Natasha Vaughn-Holdridge is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media an unvaccinated Columbia County man under the age of 40 has succumbed to COVID-19, an indication that the pandemic is maintaining its grip on the area. The Columbia County Department of Health marked the occasion on October 26. “It’s tragic, he had comorbidities, and his parents didn’t think that he should get the shot because of the comorbidities,” Columbia County Department of Health Director Jack Mabb said. “A lot of doctors would say, get the shot. It just continues the same story that we’ve seen with unvaccinated people.” The man's death was the second to occur in the county this month. As of October 26, 288 new coronavirus cases were reported in the month of October. “I think it’s interesting, I watch the other counties around us and we’re all experiencing numbers that aren’t going down,” Mabb said. “This past week I think was the highest by, I think, just a few positives, that we’ve had all month long. It’s not relenting, it’s not going down. A lot of it is schools, a lot of it is kids,” he said. The state COVID report card tracker shows that since the beginning of the school year, districts in Columbia County have recorded positive rates that range from two students and one staff member testing positive in the New Lebanon school district to 77 students, four teachers and three staff members testing positive in the Ichabod Crane school district. According to state data, the six school districts located in the county have reported 132 students tested positive since the beginning of the school year. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com. Meanwhile in Greene County, there was another death there Oct. 22 from COVID-19. Andrea Macko reports in Porcupine Soup that last week three Scott M. Ellis Elementary School students tested positive for COVID-19, putting 48 students in quarantine. The Greenville school has had 10 students, and two staff members and two teachers test positive for COVID-19 this year. Those in quarantine will not be allowed to attend the trunk or treat event at the school on October 29, but parents can email ellispta@greenvillecsd.org for a quarantine candy pick up. Read more about this story in Porcupine Soup.