Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating Covid-19 - JUNE 22,2-22

 

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

43 Statewide Deaths Reported from 6/18 - 6/21

NOTE: Updates to the CDC's cumulative death data files have been paused since June 6, 2022 as the CDC upgrades its system. As of June 22, 2022, CDC reporting has not yet resumed. Any questions about this should be directed to the CDC. During this time, total deaths and new daily deaths reported through HERDS will continue as normal.

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

"As we continue to monitor the numbers, let's continue to use the tools that have allowed us to move forward safely through this pandemic," Governor Hochul said. "Please make sure you are up to date on your vaccine and booster doses. If you're a parent or caregiver to a child under five, talk to your pediatrician about vaccination options. The vaccine is the best defense we have against COVID-19 - it's effective, safe, and readily available throughout the state."

Important Note: Due to the holiday, HERDS data collection from health care facilities was paused from 6/18/2022-6/21/2022. Data from those days were submitted in Tuesday's report. Where noted, totals include four days of cumulative data from 6/18/2022-6/21/2022.  As a result, some data may appear higher than recent trends and is marked below with an asterisk.

Today's data is summarized briefly below:       

• Cases Per 100k - 21.55
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 24.70
• Test Results Reported - 91,382
• Total Positive - 4,211
• Percent Positive - 3.86%**
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 4.95%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 1,810 (-32)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 922*
• Patients in ICU - 206 (-5)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 86 (+15)
• Total Discharges - 313,678*
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 43*
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 56,442*

   

** 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 - 71,670

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.      

• Total vaccine doses administered - 39,241,470
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 13,467
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 87,793
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 92.8%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 84.2%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 95.0%   
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 87.7%   
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 84.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 73.9%   
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 82.3%   
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 74.6%   
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 90.9%   
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 77.6%   

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

Borough	Sunday, June 19, 2022	Monday, June 20, 2022	Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Bronx	3.74%	3.85%	3.98%
Kings	4.04%	3.87%	3.14%
New York	5.52%	5.64%	5.81%
Queens	5.54%	5.71%	5.75%
Richmond	5.31%	5.33%	5.17%

DEC Announces Falconry, Wildlife Rehabilitator, and Leashed Tracking Dog Examinations

 

Exams Held Online Aug. 12; Registration Deadline Aug. 10

 The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced examinations for individuals seeking a license to practice the sport of falconry, become a volunteer wildlife rehabilitator, or use leashed tracking dogs to find wounded or injured big game animals are scheduled for Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.

To provide broader access to the exams, DEC will be offering them online. In-person exams will not be offered this year.

To register for any of these exams, click on the link below and then follow the directions provided on the website. Interested participants will receive an email acknowledging registration, and later, an additional one-time link to access the website on the date of the exam.

https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6223470/Special-License-Exams-registration

The deadline for registering to take any of these free exams is Wednesday, Aug. 10. The link to the registration website can also be found on each of the individual license websites at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/359.html. 

Apprentice Falconry License

Falconry has a rich history and tradition throughout the world and requires a significant commitment in time and effort. Apprentices are limited to possessing one bird, either an American kestrel or a red-tailed hawk. A falconry study guide and examination manual are available at no cost from DEC: http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/28632.html. The cost of a five-year falconry license is $40.

To qualify for the Apprentice Falconry License, applicants must:

• score 80 percent or higher on the written exam;
• be at least 14 years of age;
• possess a valid New York State hunting license;
• maintain DEC-approved facilities for housing falconry raptors; and
• be a resident of New York State.
  

Wildlife Rehabilitator License

Wildlife rehabilitators provide for the care of injured, sick, and orphaned wild animals for the purpose of returning rehabilitated animals to the wild. Prospective applicants are encouraged to gain experience by serving as an assistant to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. A wildlife rehabilitator study guide and examination manual are available at no cost from DEC at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/25027.html. There is no cost for the five-year Wildlife Rehabilitator License.

To qualify for the Wildlife Rehabilitator License, applicants must:

• score 80 percent or higher on the written exam;
• be at least 16 years of age;
• be interviewed by DEC Regional wildlife staff; and
• be a resident of New York State.
  

Leashed Tracking Dog Handler

Leashed tracking dog handlers use their dogs to track and recover dead, wounded, or injured big game. Leashed tracking dog handlers provide a valuable service by aiding hunters in locating wounded big game that otherwise may go unrecovered. A leashed tracking dog study guide is available at no cost from DEC: http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/25020.html. There is a $50 license fee for the five-year Leashed Tracking Dog Handler License and a $25 non-refundable application fee.

To qualify for a Leashed Tracking Dog Handler License, applicants must:

• score 80 percent or higher on the written exam; and
• possess a valid New York State hunting license.
  

To register for any of these exams, visit the NYS DEC Special Licenses Unit website at  http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/359.html The link to the registration website is provided on each of the individual license websites.

For questions or assistance, please contact the Special Licenses Unit at NYS DEC Special Licenses Unit, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4752; phone: 518-402-8985; Fax: 518-402-8925; Email: SpecialLicenses@dec.ny.gov.

PUBLIC ADVOCATE RESPONDS TO THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH DEATHS IN NYC CUSTODY OF 2022

"Any plans to protect people in DOC custody are not working fast enough, and in the last 48 hours, the seventh and eighth detained people this year ran out of time to wait." 

Governor Hochul Announces MTA and Accessibility Advocates Agree on Historic Plan for Expanding Accessibility in the New York City Subway System

 

Class Action Settlement Agreement Affirms MTA's Commitment to Make 95 Percent of the Currently Inaccessible Subway Stations Accessible 

2020-2024 MTA Capital Program Includes a Historic $5.2 Billion Investment in Accessibility Upgrades 

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and accessibility advocates reached a class action settlement agreement that affirms the MTA's commitment towards accessibility in the subway system. The agreement will resolve two class action lawsuits (Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York, et al. v. Metropolitan Transportation Authority, et al. No. 153765/2017 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. N.Y. Co.) and De La Rosa et al. v. Metropolitan Transportation Authority et al. No. 19-cv-04406 (ER) (S.D.N.Y.)), and is subject to court approval, a notice period where class members will have the opportunity to comment, and a fairness hearing. Under the terms of the agreement, the MTA will add elevators or ramps to create a stair-free path of travel at 95 percent of the currently inaccessible subway stations by 2055.

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, "Even during the dire financial crisis brought on by the pandemic, the MTA prioritized accessibility, leading to the completion of 15 accessibility projects. There will be 81 more projects in progress by the end of the 2020-2024 capital plan, which includes a historic $5.2 billion dedicated to accessibility upgrades. These commitments, combined with recently enacted zoning that incentivizes private developers to incorporate station accessibility projects into their buildings, will help us achieve a fully accessible transit system much faster than ever before imagined." 

As part of the agreement reached with accessibility advocates, the MTA has committed, subject to extensions of time based on funding commitment caps and other contingencies, to procure contracts to make accessible 81 stations by 2025, another 85 stations by 2035, another 90 stations by 2045, and the last 90 stations by 2055. 

The MTA has 472 subway stations and including 21 Staten Island Railway (SIR) stations, has 493 stations in the transit system. Of those, 131 are fully accessible to customers with disabilities, via elevators and ramps, including five Staten Island Railway stations. There are more than one million people with a disability living in New York City, more than 1.5 million over the age of 65, and approximately 250,000 children under the age of two whose families need to navigate New York City with strollers. 

The following stations are funded for upgrades under the current capital plan:

 

• 8 Av (N) 
• Tremont Av (B, D) 
• 149 St-Grand Concourse (2, 4, 5) 
• 6 Av (L) 
• 14 St (F, M, 1, 2, 3) 
• Woodhaven Blvd (M, R) 
• Westchester Sq-East Tremont Av (6) 
• Queensboro Plaza (N, W, 7) 
• Court Sq (G) 
• 68 St-Hunter College (6) 
• Bay Ridge-95 St (R) 
• Grand St (L) 
• Beach 67 St (A) 
• 7 Av (F, G) 
• Dyckman St (1) 
• E 149 St (6) 
• New Dorp (SIR) 
• Lorimer St (L) 
• Metropolitan Av (G) 
• 181 St (A) 
• Church Av (B, Q) 
• Sheepshead Bay (B, Q) 
• Rockaway Blvd (A) 
• Kings Hwy (N) 
• Woodhaven Blvd (J, Z) 
• Steinway St (M, R) 
• Junius St (3) 
• Mosholu Pkwy (4) 
• Northern Blvd (M, R) 
• 137 St-City College (1) 
• Parkchester (6) 
• Borough Hall (4, 5) 
• Broadway Junction (A, C, L, J, Z) 
• Broadway (N, W) 
• 36 St (D, N, R) 
• 18 Av (D) 
• Kings Hwy (F) 
• Norwood Av (J, Z) 
• Myrtle Av (J, M, Z) 
• Jefferson St (L) 
• 96 St (B, C) 
• 81 St-Museum of Natural History (B, C) 
• Hoyt-Schermerhorn (A, C, G) 
• Nostrand Av (A, C) 
• 167 St (B, D) 
• Avenue I (F) 
• Neptune Av (F) 
• Parsons Blvd (F) 
• Briarwood (E, F) 
• 7 Av (B, D, E) 
• Classon Av (G) 
• Van Cortlandt Park-242 St (1) 
• New Lots Av (3) 
• Brook Av (6) 
• 3 Av-138 St (6) 
• Kingsbridge Rd (4) 
• Burnside Av (4) 
• 110 St (6) 
• 86 St (4, 5, 6) 
• Wakefield-241 St (2) 
• Harlem-148 St (3) 
• 46 St-Bliss St (7) 
• 33 St-Rawson St (7) 
• Clifton (SIR) 
• Huguenot (SIR) 
• 168 St (1) 
• Court Sq-23 St (E, M) 
• 42 St-Bryant Pk (B, D, F, M) 
• 5 Av (7) 
• Lexington Av/59 St (N, R, W) 
• 59 St (4, 5, 6) 
• Delancey St-Essex St (F, J, M, Z) 

MAYOR ADAMS AND COMMISSIONER CASTRO ANNOUNCE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT NEWLY ARRIVED HAITIAN NEW YORKERS

Funding Will Include Additional $1.6 Million in Needed Support Services

 New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Manuel Castro today announced an additional $1.6.5 million in funding for Fiscal Year 2023 to help newly arrived Haitian New Yorkers access immigration legal assistance and numerous social services. This funding is an increase from last year, bringing the total investment for New York City’s Haitian Response Initiative to $3.15 million. To mark the importance of this announcement a Haitian flag raising ceremony was held at Bowling Green near Wall Street in Manhattan. 

“I am proud to be the mayor of the largest Haitian population in the United States and pleased to announce the additional $1.65 million in funding that’s being provided to help newly arriving Haitian New Yorkers,” said Mayor Adams. “These funds will provide much needed services and resources that the city regularly provides to all immigrant New Yorkers. As we raise the Haitian flag, we say today and every day, that we stand with our Haitian community and will always have their back.”

 

“I am proud to stand with the Haitian community today. Haitian immigrants have long been woven into the fabric of the city and today we honor each of you,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “The funds announced today will provide additional support for newly arrived immigrants, as they and their families begin calling New York City home. Thank you to MOIA and to all the community-based organizations involved in this effort.”

 

“New York City has and will continue to be a place of refuge for those who are escaping conflict. Our administration is committed to supporting New York City’s Haitian community in their time of need,” said MOIA Commissioner Castro. “We look forward to working with community groups serving Haitian New Yorkers that are located immediately within our city’s Haitian communities, to provide daily support and services to their fellow community members, including those who have recently resettled in New York City.”

 

“The Haitian community is critical to New York City’s fabric, and I applaud Mayor Adams’ continued investment in support of the community, said Mayor’s Office for International Affairs Commissioner Edward Mermelstein. “Leaving home is never easy, but my office is proud to be part of efforts to help our new neighbors thrive across the five boroughs. I look forward to working closely with Commissioner Castro, our colleagues at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, the Consulate of Haiti, and other stakeholders to facilitate newly arrived Haitian New Yorkers’ access to immigration legal assistance and social services.”

 

The state of New York is home to the second-largest population of foreign-born Haitians in the United States. Through this initiative, community members will receive linguistically and culturally responsive case management, cash assistance, and support services directly and through referrals. They will also receive immigration legal assistance, such as comprehensive immigration legal screenings, removal defense, and help accessing asylum, Temporary Protected Status, and other humanitarian forms of relief. Additionally, the initiative includes a technical capacity building component in which immigration legal experts provide training to staff at coalition community-based organizations (CBOs), to help them better understand immigration-related requirements and timelines, and effectively pre-screen and refer clients for immigration legal services. Finally, the initiative will include a public information and education campaign, as well as interpretation and translation.

 

The following CBOs will continue to receive funding to provide case management, legal, and language services — building upon the work they have been conducting since the recent influx  of Haitian migrants began:

 

•                      Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York

•                      Caribbean Women’s Health Association

•                      Diaspora Community Services

•                      Flanbwayan Literacy Project

•                      Haitian Americans United for Progress (HAUP)

•                      Haitian American Community Coalition (HCC)

•                      Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees

•                      Life of Hope

 

The Research Foundation of the City University of New York (CUNY) will provide support with contract and fiscal administration, and CUNY Brooklyn College’s Haitian Studies Institute will consult with partners to ensure information and services provided through the initiative are culturally and linguistically responsive.

 

“As home to the second-largest population of Haitians in the United States, New York City’s commitment to supporting the Haitian community is critical,” said Jonathan Jiménez, MD, MPH, executive director, NYC Care. “The announcement of additional funding is a testament to that commitment and the success of the Haitian Response Initiative. This funding will empower Haitian New Yorkers to seek the care they are entitled to. I thank Mayor Eric Adams, Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom, and Commissioner Manuel Castro for their advocacy and support for the Haitian community.”

 

“Catholic Charities is excited to partner with Mayor Adams and the Office of Immigrant Affairs on this Haitian Response Initiative, which brings much-needed outreach and legal assistance to New York City’s Haitian families. We are thrilled to know that this innovative program — through which our legal team already has served hundreds in need this year — will continue next year, bringing stronger supports through cultural, legal pro bono, and capacity building and public education,” said C. Mario Russell, Esq., director of immigrant and refugee services, Catholic Charities Community Services.

 

"Diaspora Community Services was created by the Haitian community 40 years ago. Today we continue to honor those individuals and their vision of assisting immigrant families and empowering them with our various services. The continued funding from the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs leverages our ability to effectively provide continued services to the Haitian community going through a difficult crisis. We are glad we will be able to help,” said, Carine Jocelyn, CEO, Diaspora Community Services.

 

“We made it, congratulations to all, this is the end of the school year and a perfect time for this exciting news of renewal funding for the Haitian community. At Flanbwayan we are happy that our immigrant / ELL students will continue to receive both the academic and social-emotional support they need and deserve. We thank MOIA for investing in English Language Learners,” said Darnell Benoit, director, Flanbwayan Haitian Literacy Project.

 

The initiative was originally launched in December 2021 to provide key services and support to Haitian New Yorkers impacted by the natural disasters and political upheaval that have transpired in Haiti.

Housing Lottery Launches For 84 Residences At Williamsbridge Gardens In Williamsbridge, The Bronx

 

The affordable housing lottery has launched for Williamsbridge Gardens, a pair of eight-story residential buildings at 713 East 211th Street and 718 East 212th Street in Williamsbridge, The Bronx. Designed by MHG Architects and developed by L+M Development Partners, the structures yield 170 residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are 84 units for residents at 40 to 80 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $0 to $132,400.

Amenities include 24/7 front desk security, a landscaped interior courtyard, community room with kitchenette, computer lab, children’s library, exercise room, shared laundry room, bike room, and on-site social services by the Center For Urban Community Services. Tenants are responsible for electricity.

At 40 percent of the AMI, there are ten units for incomes ranging from $0 to $57,640. At 50 percent of the AMI, there are 16 units for incomes ranging from $33,086 to $72,050. At 60 percent of the AMI, there are ten units for incomes ranging from $39,943 to $86,460. At 70 percent of the AMI, there are 34 units for incomes ranging from $51,806 to $115,850. At 80 percent of the AMI, there are 14 units for incomes ranging from $59,486 to $132,400.

Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than August 18, 2022.