Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating Covid-19 - JANUARY 12, 2023

 

Governor Encourages New Yorkers to Keep Using the Tools to Protect Against and Treat COVID-19: Vaccines, Boosters, Testing and Treatment

38 Statewide Deaths Reported Yesterday

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combatting COVID-19 and outlined basic steps they can take to protect against the spread of viral respiratory infections that become more common in the winter season. 

"I urge all New Yorkers to remain vigilant and continue to use all available tools to keep themselves, their loved ones and their communities safe and healthy," Governor Hochul said. "Be sure to stay up to date on vaccine doses, and test before gatherings or travel. If you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options."

Governor Hochul is urging New Yorkers to take common prevention measures — like staying up to date on vaccines and practicing proper hygiene — to protect from Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), the flu and COVID-19 and reduce the patient burden on local hospitals. The Governor reiterated these basic steps when she updated New Yorkers on the state's winter health preparedness efforts last month. 

Last week, the state Department of Health announced that the XBB.1.5. variant is now the most dominant strain in New York, accounting for more than 50 percent of COVID-19 infections statewide. Emerging at a time when both COVID-19 and flu cases remain high, early data indicates that XBB.1.5. is more transmissible than other circulating variants, though there is not yet clear evidence of significant changes to virulence or severity of disease. 

The state Department of Health's weekly flu surveillance report shows influenza remaining widespread throughout the state for a thirteenth consecutive week, with a total of 278,886 positive cases across all 62 counties reported to date. The report found that confirmed cases statewide dropped 41 percent, while overall hospitalizations were down 7 percent from the previous week ending on December 31 at 2,375 hospitalizations across the state.

Additionally, there were 43 outbreaks in acute care and long-term care facilities, the report determined. There was one additional pediatric death, leaving the total at six statewide.

With flu season continuing and infections remaining widespread, Governor Hochul encourages all New Yorkers to get their annual flu vaccine. The flu virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 are both circulating, so getting vaccinated against both is the best way to stay healthy and to avoid added stress to the health care system. 

The Health Department is continuing its annual public education campaign, reminding adults and parents to get both flu and COVID-19 shots for themselves and children 6 months and older. For information about flu vaccine clinics, contact the local health department or visit vaccines.gov/find-vaccines/. 

Governor Hochul also continues to urge New Yorkers to get their bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters. Recently, the New York State Department of Health announced new guidance for bivalent COVID-19 booster doses, which are now available for eligible children down to 6 months of age. 

The updated boosters are the first to be targeted to the original virus strain and recently circulating variants and are recommended for young New Yorkers and all those eligible. To schedule an appointment for a booster, New Yorkers should contact their local pharmacy, county health department, or healthcare provider; visit vaccines.gov; text their ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find nearby locations. 

Today's data is summarized briefly below:  

• Cases Per 100k - 25.14
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 23.46
• Test Results Reported - 70,368
• Total Positive - 4,913
• Percent Positive - 6.44%** 
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 7.16%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 3,688 (-178)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 560
• Patients in ICU - 375 (-5)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 144 (+9)
• Total Discharges - 387,918 (+696)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 38
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 60,811 

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.   

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.   

Important Note: Effective Monday, April 4, the federal Department of Health and Human Services is no longer requiring testing facilities that use COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to report negative results. As a result, New York State's percent positive metric will be computed using only lab-reported PCR results. Positive antigen tests will still be reported to New York State and reporting of new daily cases and cases per 100k will continue to include both PCR and antigen tests. Due to this change and other factors, including changes in testing practices, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.   

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 77,308 

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.      

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows **:       

Borough	Monday,   January   9, 2023	Tuesday,   January   10, 2023	Wed.  January   11, 2023
Bronx	8.73%	8.27%	8.63%
Kings	5.51%	5.30%	4.84%
New York	6.71%	6.39%	6.71%
Queens	9.67%	9.24%	9.06%
Richmond	7.36%	7.19%	6.96%

Statement From NYC Comptroller Brad Lander on Mayor Adams’ FY 24 Preliminary Budget

 

City Comptroller Brad Lander issued the following statement in response to Mayor Eric Adams’ Fiscal Year 2024 preliminary budget proposal:

“As we strive for an inclusive economic recovery, the Fiscal Year 2024 budget offers an opportunity to invest wisely in a shared and thriving future for New Yorkers. That’s why the Mayor and the Governor brought together a set of civic leaders who laid out a vision for a ‘New New York.’ Yet, rather than making investments upstream as that plan envisioned, this budget meanders with little direction.

“Last year’s record deposit into the City’s long-term reserves will buoy services in a downturn, but we do not yet have enough reserves to navigate us through a recession. Key areas remain under budgeted, including police overtime, housing vouchers, and likely increases in labor costs, which will swell already-projected out-year budget gaps. The Mayor appropriately asked agencies to find savings opportunities, yet sweeping cuts to vacant positions may come at the cost of hiring in mission-critical functions. Responsible budgeting for NYC’s future does not mean cutting services that New Yorkers rely on.

“Some of the long-term investments that we need to make that ‘New New York’ a place where people of all backgrounds and incomes can succeed will require additional revenue. Making free 3K universal, ending homelessness, improving community safety, shrinking class sizes, constructing climate-resilient infrastructure, expanding rental assistance, funding retrofits to affordable housing, sustaining world-class public libraries, and keeping CUNY an affordable pipeline for new talent is the path to making sure New York City remains the best city in the world to raise a family or start a new business.  I urge the Mayor to join us in conversation with our partners in Albany to enable the City of New York to raise the revenues we need to deliver on our shared goals for a dynamic, affordable, and successful Big Apple.

“One area where I wholeheartedly join the Mayor is in calling on the state and federal governments to take on their share of the cost for the services and shelter for newly arrived asylum seekers – something they both have failed to do thus far. This city has long been a beacon of hope for immigrant families and has prospered from their contributions, but we need state and federal aid to help them land on their feet.

“To confront both the economic uncertainty and inequality facing our city, New York City needs a budget that provides both a strong cushion to weather future blows and one that sets us up for long-term growth. My office looks forward to reviewing the preliminary budget proposal in full and sharing detailed analysis with the Administration, the City Council, and the public in the coming weeks.”

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE'S RESPONSE TO THE MAYOR'S BUDGET PROPOSAL

 

"A budget is a moral document, a statement of values, and as a progressive city, the capacity of government to do good should be a core value. Disinvestment in government staff and services is disinvestment in the people of New York. Cutting open positions, rather than taking steps to fill them with talented, dedicated public servants, has real, human cost in preventing programs from succeeding. 

"Financial constraints and economic concerns are real, and it is in these difficult climates when progressive budgeting is at once more challenging and most critical. In that spirit, it sends the wrong message to see some areas such as housing and mental health suffer, while others such as law enforcement are insulated. That is ultimately not a sustainable path to producing public safety, or preserving public services. 

"The mayor is right that we need state and federal support to fund services for the 40,000 newest New Yorkers – our asylum seekers. New York City should not – and cannot – be solely financially responsible for conservative governors’ political machinations. We also need to look to our state government for measures to raise additional revenue, rather than cut additional and essential services. 

"Our budget must balance fiscal and human responsibility. As the process moves forward, I will work with the administration, Council, and advocates to ensure that the needs of the people are prioritized, and the standards of our city’s progressive, human centered-values are met."