OSWEGO COUNTY – Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup updated county residents on COVID-19 and fishing in the county’s waters.
He said COVID-19 cases in the county continue to increase.
“We have now crossed the threshold of 10,000 COVID-19 positive residents since the beginning of this pandemic,” Weatherup said. “I’m also sorry to report the death of another of our neighbors to this disease. I would like to offer our condolences to the loved ones of this person. Sadly this marks the 100th death of one of our residents to the virus. It is a glaring reminder that COVID-19 is widespread in our county and we must take precautions to protect ourselves and our families.”
He urged residents to observe safety practices in public spaces, follow health guidance, comply with isolation and quarantine orders and to get vaccinated.
He said 53.7% of county residents are fully vaccinated.
The Oswego County Health Department will hold a vaccination clinic this week from 1 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 22 at the Nick Sterio Public Health Clinic, 70 Bunner St., Oswego.
Health staff will administer the patient’s choice of the Pfizer (Comirnaty), Moderna or Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccines at the Sept. 22 clinic.
The Pfizer (Comirnaty) and Moderna vaccines are both two-dose vaccines and the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a one-dose vaccine.
The Pfizer (Comirnaty) vaccine is approved for those aged 12 years and over. The Moderna and Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccines are approved for those aged 18 years and over.
To register, click here.
For more information about COVID-19 vaccines, click on the “Fact Sheet” link for each one at https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/.
For more information, go to the Oswego County Health Department’s COVID-19 page at health.oswegocounty.com/covid-19 or call its COVID-19 Hotline at 315-349-3330. Phone lines are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
He then spoke of enjoying the county’s natural resources of fresh water fishing during the fall season.
“The superior fishery helps stabilize property taxes and offset some of that annual expense for local property owners,” Weatherup said. “Freshwater anglers across the state generate millions in local spending…
He said a study found the total economic impact of angler spending was estimated at just over $2.1 billion and nearly 11,000 jobs were supported by the state’s in-land and Great Lakes waters.
At $32.6 million, Oswego County led all other counties in the state for at-location expenditures by anglers, including lodging, restaurants, groceries, guide services and bait. More than half of that spending was attributed to anglers from outside the state.
“Oswego County’s pristine waters have long attracted anglers throughout the North East, across the U.S. and from several countries around the world,” Weatherup said. “It is not unusual for us to host anglers from every state in the country each year. Sport fishing is a large part of our tourism industry.”
He said in 2018 tourism generated nearly $19 million in state and local taxes for the county, meaning a saving of $412 per household. The tourism industry was hit during the pandemic. He encourages residents to explore and appreciate the county’s natural resources.
The Oswego River covers a watershed of more than 5,100 square miles with several fishing areas. The Salmon River ranks first among Lake Ontario tributaries and tenth in popularity among all of New York state’s bodies of waters and also offers a variety of fishing access points along its 18-mile stretch. The fall salmon run has already begun.
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