The state’s Department of Health strongly recommends that all facilities offer testing for visitors as COVID-19 is still present in communities statewide.

Nursing home workers gathered in support of legislation proposed by Governor Andrew Cuomo that would reduce understaffing practices, and improve quality-of-care for residents as well as working conditions.

These local students were named to the dean’s list from their college or university for the Fall 2020 semester:

— Grace Fitzgerald of Delmar, majoring in media arts production at Emerson College in Massachusetts with a grade point average of 3.7 or higher for that semester;

In June 2021, NY State of Health will for the first time expand tax credits to tens of thousands of additional New Yorkers with higher incomes who, before the American Rescue Plan, did not qualify for financial assistance to lower the cost of premiums.

To deal with racial disparities in home ownership, the Albany County Land Bank is partnering with a not-for-profit housing development organization based in Syracuse.

“You take the vaccine to save our grandmothers, and our grandfathers, and our children. You take a vaccine to make our city safe, our nation, and our state safe,” said Reverend Dr. Franklyn Richardson, pastor of Grace Baptist Church.

There is evidence to suggest that some of the mutations in the P.1 variant may affect its transmissibility and antigenic profile, the CDC says, which may affect the ability of antibodies generated through a previous natural infection or through vaccination to recognize and neutralize the virus.

While few small businesses report that revenues are growing, most are no longer seeing declines: only 27 percent reported declines in the first week of March while 65 percent reported no change.

So far, 30.4 percent of Albany County residents have gotten a first dose of vaccine and 15.4 percent have completed a series of two doses, McCoy said. Statewide, 24.6 percent of New Yorkers have received a first dose, and 12.7 have completed a vaccination series, according to the state’s vaccine tracker. At least 70 percent is needed for herd immunity.

One bill would, among other things, require public bodies to make all documents to be discussed in an open meeting available at least 24 hours in advance of that meeting, while another would prevent agencies from charging a fee for certain Freedom of Information Law requests.