September 30, 2022 - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending masks in Central New York for the first time in. months due to a rise in Covid-19 levels.

The CDC updated its Covid Community Levels map on Thursday, Sept. 29, showing areas where Covid is at a “high” (orange), “medium” (yellow) or “low” (green) risk. Most of the U.S. is still in the green, but nine counties in New York state are now at a high risk, including Onondaga County, Oswego County and Jefferson County; masks are urged in areas with high Covid levels.

Masks are recommended, not mandated, indoors in areas with high Covid community levels under CDC guidelines released in February. Masking recommendations are now based on three factors — Covid hospitalizations, hospital capacity and new Covid cases — focusing more on preventing hospitals from getting overwhelmed and less on positive tests, which spiked during the omicron wave in December and January.

Read more here.

Source: <https://www.syracuse.com/coronavirus/2022/09/cdc-recommends-masks-in-central-new-york-again-as-covid-levels-rise.html>