Graduation ceremonies for schools, colleges, and universities, effective May 1, will be allowed, both indoors and out, as long as restrictions on capacity and admittance are followed, the governor announced on Monday.
The hope is that, with three-foot distancing, school buildings can accommodate more students. The Biden administration has been pushing to open elementary and middle schools by the end of the month.
“Albany County now has the highest first dose vaccination rate for any county in the Capital Region, and our full vaccination rate went up a full percentage point since yesterday, reaching just under 30 percent of the county’s population,” said Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy.
“The principal mode by which people are infected with SARS-CoV-2 is through exposure to respiratory droplets carrying infectious virus. In most situations, cleaning surfaces using soap or detergent, and not disinfecting, is enough to reduce risk,” the CDC says.
Only six counties in New York have immunized a higher rate of their senior citizens than Albany County, whose strong numbers appear to be due in part to several county-led initiatives.