OSWEGO COUNTY – Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup today posted his biweekly video updating the community on what is going on in the county.
In today’s video, he discussed the COVID-19 vaccine, Veteran of the Year award nominations and Fort Ontario.
As of today, 62.8% of Oswego County residents aged 18 and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 58,260 residents have finished the vaccination series.
“We’re making steady progress, but we still have over 2,500 individuals who have had only one dose of the vaccine and we have pockets of areas with low vaccination rates,” Weatherup said. “This is alarming because the Delta variation of the coronavirus has been spreading rapidly throughout the U.S. and worldwide.”
Weatherup said the new variant is more easily transmitted than the other strains of the virus. He said unvaccinated individuals who are infected with the Delta strain are twice as likely to need hospitalization than prior strains.
“In this continuous fight, vaccine is the most important weapon to contain the virus,” Weatherup said. “I encourage everyone eligible to get vaccinated.”
He said the health department and its partners are trying to make it as convenient as possible for everyone eligible to get vaccinated. There will be two walk-in clinics tomorrow, July 14.
The first clinic will be at the county health department, located at 70 Bunner St. in Oswego, from 1 to 3 p.m. for anyone aged 12 and older – the Pfizer vaccine will be administered. The second dose will be scheduled for Wednesday, August 4.
The second clinic will be for anyone aged 18 and older – the Jannsen/Johnson&Johnson vaccine will be administered. It will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Oswego County Opportunities office, at Hillside Commons, 9 Fourth Ave. in Oswego.
He said appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are accepted.
Weatherup also discussed the Veteran of the Year award, in which a local veteran is recognized by the Veterans Service Agency for their service to the community. The deadline to nominate someone for this award is July 30.
“Veterans nominated for this award should have exemplary military service, demonstrate community service, or support for veterans in the community,” Weatherup said.
To nominate someone, you can fill out a one page form and submit it to the Veterans Service Agency. Nominees can be on active duty or honorably separated from five U.S. armed forces, including the Reserve or the National Guard, and must live in Oswego County.
The form may be mailed, emailed or dropped off. Mail or drop off to: Oswego County Veterans Service Agency 200 N. Second St. Fulton, NY 13069. Email: [email protected]
Weatherup then discussed Fort Ontario State Historic Site in Oswego.
“Efforts to have this site designated as a national landmark are underway,” Weatherup said.
There will be a re-enactment at the fort on Saturday, July 17, to commemorate the fort’s 225th anniversary of the British evacuation after the Revolutionary War. At that time, Oswego was considered a western outpost and it took another 13 years after the war ended for the British to turn the fort over to Americans.
More information on the event can be found here.
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