The Broome County Health Department is reporting a relatively large increase in the number of people hospitalized due to COVID-19. That number as of September 13 was recorded at 62.  Previous hospitalizations had been averaging at around 46.

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The County also reported three additional deaths since Friday, September 9 bringing Broome’s pandemic total to 550.

The number of new infections, however, has remained fairly steady with 54 new cases reported in the September 13 update.

Health officials around the region continue to update residents on the importance of getting vaccinated and updated boosters to fight the COVID-19 pandemic with the continuing evolving variants of the coronavirus.

Kathy Whyte/ WNBF News
Kathy Whyte/ WNBF News
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Last month, the U.S.. Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorizations for the Moderna and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines to allow the bivalent formulations to be used as a single booster targeting the more transmissible versions of the Omicron variant known as BA.4 and BA.5.

The new boosters have been available through physicians’ offices and pharmacies and are now also available at some county  health department clinics.

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Broome is holding vaccination clinics, including the new bivalent booster Thursdays from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Health Department, located at 225 Front Street Binghamton.  Residents can register for available spots at www.gobroomecounty.com and click on vaccination information.

Chenango County is hosting a bivalent booster clinic at the Broad Street United Methodist Church in Norwich on September 26 from 1 to 3 p.m. Registration is required at www.co.chenango.ny.us/public-health/nursing/covid10.php#tab-3. You can also call the Chenango County Health Department at (607) 337-1660 if you need help or do not have a computer.

The Moderna bivalent vaccine is authorized for those age 18 and older. The Pfizer bilvalent is cleared for age 12 and up.

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