Broome Remains in Yellow Zone COVID Restrictions

Part of Broome County remains under New York State’s COVID yellow micro-cluster caution zone for at least another week.

While infection rates are falling, the Governor says Broome’s positivity rate is a little over three-percent but must have a seven-day rolling average under two percent to lose the stricter restrictions on gathering sizes.

Chemung County also is under heightened restrictions due to a flare-up of infections, which remain in place for at least another week.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has indicated that some larger cities like Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse may also be moved into microcluster zones while some parts of Downstate, that were in Orange, Red or Yellow zones have had their restrictions eased.

Broome County Executive Jason Garnar says he’s hopeful the Greater Binghamton Area can pull out of the micro-cluster designation soon as the county continues its mobile rapid testing in an effort to identify infections quickly and get those patients into isolation and their recent contacts identified.

This week, the mobile testing unit in a retro-fitted BC Transit bus is at the SUNY Broome Community College campus on Upper Front Street in the Town of Dickinson.  Testing is by appointment for people who are showing symptoms of COVID-19.  People can call the information-center number for the region: 211 or set up an appointment on the county’s website: gobroomecounty.com.