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The Times Union reported today the Capital Region was now a coronavirus "yellow zone": "Coronavirus rate pushes Capital Region into 3 percent 'yellow zone' range."  This is alarming because Columbia County is part of the Capital Region, but it is also inaccurate. According to the New York State Department of Health COVID dashboard, Albany County has a seven-day average positivity rate of 3.1 percent; the seven-day average positivity rate for the Capital Region is 2.3 percent. The seven-day average positivity rate for Columbia County is 2.6 percent.

In his COVID briefing today, Governor Andrew Cuomo addressed the levels of infection rate that have been established to define coronavirus hots spots. The percentages given below are not for New York City, where because of population density the thresholds are lower, but for all of the rest of the state.

• Yellow Zone--3 to 4 percent positivity rate
• Orange Zone--4 to 5 percent positivity rate
• Red Zone--5 to 6 percent positivity rate

Cuomo explained that the percentage for determining hot spot zones is "the average over seven days, and the number must hold constant for ten days.

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