Syracuse, N.Y. (NCC News) — A contagious new COVID-19 subvariant is causing case numbers and positivity rates to creep upward in Central New York during the past week.
BA.5, a strain of the Omicron variant, made up nearly 60% of COVID cases across the state from July 2-16, according to State data.
“Some of the mutations [of BA.5] seem to make it spread a little bit easier, and also to be able to evade some immune defenses a little bit easier,” said Diane Oldenburg, Oswego County senior public health educator.
Positivity Rates Hit Highest Mark Since May
The seven-day positivity rate from July 13-19 in the region is north of 7% for the first time since May. Onondaga County recorded a positivity rate of 12.9% on Monday, with nearly 600 people receiving tests, according to statistics on the County website.
“It’s just blowing up a lot faster than I think people are realizing,” Eastside Syracuse resident Audrey McConnell said. “Everybody I know right now is testing positive.”
Effectiveness of Vaccines Against BA.5
BA.5, like its predecessor BA.4, is considered a highly transmissible strain of Omicron. While it is more capable of resisting cellular immunity and infecting people, Oldenburg said vaccinated people have avoided severe cases.
“Vaccines that we have available are still doing its job as far as protecting people from severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths,” Oldenburg said.
Oldenburg encourages residents to get the most recent booster dose for which they are eligible. Oswego and Onondaga are among the counties now providing vaccination clinics for children as young as six months old.
What it Would Take for CNY to Reimplement Restrictions
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issues a COVID-19 Community Level to guide counties and their pandemic-related precautions, Oldenburg said. The community level is currently “low” in all Central New York counties, but “high” in all five New York City counties.
Hospitalizations remain low enough in local counties to remain in the “low” tier, but Oldenburg said this could change.
“As case counts creep up, typically it takes a couple weeks to see that spike in hospitalizations,” Oldenburg said.
A “high” rating means the CDC recommends masking in indoor public locations.
“I welcome the restrictions, if the numbers go up, because we know that’s an effective way to deal with it,” said Ann Duffy, a visitor to the area from Massachusetts.
