The state comptroller’s website is now featuring a COVID-19 Relief Program Tracker to monitor federal relief funds received during the pandemic and eight programs that offer targeted assistance to New Yorkers most severely impacted by the pandemic.

This week brought welcome news on travel bans being eased, and a court injunction allowing religious exemptions for health-care workers who were mandated to get vaccinated.

“We have lost five more members of our community this week alone to COVID-19,” said County Executive Daniel McCoy on Sunday in his daily COVID release.

“The new and prolonged remote work arrangements have raised questions about the future of office space,” states the comptroller’s report. 

According to records from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reported by the state, the ZIP codes in Albany County with the highest rate of vaccination are 12211 in Albany at 91.7 percent, 1259 in Slingerlands at 89.4 percent, and 12054 in Delmar at 86.8 percent.

The lowest rates in the county are 12222 in Albany at 8.9 percent, 12946 in Coeymans Hollow at 33.9 percent, and 12120 in Medusa in Rensselaerville at 46.6 percent.

The Albany County executive and the Guilderland town supervisor note the current uptick in serious COVID-19 cases since June and July.

Guilderland school district residents passed a $21.8 million capital project on Thursday with nearly 64 percent voting in favor.

“After what our kids have been through, this is awesome,” said Superintendent Marie Wiles on Thursday night just after the results were in.

State funding — $125 million — is now available to landlords who couldn’t participate in the New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program due to a federal requirement for tenants to participate in the application process. The Landlord Rental Assistance Program provides up to 12 months of past-due rent to landlords.

ALBANY COUNTY — On Friday, Oct. 1, the nation reached a sad milestone of 700,000 officially counted deaths from COVID-19. An estimated 200,000 could have been prevented by vaccination.

Last week, Albany County was named as one of 11 local governments statewide that met criteria for the first time to be certified as part of New York State’s Climate Smart Communities program.