As we get deeper into fall and spend more time indoors, the number of Upstate New York counties receiving the "high" COVID community level designation has ticked back up.

As the weather gets colder and we are spending more time in close quarters it is not a surprise that the CDC is reporting high community levels of COVID in 9 New York counties, including eight Upstate and five in the Capital Region. The latest designation is based on data from the week of September 21 - 27, 2022.

This CDC system monitors COVID cases and recommends three levels of precautionary measures that the public should take based on countywide community infections. At all three designations (low, medium, and high), the CDC recommends getting vaccinated and testing for county residents who have symptoms, avoiding those who are confirmed to have COVID, and maintaining ventilation improvements. In counties with a medium designation, the CDC recommends that at-risk individuals wear a "high-quality" mask or respirator indoors. If a county is given a high designation the CDC recommends all residents mask up when in public indoor spaces.

While the pandemic has certainly waned and our lives have gotten pretty close to normal, it is great to be armed with information so you can take the steps you feel are necessary to keep yourself healthy in the months ahead. Here are the New York Counties that currently have the CDC "high-risk" designation.

The CDC Says You Should Mask Up In These 9 New York Counties

The CDC has designated these 9 Upstate New York counties as currently "high-risk" for COVID as of September 29, 2022 and is recommending residents wear masks because of that designation. The designation is based on the number of hospital admissions per 100,000 residents in a 7 day period. 8 of the 9 counties below are in Upstate New York with 5 In the Capital Region receiving the "high" designation.

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