Dutchess County Recommends Masks In Indoor Public Spaces

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — With active coronavirus cases increasing nearly 200 percent since the end of July, Dutchess County is now classified as a high transmission area by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As a result, county health officials are recommending ways to mitigate the spread of the disease.

The Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health strongly urges all community members to follow the CDC's disease prevention guidelines.

They include getting vaccinated, wearing a mask in indoor public spaces, even if fully vaccinated, washing hands, practicing physical distancing and staying home when sick.

"With the delta variant, which is highly infectious, as the dominant circulating strain throughout the nation, masks protect vaccinated and unvaccinated persons from acquiring and transmitting COVID-19," county health officials said. "Universal masking is an important mitigation step to enable for businesses and events to continue operating and for schools to reopen without disruption."

While more than 55 percent of the county's population is fully vaccinated, and more than 71 percent of adults in the county have received at least one dose, there remains a significant portion of the population who are unvaccinated.

That provides greater opportunity for transmission of the virus.

Health officials said the COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, free and readily available. Anyone 12 years or older is eligible to be vaccinated.

For information about where to get the vaccine, visit this website.