Jefferson County saw 619 cases in May 2022, more than twice as many as April, and nearly five times as many cases as March. The total cases in May 2022 is second only to the peak of 1,108 in January 2022. As the New York Times reported on May 31, the omicron surge has sharply increased the COVID-19 death rate for people 65 and over, and that’s a large portion of the people in Jefferson County. For the most current case rate, go the County Health Department’s online risk calculator. About half of all new cases recorded in Jefferson County are from people who took a home test and reported it to the health department. You can report a test result at the link above.
Masks are no longer required in Jefferson county except for medical facilities, congregate care housing, and a few other instances. However, our Health Officer, Dr. Allison Berry, strongly recommends wearing masks in all indoor public spaces. And please, if you have symptoms, get tested right away and take precautions so you don’t infect anyone else, especially people who are immuno-compromised.

For a compendium of upcoming featured programs, check out Spotlight for June 1-15. Many of our program hosts provide specifics about what’s planned for the first half of June. If you’re not already a Spotlight subscriber, you’re invited to join our Mailing List. See KPTZ’s current Weekly On-Air Schedule and Daily Program Schedule.