OSWEGO COUNTY – Today, Monday, March 22, marks the one year anniversary of the first two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Oswego County.
Last year on this date, the health department reported a total of 104 COVID-19 tests, two positive cases and 65 people were in precautionary quarantine.
As of today, there have been 167,194 tests, 6,790 positive cases, currently there are 457 people in precautionary isolation or quarantine, and there have been a total of 89 county residents reported to have died due COVID-19.
Oswego County Today offers its deepest condolences to the loved ones of those who passed during the pandemic.
COVID-19 vaccinations began this past December, nine months after the virus hit Oswego County. Within the past three months, 24.6% of the Oswego County population has had at least one dose of the vaccine – 28,893 adults in the county, as of March 20, 2021 according to the NYS COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker.
Before the pandemic hit, the county had conducted an annual practice Strategic National Stockpile drill with Girl Scout cookies to simulate medical supplies and prepare for the event of a catastrophe.
“Oswego County is the leader in the state for the drills it has done,” County Legislator Jim Karasek said at a Fulton Common Council meeting at the beginning of the pandemic. “It’s an extremely efficient process, absolutely amazing to watch.”
During the drill, cookies are treated as medical supplies and are sorted, inventoried and distributed to local Girl Scout troops.
“Our county through the health department, and certainly our Emergency Management Team, and as this developed with the support of the every department, have had tabletop exercises ongoing for years about mass incidents (ie, nuclear plants, flooding, storms, etc.) and we are unequally qualified for catastrophic events,” County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup said in an interview with Oswego County Today. “Sadly, these events happen from time to time, but I have high confidence in our process and procedures.”
Public Health Director Jiancheng Huang said in an interview with Oswego County Today that the county has been able to use the experience gained from these drills for the COVID-19 vaccine delivery system, but the most important part of the drill was the years of collaboration the county government system has built with community partners, such as SUNY Oswego, Novelis, Cayuga Community College and Oswego County Opportunities, who also serve as Points of Distribution (PODs).
Huang said the county has also done similar distribution drills with influenza vaccines.
“This kind of drill makes our government system work together,” Huang said. “We need so many departments’ staff working together. I want to say even before this came to us, Oswego County [was] already well-prepared.”
Members of the community have stepped up throughout the pandemic to help their neighbors in a variety of ways from donating homemade face masks to the hospital, to volunteering their time at the county’s vaccine clinics.
“The community has been terrific,” Weatherup said. “We have had a tremendous amount of volunteers at our testing clinics, and ultimately, our vaccine clinics. Couldn’t be prouder. But let’s not let up, please volunteer if you can, no experience necessary, and we can put this pandemic in the rearview mirror.”
Huang said also in the community, Fulton City School District and Central Square Central School District have both provided space for county vaccine clinics, local pharmacies, Oswego Health and ConnextCare have been leaders in the vaccination effort, and a vaccine clinic will open at SUNY Oswego.
“I really want to say thanks to the community,” Huang said. “Without community support, the health department could not do it alone.”
City of Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow said to Oswego County Today while the virus has brought great difficulty and damage to the community. it has also brought out the very best of the community.
“Through it all, we got to know each other better, developed great partnerships, and saw the very best of our community shine through,” Barlow said. “We aren’t done with this virus yet, but the worst is behind us and everyone did their part. I thank our great partners like Oswego Health and all our frontline workers at Oswego Health, President Stanley and the team at SUNY Oswego, Wayne Drugs staff and volunteers, and all our partners who’ve helped city government navigate through the health crisis. We’re better for it.”
Barlow said he believes the city government was actively staying a step ahead of the virus. The city has held mask distribution drives at large retail stores, conducted social distancing enforcement details, sprayed down park and cleaning public facilities, gave regular press conferences and town halls, issued $275,000 in no-interest loans to the small business community, developed a ‘pick up and to-go’ restaurant flyer and mailed to every household in the city, established weekly essential employee testing for city workers and more to get the community through the pandemic.
“We were doing everything we could do to keep our residents safe,” Barlow said. “Now we’re partnering with Wayne Drugs to hold local vaccine clinics to vaccinate Oswego residents as quickly as possible.”
City of Fulton Mayor Deana Michaels said to Oswego County Today that the past year has been hard for everyone and has affected us all differently.
“One thing is for sure, Fulton has always been resilient in the face of adversity,” Michaels said. “The pandemic is no exception. A year later we still stand strong. Our lives have changed but we have not been stopped. I’m confident we will continue to learn from this experience, adjust and grow.”
Timeline (note, may not include every single pandemic related event throughout the year):
- January 21, 2020 – First reported case in the U.S. confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- March 1, 2020 – First reported case in New York confirmed by the governor.
- March 4, 2020 – Oswego officials hold a press conference on preparation of the virus hitting the city.
- March 7, 2020 – Governor Cuomo declares state of emergency.
- March 13, 2020 – Federal government declares a national emergency.
- March 16, 2020 – Oswego County orders schools to close.
- March 19, 2020 – All SUNY and CUNY schools continue online only learning for the rest of the semester.
- March 22, 2020 – First reported cases in Oswego County
- April 2, 2020 – Mayor Billy Barlow issues “Stop the Spread” stay at home order for City of Oswego.
- April 7, 2020 – Health department confirms first two county resident deaths due to the virus.
- April 17, 2020 – Face coverings required when out in public or when social distancing is difficult.
- May 15, 2020 – City of Oswego stay at home order lifted, parks reopen.
- May 15, 2020 – Oswego County enters Phase 1 of reopening.
- May 29, 2020 – Oswego County enters Phase 2 of reopening.
- June 12, 2020 – Oswego Counter enters Phase 3 of reopening.
- June 26, 2020 – Oswego County enters Phase 4 of reopening.
- August 24, 2020 – SUNY Oswego students return for Fall 2020 semester.
- September 2020 – School districts in the county use different learning models, many including online only for middle school and high school students, and a hybrid model for elementary students.
- September 2020 – Oswego County sees an increase in daily cases then decrease in October.
- November 2020 – Oswego County daily cases climb again.
- December 23, 2020 – Oswego Health receives its first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine.
- January 10, 2021 – Oswego County reaches its record high of new cases in one day (129 cases).
- January 15, 2021 – Highest number of active cases reported by Oswego County (1,280 cases).
- January 16, 2021 – Oswego County hosts its first large-scale vaccine clinic at G. Ray Bodley High School in Fulton.
- February 1, 2021 – Higher risk student sports in Oswego County allowed to resume with restrictions.
- February 22, 2021 – Oswego Middle School students return in-person two days a week.
- March 3, 2021 – County Health Department revises policy on high-risk sports to allow for spectators.
- March 8, 2021 – Oswego High School students return to in-person two days a week.
