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Due to the increased spread of COVID-19, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending residents in five local counties wear masks to avoid getting sick.
The CDC says coronavirus levels are considered high in Albany, Columbia, Montgomery, Fulton and Rensselaer counties. Masking recommendations are based on factors including hospital capacity, COVID-19 hospitalizations and new cases. As of the last report, the region's seven-day average infection rate was at 10.2%.