At Wednesday’s county press briefing, Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen, said, “We have noticed a continued downward trend in the number of cases that we are seeing. We are definitely off of the holiday surge and I’ll go so far today as to say it’s encouraging.” However, she cautioned residents to remain vigilant; to follow protocols of mask-wearing, social-distancing, and not gathering; and to continue to isolate if infected and to quarantine if exposed to COVID-19.

Albany County has 55,000 residents over the age of 65, all of whom would be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations. With Mohawk Ambulance’s trailers, which can each hold 8,000 vaccine doses, Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy said, “Now we’re coming to you.”

New York State is going to look at targeting vaccinations by locations with high positivity rates, starting with a demonstration, holding a mass vaccination clinic in Yankee Stadium solely for Bronx residents.

For the first time in over two months, Albany County announced a number of new COVID-19 cases on Monday morning that was under 100.

A total of 945 people were tested, including students, faculty, and staff at all seven buildings and only four of those people tested positive for COVID-19.

Statewide, 17 percent of hospital workers are Black but only 10 percent of hospital workers who took the COVID-19 vaccine were Black. The state is launching an advertising campaign targeted to Black New Yorkers to build trust in the vaccine.

“We have to toe the line until we get through the worst of this,” said Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen.

“You propose on Valentine’s Day and then you can have the wedding ceremony March 15, up to 150 people. People will actually come to your wedding because you can tell them with the testing it will be safe,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo, announcing reopening plans on Friday.

Albany County’s infection rate is now at 6.9 percent.

Howard Zucker, the state’s health commissioner, responded, “The OAG affirms that the total number of deaths in hospitals and nursing homes is full and accurate.”