federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.

And state officials, including state Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald, asserted the decision to require masks remains a locally-driven decision, as opposed to prior use of statewide measures to impose pandemic restrictions.

“Where we’re living with this now is personal responsibility, but also organizational responsibility,” McDonald said at a press briefing last month. Wide access to medical treatments and vaccines that limit the risk of serious illness, he noted, make statewide restrictions unnecessary based on current conditions.

Expired COVID tests? Will your expired COVID at-home tests still work? Check this FDA list

For example, universal indoor mask wearing is recommended in counties with “high” risk levels of hospital admissions linked to COVID-19, CDC says.

But currently almost every county is at a low risk level, with just four counties — Fulton, Montgomery, Albany, and Rensselaer — at “medium” risk that calls for masking indoors among high-risk groups, such as elderly or otherwise ill people.

Health facilities, McDonald added, have infectious-disease experts closely watching local outbreaks to determine if to impose restrictions at specific hospitals and nursing homes. Many employers and schools, however, generally have COVID policies linked to the state and CDC guidelines, suggesting their appetite for returning to mask mandates would only be tested if risk levels reached the "high" level.

How many COVID deaths in NY nursing homes?

Outbreaks of COVID-19 in nursing homes last month offered an early warning sign of gaps in infectious-disease practices and vaccination coverage.

A total of 62 nursing home residents died due to COVID-19 in September, up from 27 the month prior, state data show. One factor is that COVID-19 booster rates for nursing home residents and staff remains lower than officials urged, according to USA TODAY Network analysis of state data.

Supply chain problems for COVID shots? New COVID vaccine rollout foiled again by supply chain delays? What pharmacies are saying

For example, only 77% of nursing home residents got a booster dose. That booster rate plummets to 58% for staff for the week ending Sept. 26, state data show.

Yet the need for a booster, as well as updated COVID-19 vaccines, is most crucial in nursing home settings, health officials said.

That is because people who received the prior COVID-19 bivalent booster were 14 times less likely to die compared with those who received no vaccine, the American Medical Association noted, citing CDC data. They were also three times less likely to die compared with those who received only the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines.

Overall, 427 nursing home residents in New York have died due to COVID-19 so far this year, adding to the pandemic death toll of more than 18,000 connected to the long-term care facilities.

At the same time, the push to get updated COVID-19 vaccines to New York nursing homes this fall is ongoing. All long-term care facilities are required by state guidelines to make the vaccine available to residents and staff, but early supply chain issues have raised concerns about isolated shortages in some communities.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: COVID deaths rise in NY this month. Will NY require masks again?