McMahon contends Onondaga County COVID-19 data compares favorably to other major upstate counties

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon on Thursday reported data that he contends shows the county compares favorably to other major counties along the New York State Thruway corridor.

He also provided data on 5-11-year-old vaccinations so far, details on an upcoming booster-shot clinic, and a recommendation about masks in grocery stores during a Thursday afternoon briefing.

Concern over rising cases

State and county government leaders are concerned about a rise in COVID-19 cases in certain areas of the state following Halloween as people are remaining indoors more.

“It’s not quite what we saw last year but that’s probably because we have 320,000-plus people vaccinated where last year, we didn’t,” McMahon said.

The county executive then provided a comparison of Onondaga County’s data to other areas of New York.

“When you look at other parts of New York, it’s hard to compare us to New York City or to Long Island, even the Hudson Valley, so looking at Thruway communities is probably the best,” he contended.

• Onondaga County has 42.2 daily cases per 100,000 people
• Albany County has 45.9 cases per 100,000 people
• Oneida County has 59.5 cases per 100,000 people
• Monroe County has 56.6 cases per 100,000 people
• Erie County has 57.5 cases per 100,000 people

“Collectively speaking, we’re actually in better shape than our Thruway community partners,” he noted.

McMahon also announced that Onondaga County has so far had 2,900 children, age 5 to 11, receive their first vaccine dose through a collective effort involving pediatricians, Onondaga County clinics, area schools, and pharmacies.

“We’re not quite at 10 percent yet [in] that demographic,” he said.

Masks while grocery shopping

In response to a reporter’s question, McMahon said he highly recommends residents wear masks when they’re grocery shopping.

“From a practical standpoint, people have to go there [a grocery store]. They have to. That’s one area we would look at [for] a potential mandate … if the industry felt they could enforce it, I’d be willing to look at [it],” McMahon said.

Booster shots

On Wednesday, McMahon tweeted guidance that anyone age 18 and older who feels at risk can get a booster shot. That includes those who received their Pfizer and Moderna vaccine doses six months ago and those who got their Johnson & Johnson vaccine dose two months.

Onondaga County will offer a booster clinic on Tuesday Nov. 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the John H. Mulroy Civic Center. Those interested can register for a booster shot at the Onondaga County website, ongov.net.

Booster shots are available through pharmacies, physician medical groups, and at the New York State Fairgrounds as well, McMahon noted.

COVID-19 data on Thursday

Two female residents died from COVID-19 since Wednesday. One was in her 70s and one was in her 20s — both with underlying conditions.

A total of 66 Onondaga County residents have died since Oct. 1, 69 percent of whom weren’t vaccinated, McMahon noted.

So far, 84 percent of residents age 18 and older in Onondaga County have been vaccinated, so 16 percent of the population is comprising 69 percent of the deaths, McMahon said.

“…The vaccine continues to help those who get very sick do better than those who are unvaccinated,” he added.

As of Thursday afternoon, 115 Onondaga County residents are hospitalized with COVID, including 24 in the intensive-care unit (ICU). Of those in the ICU, 79 percent are unvaccinated, a figure McMahon described as “glaring.”

“Again, glaring numbers … 16 percent are driving between 79 [percent] and as high as 90 [percent] most days of our ICU stays,” McMahon said.

The county executive reported 271 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday with 23 percent of those resulting from household contacts. Onondaga County is currently dealing with 1,294 active virus cases.