Free test kit program ends, but ATI supply remains

Friday is the last day to order free COVID-19 test kits, the U.S. Postal Service has announced, but Access to Independence has access to a supply and will continue to give them away.

The federal program to send the free kits to anyone who requested them will run out because Congress did not extend funding for it, reports the federal Department of Health and Human Services

But Access to Independence has 200 in its office, and access to anotehr 1,000 or more from Guthrie Cortland Medical Center, Family Health Network and the Cortland Fire Department, Executive Director Alex Mikowski said Wednesday.

It gave away 800 tests last month, she said. "There's definitely a need in the community. ... Many places we go for our jobs still require us to test."

Getting a supply of the kits is as simple as stopping by the office at 26 N. Main St. Mikowski said deliveries can be arranged to locations in Cortland County by calling 607-753-7363.

"Any time we're open, people are more than welcome to come in," she said.

6 cases reported in Cortland County
Cortland County reported six cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, raising the number of confirmed cases since the pandemic began to 12,090, the state Health Department reports.

Tompkins and Cayuga counties reported 55 new cases, the state reported Wednesday. The three counties have seen 54,553 cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. The number of people who have died from the virus remains 382.

• No COVID patients were admitted to Guthrie Cortland Medical Center on Tuesday, the state Health Department reported Wednesday. The hospital had four COVID patients. Since the pandemic began, 725 Cortland County residents have been hospitalized for COVID; that figure was last updated Aug. 25. The state Health Department reports 296,979 tests have been administered. The state has reported 128 deaths.
• Tompkins County saw 37 new cases, the state Health Department reported Wednesday. The number of confirmed cases rose to 23,992. The state reports 3,043,121 tests have been administered. Ninety-one Tompkins residents have died.
• Cayuga County saw 18 new cases, the state Health Department reported Wednesday. Confirmed cases rose to 18,471. The state reports 379,606 tests have been administered, and 163 people have died.

Cortland County rate 139 per 100,000
Cortland County had 66 new cases of COVID-19 between Aug. 24 and Tuesday, giving it a rate of 138.71 cases per 100,000 people, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

It had a “low” risk, under CDC guidelines. Under metrics and guidance from the CDC — which take into account the number of new cases in a week, the number of hospitalizations and hospital capacity:

• In counties with a “high risk,” wearing a mask in indoor public places is still recommended.
•  In counties with a “medium risk,” people with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask. People at a high risk for severe illness should consult their healthcare provider about the need for a mask or other precautions.
• In counties with a “low risk,” no additional precautions beyond staying up to date with vaccines and getting tested if one has symptoms are recommended.
  
  The rates and risk, from the CDC:
  Cortland: 138.71 — low
  Tompkins: 164.42 — low
  Cayuga: 113.61 — medium
  Onondaga: 135.93 — medium
  Broome: 151.72 — medium
  Chenango: 220.31 — low
  Tioga: 168.04 — medium
  Madison: 97.26 — low