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

 

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

20 Statewide Deaths Reported on January 18

 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.

Recently, the New York 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 New York State Department of Health's weekly flu surveillance report for the week ending January 7, shows influenza remaining widespread throughout the state for a fourteenth consecutive week, with a total of 293,541 positive cases across all 62 counties reported to date. The report found that confirmed cases statewide dropped 36 percent, while overall hospitalizations were down 34 percent from the previous week, with the week ending January 7 at 1,621 hospitalizations across the state.

Additionally, there were 37 outbreaks in acute care and long-term care facilities, the report determined. There were no additional pediatric deaths, leaving the total at six statewide.

With flu season continuing and infections remaining widespread, Governor Hochulencourages 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 - 24.98
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 18.34
• Test Results Reported - 61,289
• Total Positive - 4,881
• Percent Positive - 7.61%**
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 7.02%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 3,369 (-142)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 467
• Patients in ICU - 379 (-8)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 135 (-6)
• Total Discharges - 390,869 (+518)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 20
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 61,000

** 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 - 77,552

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   16, 2023	Tuesday,   January   17, 2023	Wed.  January   18, 2023
Bronx	7.94%	8.19%	7.88%
Kings	5.20%	5.19%	5.93%
New York	5.89%	6.18%	6.21%
Queens	8.06%	8.01%	7.81%
Richmond	6.96%	6.83%	6.82%

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF FINANCIAL COUNSELING SERVICES TO NEW YORKERS VISITING WORKFORCE1 CAREER CENTERS

 

Connecting New Yorkers to Financial Counseling Using City’s Workforce1 Career Centers Fulfills Another Initiative in Mayor Adams’ “Blueprint for Economic Recovery”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga, and New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Kevin D. Kim today announced a joint initiative to bring financial counseling to jobseekers across New York City. The expansion of DCWP’s one-on-one financial counseling services at SBS’s five main Workforce1 Career Center Hubs in each borough will provide a one-stop-shop for New Yorkers to access free, professional, and confidential financial counseling, along with job readiness services and connections to workforce development training. The initiative also fulfills a key component of Mayor Adams’ “Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent: A Blueprint for New York City’s Economic Recovery.”

 

“When we talk about health, we often overlook how financial health contributes to our overall physical and mental wellbeing,” said Mayor Adams. “By providing financial counseling services to New Yorkers across the five boroughs, we are not only investing in a more economically prosperous city, but also a healthier city. This is a great example of how cross-agency collaboration can strengthen services for New Yorkers who need them most.”

 

“Helping New Yorkers build wealth, achieve financial stability, and gain job security demands a multifaceted, multi-agency, all-hands-on-deck approach,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “As we work to accelerate economic recovery and meaningfully close the income and wealth gap, this partnership between DCWP and SBS to bring together financial empowerment, job training, and job placement services is exactly what it will take to move the needle.”

 

“As we continue to position New York City residents to secure careers that support their family’s health and well-being, I applaud the New York City Department of Small Business Services and the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection for breaking down traditional siloes so that New Yorkers can find a job and receive financial empowerment services in the same location,” said Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development Executive Director Abby Jo Sigal.

 

“Few things are as empowering as strengthening your financial health and setting yourself on the path to stability and success,” said DCWP Commissioner Vera Mayuga. “Thank you to Mayor Adams and Commissioner Kim for collaborating with us to connect more New Yorkers with the support and services they need to stay on track to lead healthy financial lives.”

 

“Our Workforce1 Career Centers helped nearly 40,000 New Yorkers since last July with job training and career preparation. The addition of critical free services like financial planning and credit management will help our customers blaze a path toward long-term economic independence that includes strong life savings and credit profiles,” said SBS Commissioner Kim. “SBS is proud to be partnering with Commissioner Mayuga and DCWP under Mayor Adams’s leadership on this innovative service model.”

 

As the city continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, New Yorkers who are looking for a job or seeking to advance their careers are often under a considerable amount of financial stress, which adds barriers to gaining and maintaining stable employment. Offering financial counseling at Workforce1 Career Centers can improve the financial well-being of New Yorkers and strengthen the city’s workforce development efforts.

 

To get connected to financial counseling services at Workforce1 Career Centers, New Yorkers can dial 311 and say “Workforce1” or book an appointment online. Financial counseling services are available in person or by phone and in multiple languages.  

 

Since July 1, 2022, nearly 40,000 unique customers have received services through SBS’ Workforce1 system and walk-in inquiries have risen to approximately 85,000, rivaling pre-pandemic service levels.

 

DCWP’s Financial Empowerment Centers have served more than 68,000 clients, helping them collectively save more than $10.5 million and reduce their debt by more than $90 million since the inception of the program in 2008. While the financial counseling services at Workforce1 Career Centers will only be available to customers of the Centers, anyone 18 and older who lives or works in New York City can book a free and confidential appointment with a professional financial counselor online or call 311 and say “Financial Counseling.” The NYC Financial Empowerment Centers provide free, one-on-one financial counseling to anyone who lives or works in New York City and can help create a budget, improve credit, and reduce debt.