The teddy bear statues in Saranac Lake’s Riverside Park wear face masks in May 2020 to remind people to prevent potentially spreading COVID-19. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Cerbone)

As the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 each day in Essex and Franklin counties continues to rise, some local governments are adjusting their policies on mask-wearing to adhere to guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. County officials are now urging businesses to follow suit.

The delta variant is now the dominant strain of the coronavirus in the U.S. It’s highly contagious, and though “breakthrough” infections in fully vaccinated people are rare, recent research shows that those who are vaccinated and infected with the delta variant may be just as contagious as those who are not vaccinated, even if they don’t experience any symptoms of COVID-19. Based in part on this research, the CDC issued new guidance last month asking even those who are vaccinated to wear masks indoors in areas where there is a “substantial” or “high” level of community spread, meaning a high number of cases where the source of a person’s infection is unknown.

Last month, Essex County had only “moderate” spread and Franklin County had “low” spread, based on the CDC’s metrics. However, within the last week, both counties have moved into the “high” spread category.

“Now that we have surpassed ‘substantial’ and are in the ‘high’ transmission category, we recommend businesses follow suit and require masks be worn indoors to protect their staff and patrons,” Essex County Board of Supervisors Chairman Shaun Gilliland said in a statement. “We all want our businesses to be able to stay open. Getting vaccinated and wearing a mask indoors while transmission is high will help to do this.”

The county’s public health director, Linda Beers, has recommended that indoor mask-wearing continues until the county returns to a “moderate” or “low” level of community spread.

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Local governments

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In Lake Placid, the North Elba Town Council adopted a new policy requiring all town employees — and all visitors to the North Elba Town Hall — to wear masks, regardless of their vaccination status. The town is also recommending everyone follow other recommendations from the CDC to curb the spread of the coronavirus, such as social distancing and frequent hand-washing. That policy, which also applies to the Lake Placid village offices in the town hall, took effect Wednesday.

The towns of Keene and Jay also have a similar policy in place for town-owned facilities, according to each town’s website.

Harrietstown Supervisor Mike Kilroy said the town will recommend people entering the town hall mask up starting Monday, whether they are vaccinated or not. Saranac Lake village Manager John Sweeney said the village offices, which are in the same building as the town offices, will have that same recommendation.

Kilroy said this will not be strictly enforced for now, but guests will be asked to wear a mask. The town board does not meet until this coming Thursday, but Kilroy said he’s going to ask town hall visitors to start wearing masks without a board vote. He said he’ll talk with the board members before the weekend, though.

The town cannot ask whether someone is vaccinated or not, Kilroy said. It’s based on self-reporting and the “honor system” — most people entering the town hall are already wearing masks anyway.

“It doesn’t hurt to put a mask on,” he said.

Kilroy said he’d be the first one to complain — because he hates being told what to do — but he’s not complaining.

Tupper Lake village Mayor Paul Maroun said mask-wearing in village offices is just optional for now. The board did not discuss the topic at its Wednesday meeting.

Maroun said he feels it is “premature” to make any mask, testing or vaccination mandates for village employees or members of the public without further state or federal guidelines.

Tupper Lake town Supervisor Patti Littlefield did not respond for comment by press time Thursday.

In Wilmington, the town is not yet requiring vaccinated people to wear masks in its facilities — most people visiting the town offices have been wearing masks anyway, according to town Supervisor Roy Holzer. Unvaccinated people are still required to wear masks.

“We are upping our efforts and giving out hand sanitizer and free disposable face masks,” Holzer said.

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Counties

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The Essex County Health Department, county Manager Dan Palmer and the county Board of Supervisors have recommended all county employees and visitors to the county complex in Elizabethtown wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status. The county made this recommendation last week, before it shifted into the CDC’s “high” transmission category. On Wednesday, Beers urged others to start wearing masks indoors.

“While we were as optimistic as possible, we now know Essex County moved quickly through categories of moderate to substantial and is now in the high transmission category,” Beers said in a statement. “As we have right along, our department aligns with New York state Department of Health and CDC guidance. With a high level of transmission in our county, we now strongly recommend that everyone, regardless of vaccination status, follow the CDC guidance and return to mask-wearing in indoor public places.”

Franklin County will also be imposing a mask requirement for county buildings in Malone, according to county Manager Donna Kissane. People will be asked to wear masks indoors when social distancing isn’t possible.

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Why the change?

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Recent research has shown that those who are vaccinated and subsequently infected with the delta variant may be just as contagious as unvaccinated people, even if they don’t experience symptoms. It’s rare for vaccinated people to get “breakthrough” infections, but when it happens, the vaccines largely prevent serious illness, according to the Associated Press.

The Essex County Health Department has reported at least 17 “breakthrough” infections between Jan. 17 and July 30, the last time this total was released. That’s less than 0.1% of the 21,799 people who were fully vaccinated in this county as of July 30, or 2.4% of the total positives found in that timeframe. Franklin County Public Health has not yet released a report on breakthrough cases.

In the past two weeks — between Aug. 2 and Monday — 76 people in Essex County have tested positive for COVID-19. In the first two weeks of August last year — before any vaccines were authorized for use in the U.S., while mask requirements and social distancing were still in place, and while the CDC still advised against travel — just eight people tested positive for COVID-19 in Essex County. In the past two weeks in Franklin County — between Aug. 4 and Wednesday — 83 people tested positive. Around the same time last year, two people tested positive.

“Delta has required yet another change to the COVID playbook,” Beers said in a statement last week. “We know that a layered approach — one that incorporates vaccinations, masking, handwashing and disinfection, social distancing, testing, and contact tracing — helps to keep COVID from surging in our communities. It appears that all of these strategies will be necessary to stop Delta or other similarly infectious variants and we have to protect those who are most vulnerable and anyone unable to be vaccinated yet.”

As of Thursday, there were 53 active cases of COVID-19 in Essex County and 75 active cases in Franklin County.

The symptoms of the delta variant are the same as other strains: fever, dry cough, difficulty breathing, muscle aches, fatigue, temporary loss of taste or smell. Visit coronavirus.health.ny.gov/find-test-site-near-you to find more information about local testing sites.

Essex County residents interested in getting vaccinated against COVID-19 can visit www.co.essex.ny.us/health/make-an-appointment to find dates and times for vaccine clinics run by the county Health Department. Franklin County residents can call 518-481-1710 for more information about where to get vaccinated. Vaccine appointments can also be made at many local pharmacies.