Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - NOVEMBER 17, 2022

 

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

18 Statewide Deaths Reported Yesterday

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19 and plan to protect against the spread of viral respiratory infections that become more common in the fall and winter seasons.  

"With Thanksgiving just a week away, New Yorkers must 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."

Earlier this month, Governor Hochul launched a new public awareness campaign featuring New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett speaking directly to New Yorkers about three viruses - Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), flu and COVID-19 - now circulating in the state with similar symptoms and the potential to cause serious illness. Produced by the New York State Department of Health, the videos include a short clip and a longer version geared toward parents; and a version aimed specifically at health care providers.     

Governor Hochul continues to remind New Yorkers that children ages 5 and older may now receive the bivalent booster shots that are recommended to increase protection against COVID-19. 

The Governor also urges New Yorkers to get their bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters. 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 encourages New Yorkers to get their annual flu vaccine as flu season is widespread across New York State. 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 State Department of Health 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. Advertisements in both English and Spanish language began running last month. 

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 - 22.57
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 18.47
• Test Results Reported - 68,812
• Total Positive - 4,411 
• Percent Positive - 5.83%**     
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 5.88%**      
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,686 (-79)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 407
• Patients in ICU - 274 (-6)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 107 (3)
• Total Discharges - 362,882 (444)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 18
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 59,185

** 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 - 75,507

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,   November   14, 2022	Tuesday,   November   15, 2022	Wednesday,   November   16, 2022
Bronx	6.75%	6.62%	6.83%
Kings	6.24%	6.18%	6.27%
New York	5.86%	5.88%	6.07%
Queens	6.91%	6.83%	6.88%
Richmond	5.68%	5.49%	5.43%

MAYOR ADAMS' STATEMENT ON SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI STEPPING DOWN FROM LEADERSHIP POST IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today released the following statement after Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she would be stepping down from her leadership post in the U.S. House of Representatives:

 

“As the first woman to lead a political party in Congress, Speaker Nancy Pelosi shattered the highest glass ceiling and opened doors for generations to come. For nearly four decades, Speaker Pelosi has been an immeasurable champion for justice, equity, and democratic values. It is because of her fearless leadership that we are a better and stronger nation. I, along with millions of Americans, thank Speaker Pelosi for her devotion to public service and the endless inspiration she has provided to young girls and women across the nation.”

DASHBOARD UPDATE: NYC Comptroller Releases New Monthly Data on Department of Correction Operations

 

Ahead of Nunez status conference, Lander sends letter in support of receivership over Rikers

Ahead of the status conference on Thursday in the Nunez v. City of New York matter, the New York City Comptroller’s Office released a monthly update to its Department of Correction (DOC) Dashboard, available here. The dashboard monitors pervasive issues in the City’s jails, including staff absenteeism, missed medical appointments, and incidents of violence among detained people and staff. It also tracks the jail population every month, which rose to 5,940 people in custody. The detained population remains well above the capacity of the borough-based jails intended to replace the notorious complex. 

The DOC data for October shows little progress on the key metrics available for the dashboard: 

• At the start of November, the jail population was 5,940, 1% uptick from the prior month. 
• Average daily uniformed staff headcount continues to decline, with DOC employing under 7,000 officers for the second month compared to just under 10,000 prior to the pandemic’s outset. 
• Uniformed sick leave held steady with 12% of officers on sick leave for the fourth consecutive month, and a one percentage point decline in the number of medically restricted staff. 
• Use of force within the city’s jails remains high at over 34 incidents per 100 persons in custody for the last quarter, 80% higher than the pre-pandemic average. 
• Assaults on staff and stabbing incidents increased from the prior month; stabbings are 4.5 times more frequent than the 2019 average. 
• Individuals with serious mental illness still comprise 18% of the overall population, increasing to 1,063 persons this month. 

The Comptroller’s office has closely tracked pervasive issues in the City’s jail system dating back to 2014, and in August 2022, Comptroller Lander produced the Department of Correction dashboard to provide detailed, timely metrics for the press and public to assess progress on addressing ongoing management issues at DOC. Comptroller Lander was the first citywide elected official to call for a federal receiver to oversee reforms at the jail complex, citing rising violence, deaths in custody, and lack of progress on key reforms.  

Ahead of the status conference, Comptroller Lander sent a letter to Judge Laura Swain outlining the alarming number of deaths, consistent staffing mismanagement, and overwhelming number of violent incidents. The letter notes that the Comptroller’s office settled and adjusted over $28 million in Rikers-related claims in FY 2021, a snapshot of the fiscal risks to the City posed by mismanagement of the jail system. The Comptroller urged the appointment of a federal receiver empowered to make structural and management changes in the jails. 

In the letter, Comptroller Lander expresses “serious concerns with the lack of progress made by the Department of Correction (DOC) to comply with the Nunez consent judgment to address the violence afflicting New York City jails and create a functional system that keeps both those in custody and the staff charged with their care safe. […] DOC has not demonstrated the ability to end the violence on Rikers Island, which the data shows continuing at an alarming rate.”  

Read the letter in full here. 

Yonkers Man Convicted Of March 2011 Murder

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that a jury returned a guilty verdict yesterday against DARNELL KIDD a/k/a “Black,” a/k/a “Donney,” a/k/a “Donney Black,” on one count of an indictment charging him with the 2011 murder of Jonathan Johnson, 21, in White Plains, New York.  U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román presided over the eight-day trial.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Darnell Kidd shot and killed Jonathan Johnson during a robbery.  He now stands guilty of that murder.  We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate gun violence and pursue justice for the victims of violent crimes.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment and the evidence at trial:

On or about March 18, 2011, DARNELL KIDD murdered Jonathan Johnson by shooting him during the course of an armed robbery for marijuana in White Plains, New York.  KIDD’s co-defendant MARCUS CHAMBERS arranged by phone to purchase the marijuana from Johnson.  CHAMBERS and KIDD met with Johnson to rob him of marijuana, and during the robbery, KIDD shot and kill Johnson.

KIDD, 31, of Yonkers, New York, was convicted of one count of murder through the use of a firearm, which carries a mandatory minimum prison term of five years and a maximum prison term of life.  

The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

CHAMBERS previously pled guilty for his role in the murder.  CHAMBERS was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, which comprises Special Agents and Task Force Officers from the FBI, United States Probation Office, New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Westchester County Department of Public Safety, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, New York City Police Department, Yonkers Police Department, Mount Vernon Police Department, Peekskill Police Department, Greenburgh Police Department, New Rochelle Police Department, White Plains Police Department, Clarkstown Police Department, and Ramapo Police Department.  Mr. Williams also thanked the White Plains Police Department and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance in this matter.

DEC Announces 'Operation Safe Harvest' Enforcement Initiative During Big Game Hunting Season

 

ECOs to Patrol Southern Zone to Ensure Hunters Follow Hunting Laws and Safety Guidelines

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) are advancing ‘Operation Safe Harvest’ this big game hunting season as part of a statewide initiative to ensure all hunters are following the State’s hunting laws and safety guidelines while afield. ECOs will be patrolling and conducting a variety of field operations to help ensure a safe and enjoyable big game hunting season.

“New York is fortunate to have a large population of hunters and trappers who abide by the State’s hunting laws and respect their fellow hunters and others enjoying the outdoors,” Commissioner Seggos said. “DEC’s ECOs will be out in force this season to ensure compliance, engage with new and experienced hunters, and continue their important work promoting public safety in our communities and protecting our natural resources.”

DEC’s Director of the Division of Law Enforcement Karen Przyklek said, “Many of our ECOs are avid hunters themselves and participate in New York’s cherished big game hunting seasons. Unfortunately, not everyone respects the laws and safety guidelines that come with this storied tradition. In response, I’ve directed my Officers to be on the lookout this season for the night hunters, poachers, and baiters who blatantly disregard the State’s stringent hunting laws.”

This statewide enforcement initiative began on Oct. 22 when the regular deer and bear season opened in the Northern Zone. So far, ECOs have written nearly 150 tickets, including 50 misdemeanor level charges. The upcoming regular firearms season for deer and bear in the Southern Zone, which draws hundreds of thousands of hunters to New York each year, gets underway on Nov. 19.

In addition to statewide enforcement, Officers educate hunters on New York’s hunting laws and safety guidelines, both in the field and as instructors for the New York State Hunter Education Program. New York State continues to prioritize hunter safety year-round and the 2021 hunting seasons in New York were the safest ever, with the lowest number of incidents since record-keeping began.

DEC Law Enforcement is also reminding hunters they are key partners in protecting New York deer from Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Chronic Wasting Disease continues to spread in other states, and hunters are key to preventing CWD introduction to New York. CWD is always fatal to deer. If introduced, it could spread rapidly and be practically impossible to eliminate once established. Hunters can help protect New York’s deer herd from CWD by following these tips:

• If hunting any type of deer, elk, moose, or caribou outside of New York, it must be deboned your animal before bringing it back. See CWD Regulations for Hunters. DEC will confiscate and destroy illegally imported carcasses and parts, including whole deer and deer heads;
• Do not use deer urine-based lures or attractant scents, as these could contain infectious material;
• Dispose of carcass waste in a landfill, not just on the landscape;
• Report any deer that appears sick or is acting abnormally; and
• Hunt only wild deer and support fair chase hunting principles.

The regular firearms season for deer and bear in the Southern Zone runs through Sunday, Dec. 11, and includes participation from approximately 85 percent of New York’s 550,000 licensed hunters. For a breakdown of New York’s hunting seasons visit: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/65231.html.    

NOTE: Video on Operation Safe Harvest and CWD can be found here: https://youtu.be/4QayEnpBq0g