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The county reported that as of Friday, July 30, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the community transmission level in Putnam, Dutchess, Westchester, and Orange counties has risen from "moderate" to "substantial." This means they all reported at least 50 new cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period.
Putnam is one of 31 counties in New York where mask-wearing is now recommended indoors in public settings.
“We were all hopeful that we wouldn’t see another surge,” health department epidemiologist Alison Kaufman said. “Unfortunately all of our indicators are telling us the same thing. Putnam County’s 7-day incidence rate has nearly doubled from July 25 to August 1, with a rise in cases from 42.5 to 83 cases per 100,000 people. And the percent of tests that are positive has gone from 1.2 to 2.7 percent.”
The county also warned of the potential for COVID-19 patients to develop "Long COVID," meaning significant symptoms and health issues persist for four or more weeks after the initial infection.
“Anyone who was infected with COVID-19—including those who were initially asymptomatic—can have post-COVID symptoms, and this is happening in a high proportion of patients," Putnam County’s Health Commissioner Michael Nesheiwat said.
Nesheiwat urged residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to avoid the serious long-term health term effects that the virus could cause and to prevent further community spread.
"This is the best way residents can reduce their individual risk of post-COVID conditions and help reduce cases in our community," he added. "This is because as the science evolves, we are finding more serious implications for health and continued quality of life that result from infection from the COVID-19 virus.”
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