Coronavirus deaths at record-breaking pace in Albany County – Times Union

ALBANY Albany County is on pace to experience its deadliest month yet from the novel coronavirus, officials revealed Friday.

County Executive Dan McCoy said the county is aware of three more residents who have now died due to complications from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. That brings the county's total number of coronavirus deaths so far this month to 39. With half a month left to go, January is on track to beat last month's high-water mark of 63 resident deaths, McCoy said.

"We have 16 days left to this month, and I'm hoping not to break that record," he said. "We need people to do the right thing. Continue to do the right thing. I know everyone's fatigued and tired. Everyone just wants life back the way it was prior to March 12 of 2020. It's never gonna go back. We can only move forward."

That the death toll is on such a pace is not surprising. Officials have warned for months that January could be the deadliest month for the virus. The region and nation are feeling the full effect of the virus' spread during the holiday season and vaccinations are only in the first month of distribution in the U.S.

Albany County is also once again experiencing record COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Twenty-nine residents were hospitalized with the disease overnight the most the county has ever seen in one day, McCoy said. There are now 168 county residents currently hospitalized with the disease a net increase of 10 overnight and another high-water mark. The last record was set on Jan. 7 with 163 resident hospitalizations.

The county has confirmed 292 new cases of coronavirus overnight, including 236 that could not be traced back to a clear infection source. The county is averaging 271 coronaviruscases a day (measured on a seven-day rolling average) down from its peak of 279 set Tuesday.

The chart shows daily deaths related to COVID-19 in the eight counties of the Capital Region.Source: Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 tracking project Graphic by Cathleen F. Crowley/Times Union

Vaccine update

McCoy updated residents on the county's COVID-19 situation just minutes after the state officially opened a mass vaccination site at the University at Albany. It is one of several local sites where people 65 and older can get vaccinated, though candidates need to make an appointment ahead of time.

Coronavirus resources

Detailed map: Check out the Times Unions New York Coronavirus Case Tracker.

Testing: Local testing sites for COVID-19. Coronavirus testing results for every New York county.

Vaccinations: Track vaccine roll-out in New York. Plus, get answers to commons questions and submit your own here.

School updates: COVID-19 cases and quarantines in Capital Region schools.

Lives lost:Share a remembranceof a Capital Region resident who died from COVID-19.

Daily email: Sign up for the free Coronavirus Updates newsletter.

McCoy admitted there have been "stumbling blocks" with the state's vaccine rollout. He reminded people scheduling appointments through the state's vaccination website to make appointments for their first dose only. The second dose will be scheduled on site after people receive their first dose, he said.

"There's a lot of confusion," he said. "A lot of people were signing up for a second shot and took slots away from people that needed it."

McCoy expressed particular concern about homebound seniors who may have difficulty traveling to get vaccinated.

"Its our obligation to make sure that no one falls through the cracks," he said.

On Sunday, the county announced it would partner with Mohawk Ambulance to administer vaccines to homebound seniors right in their homes. On Friday, however, County Health Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Whalen said the county is still waiting on supply from the state for that effort.

"Its the supply thats the rate-limiting step," Whalen said. "I dont want anybody to think that theres vaccine sitting in fridges and for some administrative purpose its not getting out. Thats not the situation."

Further sowing confusion are the early release of test links for scheduling vaccinations. Whalensaid the county health department is aware of several scheduling links that have been shared for "bogus" vaccine clinics, as well as test links that were shared too early. Her department is investigating the incidents and has alerted the state, she said.

"I know that many of you are confused, many of you are looking at ways that you can sign up thats easier particularly for your elderly relatives," she said.

"I ask for patience and continued vigilance," she continued. "These are systems that are really overburdened at this stage and we know that there are many people working on them so that we can get the vaccine out."

Where do we get our information?

We monitor local, regional and national government updates and verify facts or data before publishing. Sources we rely on include:

Local resources: Daily reports from Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington county health departments.

State resources: The New York State Department of Health and the Department of Health's School COVID Report Card.

National resources: National data on verified testing sites compiled from local health departments, healthcare providers, and cities, counties and states. We also rely on national, state and county data from the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Case TrackerandThe COVID Tracking Project.

Other resources: Vaccine information gathered from government agencies, the companies that produce the vaccines and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We also turn to doctors, nurses, scientists and other public health experts. We strive for accuracy in our reporting, but sometimes new developments can happen quickly. If we learn information is incorrect, we will update it as soon as possible. You can help by reporting any discrepancies to tuweb@timesunion.com. Learn more about our coronavirus coverage.

Go here to read the rest:

Coronavirus deaths at record-breaking pace in Albany County - Times Union