The current rise locally in COVID-19 cases may be a bump from Thanksgiving, or the bump after the bump from Thanksgiving. Either way, the numbers are not good. For the third time in recent days, Columbia County reported a record number of coronavirus cases, with 27 new reported Dec. 21, plus eight more "transferred in/leftover from the weekend." Columbia County has had 64 new cases since last Friday and there are now 118 active cases, another record. Albany County Executive Dan McCoy reported three new COVID-19 deaths and 221 new cases on Dec. 21. That's the bad news. The good news is that COVID-19 vaccines arrived at nursing homes in Albany County on Dec. 21. "Everyone was so excited, I think they were overwhelmed that we were able to be one of the first facilities in the Capital District to receive the vaccine." William Redmond, the Assistant Director of Nursing for Shaker Place Rehabilitation and Nursing Center said. Walgreens is administering 130 doses of the Pfizer vaccine at Shaker Place. on Dec. 21 and Dec. 23. But vaccine distribution has not gone as well for Columbia County, where it has not arrived yet and Health Director Jack Mabb told the Register-Star: “The only thing we’ve heard out of the 170,000 is what came to the Capital Region. It was about 8,000 doses given to the Capital Region and I know 975 of those went to Albany Med, but we haven’t heard anything more than that.” Mabb says he is now being told that the vaccination of EMS crews would “apparently” be handled by Columbia Memorial Hospital.