BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — All Western New York counties now have "low" COVID-19 Community Levels following the release of updated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC updated its COVID-19 Community Levels Thursday and all WNY counties have "low" community levels. According to the data, which can be found here, all counties in New York are either "low" or "medium," there is not a county listed as "high."
Before it was updated Thursday, it was last updated on February 24 and there were only two counties (Cattaraugus and Allegany) that were low at the time. The remainder were "medium."
The levels are based on the following from the CDC:
- New COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population (7-day total) are calculated using data from February 24-March 2, 2022
- New COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population (7-day total) are calculated using data from February 23-March 1, 2022
- Percent of inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients (7-day average) is calculated using data from February 23-March 1, 2022
The levels are used to determine whether a mask should be used indoors:
- Low: Indoor masks are not needed
- Medium: People who are at high risk of severe COVID should consult with their doctor about prevention measures including masks
- High: Indoor mask use is recommended
