Cortland County: 3 new cases

Cortland County reported three new case of COVID-19 between Saturday and Monday, the number of confirmed cases since the pandemic began rising to 13,673, the state Health Department reports.

Tompkins and Cayuga counties reported five new cases Saturday, Sunday and Monday, and one death, the state reported.

The three counties have seen 61,581 cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. The number of people who have died from the virus has risen to 424.

• One new COVID patient was admitted Friday to Guthrie Cortland Medical Center, the state reported Monday. The hospital had seven COVID patients. The state reports 320,373 tests have been administered. The state has reported 136 deaths.
  
  
• Tompkins County saw four new cases Saturday, Sunday and Monday, and one death, the state Health Department reported.
  
  The number of confirmed cases rose to 27,107. The state reports 3,081,017 tests have been administered. The county reports 103 residents have died.
  
  
• Cayuga County saw one new case Saturday to Monday, the state Health Department reported. Confirmed cases rose to 20,801.

The state reports 419,288 tests have been administered, and 185
people have died. SUNY Cortland lifts requirement for students to get COVID jab SUNY Cortland will no longer require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19, following a SUNY-wide announcement last week that the requirement has been lifted, starting with the first summer session, college President Erik J. Bitterbaum has announced.

The announcement coincides with President Joe Biden’s signature ending the national public health emergency on April 10.

“As a result, SUNY Cortland, which has strictly enforced SUNY’s vaccine policy, will strongly recommend students become vaccinated against COVID-19, but the vaccine will not be a requirement,” Bitterbaum announced in a letter to campus.

SUNY will continue to examine COVID-19 data and may update its policy based on local conditions or in response to requirements imposed by federal, state or local authorities.

However, Bitterbaum wrote:

• Students must still be immunized for measles, mumps, ru-
  bella and meningitis.
  
  
• Students in an internship or other program off campus must comply with all health and safety guidelines imposed by that location.
  
  
• People who feel sick should stay home, test for COVID-19 and isolate according to CDC guidelines if they test positive.