Natasha Vaughn-Holdridge reports for Columbia-Greene Media that the latest wave of COVID-19 cases is breaking now across the country, and throughout the Hudson Valley. On Nov. 22, Columbia County announced 49 new coronavirus cases, with 33 new cases announced Nov. 20, and 50 new cases Nov. 19. Those are numbers not seen since last January, when vaccines were just becoming available. “It’s obviously not just Columbia County, it’s the whole region,” Mabb said. “We’re just seeing this dramatic, huge spike.” The main difference between COVID-19 cases last January and now is that many children are being infected. About 18 percent of the county’s cases Nov. 22 were in young people. “A significant portion of these positives are students,” Mabb said. “We’re seeing more positive students this year than we did last year. I think it’s about the Delta variant and about how contagious it is.” Cases are also being caused by few folks wearing masks. “It’s only going to get worse with the holidays in general,” Mabb said. “I think a lot of people have just thrown caution to the wind, and they’re just doing their thing. Thanksgiving for many people will be a holiday in which there’s no social distancing and certainly you don’t expect people to wear a mask in their own home or their living room when they’re welcoming their family, but I do think people who view themselves as particularly vulnerable should probably think about those things.” The county is not changing any policies or regulations even with the rising cases counts. They are offering vaccinces, booster shot offered at Columbia- Greene Community College from 3-6 p.m. Dec. 2, 1-3 p.m. Dec. 3, and 1-3 p.m. Dec. 10 , for those who register on the Columbia County Department of Health website. There are also vaccines for children 5 to 11 years old available from 3-6 p.m. Nov. 29 at the Claverack Fire Department. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.