The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and prevention has moved Broome, Tioga, Bradford and Susquehanna Counties in the Twin Tiers into the “HIGH” category for risk of community transmission of COVID-19.

The CDC updates its weekly COVID-10 County Check on Thursdays.

Prior to the weekly revision dated December 8, the CDC had Broome and Tioga County moving between Medium and Low risk.

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The update on December 8 lists the Twin Tiers counties in the High category and the COVID-19 Integrated County View reported the weekly metrics for Broome as follows: Case Rate per 100,000 population: 135.97, New COVID-19 Admissions per 100,000 population: 22.9 and % Staffed Inpatient Beds in Use by Patients with Confirmed COVID-19: 6.7%.  Broome County’s COVID Dashboard on Friday, December 8 reported the 5-day new infections at 237 with 52 hospitalizations.

Broome’s deaths from COVID-19 Friday were reported steady at 587.

Over the past week, Tioga County had seen an apparent adjustment in its overall numbers compiled by the New York Times with large increases in new cases reported on Thursday and over the weekend. Tioga County added two to its morbidity rate due to the pandemic in its report on Thursday.

While Chenango and Delaware counties remain listed as Low for community transmission risk, Chenango County saw two more residents fall victim to the pandemic last week while Delaware’s death toll rose by two.

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With the designation of Broome, Tioga, Susquehanna and Bradford Counties as being at High Risk for transmission, health officials are encouraging residents to wear masks in indoor settings and crowded outdoor events to avoid spreading the coronavirus’ highly contagious variants.

The increased risk for illness from the coronavirus variants comes as flu cases are spiking in New York as well as RSV that have been sending hundreds of children and older people to the hospital, straining their capacities.

Kathy Whyte/ WNBF News
Kathy Whyte/ WNBF News
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With the holidays less than two weeks away, residents have little time to get a vaccination or booster for it to become fully effective in protecting against serious illness.  Still, residents are urged to seek out pharmacies and vaccination clinics to get COVID and flu shots as soon as possible.

Broome County is offering the Moderna and Pfizer Bivalent Boosters at the Northern Broome Senior Center December 15 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.  Go to https://www.gobroomecounty.com/hd/coronavirus to schedule an appointment.

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