GOSHEN – Since the pandemic struck, a total of 1,029 Orange County residents have died from COVID-19.
Since the vaccines were created, most people who have contracted the virus had not received shots prompting Health Commissioner Dr. Irina Gelman to reemphasize the importance of vaccinations.
“Obviously, the only means at our disposal early on were very basic, very rudimentary, they were masking and social distancing and very severe measures because of the absence of vaccines, because of the absence of treatment protocols and measures, which are fortunately very much in place right now,” she said.
But, that doesn’t mean you should let your guard down, said Dr. Gelman. We are still in the midst of a pandemic.
In Ulster County, Health Commissioner Dr. Carol Smith said 99 percent of those who contract the virus are unvaccinated.
