Erie County COVID-19 community level drops to medium

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The COVID-19 community level in Erie County has dropped to medium, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

All eight Western New York counties now have medium or low COVID-19 community levels.

Medium COVID-19 community level

• Erie
• Niagara
• Orleans
• Genesee
• Wyoming
• Chautauqua

Low COVID-19 community level

• Cattaraugus
• Allegany

The CDC tracks COVID-19 community levels and provides data here.

Erie County moved from low to medium around April 13 and then moved from medium to high around April 22. This marks Erie County's first drop from high to medium since April.

The CDC recommends the following based on the COVID-19 community level:

Low
Individual- and household-level prevention behaviors

• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
• Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible
• Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19
• If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease:
  
  • Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing)
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies

Community-level prevention strategies (as recommended by state or local authorities)

• Distribute and administer vaccines to achieve high community vaccination coverage and ensure health equity
• Maintain improved ventilation in public indoor spaces
• Ensure access to testing, including through point-of-care and at-home tests for all people
  
  • Communicate with organizations and places that serve people who are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe disease to ensure they know how to get rapid testing
• Ensure access and equity in vaccination, testing, treatment, community outreach, support services for disproportionately affected populations

Medium
Individual- and household-level prevention behaviors

• If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease
  
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions (e.g., testing)
  • Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing)
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies
• If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease
  
  • consider self-testing to detect infection before contact
  • consider wearing a mask when indoors with them
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
• Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible
• Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19

Community-level prevention strategies (as recommended by state or local authorities)

• Protect people at high risk for severe illness or death by ensuring equitable access to vaccination, testing, treatment, support services, and information
• Consider implementing screening testing or other testing strategies for people who are exposed to COVID-19 in workplaces, schools, or other community settings as appropriate
• Implement enhanced prevention measures in high-risk congregate settings (see guidance for correctional facilities and homeless shelters
• Distribute and administer vaccines to achieve high community vaccination coverage and ensure health equity
• Maintain improved ventilation in public indoor spaces
• Ensure access to testing, including through point-of-care and at-home tests for all people
  
  • Communicate with organizations and places that serve people who are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe disease to ensure they know how to get rapid testing
• Ensure access and equity in vaccination, testing, treatment, community outreach, support services for disproportionately affected populations

High
Individual- and household-level prevention behaviors

• Wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status (including in K-12 schools and other indoor community settings)
• If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease
  
  • Wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection
  • Consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public where you could be exposed
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to take other precautions (e.g., testing)
  • Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing)
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies
• If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease
  
  • consider self-testing to detect infection before contact
  • consider wearing a mask when indoors with them
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
• Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible
• Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19

Community-level prevention strategies (as recommended by state or local authorities)

• Consider setting-specific recommendations for prevention strategies based on local factors
• Implement healthcare surge support as needed
• Protect people at high risk for severe illness or death by ensuring equitable access to vaccination, testing, treatment, support services, and information
• Consider implementing screening testing or other testing strategies for people who are exposed to COVID-19 in workplaces, schools, or other community settings as appropriate
• Implement enhanced prevention measures in high-risk congregate settings (see guidance for correctional facilities and homeless shelters)
• Distribute and administer vaccines to achieve high community vaccination coverage and ensure health equity
• Maintain improved ventilation in public indoor spaces
• Ensure access to testing, including through point-of-care and at-home tests for all people
  
  • Communicate with organizations and places that serve people who are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe disease to ensure they know how to get rapid testing
• Ensure access and equity in vaccination, testing, treatment, community outreach, support services for disproportionately affected populations