Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - SEPTEMBER 27, 2022

 

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

37 Statewide Deaths Reported from September 24 to September 26

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19. 

"As we welcome the fall, I urge New Yorkers to remain vigilant, be sure to use the tools that are available to keep themselves, their loved ones, and their communities safe and healthy," Governor Hochul said. "Take advantage of the vaccine by staying up to date on doses. Test before gatherings or travel and if you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options."

Governor Hochul continues to urge New Yorkers to get their bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters from Pfizer-BioNTech for anyone age 12 or older and from Moderna for those 18 or older. 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. 

In addition, Governor Hochul is encouraging New Yorkers to get their annual flu vaccine as flu season approaches. The flu vaccine is recommended for almost everyone 6 months and older. The flu virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 may simultaneously spread this fall and winter, so getting vaccinated against both is the best way to stay healthy and to avoid added stress to the health care system.  

For information about flu vaccine clinics, contact the local health department or visit vaccines.gov/find-vaccines/

Today's data is summarized briefly below:  

• Cases Per 100k - 17.07
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 23.35
• Test Results Reported - 46,679
• Total Positive - 3,335
• Percent Positive - 6.46 %**
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 6.52%**   
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,274 (+88)*
• Patients Newly Admitted - 897*
• Patients in ICU - 236 (+18)*
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 88 (+13)*
• Total Discharges - 344,807 (+710)*
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 37*
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 58,061*

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 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 (HHS) 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 - 74,227

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	Saturday,   September   24, 2022	Sunday,   September   25, 2022	Monday,   September   26, 2022
Bronx	6.19%	6.14%	5.84%
Kings	3.76%	3.78%	3.49%
New York	5.29%	5.42%	5.42%
Queens	6.13%	6.12%	6.12%
Richmond	5.71%	5.65%	5.92%

MAYOR ADAMS AND CHANCELLOR BANKS ANNOUNCE LAUNCH OF INAUGURAL CHEFS COUNCIL

 

Chefs Council Will Develop Scratch-Cooked, Plant-Based, and Culturally Relevant Recipes for the New York City Department of Education’s Office of Food and Nutrition Services

 New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David C. Banks today announced the launch of New York City’s first-ever Chefs Council in partnership with Wellness in the Schools (WITS). The Council is chaired by Rachael Ray and includes celebrated chefs, culinary industry professionals, and food activists.

“Teaching students at a young age to eat healthy, nutritious meals is critical to setting up them up for success,” said Mayor Adams. “The new Chefs Council will develop delicious, nutritious, culturally relevant meals for schools with direct input from students and parents. Through this partnership with WITS and our tremendous staff of school food workers, we will take school meals to the next level.” 

“Healthy and nourishing meals are essential in ensuring our students can succeed both inside and outside the classroom. This initiative will help to expand our menus while making sure they follow our strict health standards and are reflective of the cultures and communities we serve,” said DOE Chancellor Banks. “I’m grateful to the Chefs Council for the work they will do as part of this initiative and to our food service workers, who work day in and day out to ensure our students are well fed and cared for.”

“As the parent of two elementary school children, I know firsthand that providing healthier food choices is only half the battle,” said Kate MacKenzie, executive director, Mayor's Office of Food Policy. “Convincing them to try something new is the real challenge, and I look forward to student feedback on the new recipes this incredible group of chefs will be cooking up! Thank you to Mayor Adams for leading by example, to Chancellor Banks and all of the dedicated school food service workers who are doing the hard work to make sure our students are nourished for success.”

 

“Wellness in the Schools is grateful to Mayor Adams and Chancellor Banks for prioritizing school meals,” said Nancy Easton, co-founder and executive director, Wellness in the Schools. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Office of Food and Nutrition Services’ Cook Ambassadors and local chefs to bring scratched-cooked, plant-based, and culturally relevant food to nearly one million New York City school children. Expanding our model in the largest school district in the country is a significant step forward in advancing our mission to eliminate obesity related illnesses that begin in childhood.”

The Chefs Council will develop scratch-cooked, plant-based, and culturally relevant recipes and provide hands-on training for the New York City Department of Education’s Office of Food and Nutrition Services (OFNS) chefs. They will create over 100 recipes that will be tested in schools across all five boroughs during the 2022-2023 school year in partnership with the new OFNS Cook Ambassadors. After feedback from students and parents, the recipes will be introduced as a monthly seasonal menu and the chefs will then train school cooks on implementing the new recipes onsite in all public school locations.

In partnership with local education departments, WITS programs have served more than 86,000 children in nearly 200 schools nationwide during the 2021-2022 school year. In New York City, programs are currently implemented in 38 schools across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens. The launch of the Chefs Council will expand the programming presence to all DOE schools for the 2023-2024 school year. 

The full list of Chefs Council members is below:

• Rachael Ray, Chefs Council chair, television personality, author, and philanthropist
• Zoe Adjonyoh, chef, author, and media personality
• Kenneth Collins, chef, Kemited Kitchen
• Ricardo Diaz, chef and registered dietitian nutritionist, Wellness in the Schools
• Tyler Harvey, senior director of research and development, Sakara
• JJ Johnson, chef and television host
• Anup Joshi, chief culinary officer, Green Top Farms
• Anita Lo, chef and restaurateur
• Grace Ramirez, chef, activist, author, and television personality
• Chef Anthony T. Solano, founder and owner, ZoJu, Afro-Latino Vegan Restaurant
• Bill Telepan, executive chef and board, Ember, Wellness in the Schools/Bon Appetit Culinary Director for the Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Marion Williams, national program director, Wellness in the Schools

About Wellness in the Schools

Founded in 2005, Wellness in the Schools is a national nonprofit that teaches kids healthy habits to learn and live better through partnerships with school districts to provide nutrition and fitness education, healthy scratch-cooked meals and active recess periods. WITS chefs reimagine menus and educate students and families through hands-on culinary and nutrition education to improve student outcomes, drive systemic, long-term change, and shift school cultures to turn the tide on the childhood obesity epidemic.

 

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE'S STATEMENT ON THE SIXTEENTH DEATH RELATED TO CITY JAILS IN 2022

 

"In a reported effort to circumvent scrutiny for the number of deaths in its custody, the city appears to be more interested in limiting a number than limiting loss. If this was an attempt at a coverup, as reported, it failed – as badly as the department has failed to meet its mandate to ensure basic safety. In this instance, it seems they were more concerned with protecting themselves than the people in their custody. 

"My office has been in contact with the family of Mr. Pondexter, working to retrieve the belongings of their loved one, and offering them condolences.

"Sixteen people have died after being held in city custody, already as many as died in all of 2021 amid what we all knew were crisis conditions. The department’s reported actions in this case do not change that, and they will only lead more to question both the ability and the priorities of the city to improve the state and conditions of city jails."