Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - FEBRUARY 27, 2023

 

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

19 Statewide Deaths Reported on February 24

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating 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 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 health preparedness efforts this winter.

Last week, the New York State Department of Health launched a new 12-week campaign on television, social media and streaming services to encourage New Yorkers with underlying medical conditions to recognize the importance of getting and staying up-to-date with the recommended COVID-19 bivalent booster to avoid serious illness or death. These conditions including being 65 or older, pregnant, obese, diabetic, or suffering from heart or lung disease, or having a weakened immune system.

Additionally, the Department of Health released its weekly flu surveillance report for the week ending February 18 and showing influenza remaining geographically widespread throughout the state for a twentieth consecutive week, with a total of 315,732 positive cases reported across 57 counties. The report found that confirmed cases statewide decreased 5 percent to 2,471 for the week, while overall hospitalizations were up 3 percent from the previous week, at 144 hospitalizations across the state.

There were three outbreaks in acute care and long-term care facilities, the report determined. There were no influenza-associated pediatric death reported for the week, for a total of 10 statewide.

With flu season continuing, Governor Hochul reminds all New Yorkers that it's not too late 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. In December, 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 - 5.04
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 8.17
• Test Results Reported - 37,976
• Total Positive - 985
• Percent Positive - 2.43%**
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.32%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 1,850 (-95)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 245
• Patients in ICU - 192 (-25)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 71 (-9)
• Total Discharges - 403,099 (+314)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 19
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 61,819

** 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 - 78,627

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	Friday,   February   24, 2023	Saturday,   February   25, 2023	Sunday,   February   26, 2023
Bronx	2.33%	2.27%	2.14%
Kings	1.96%	1.81%	1.67%
New York	2.94%	2.93%	2.71%
Queens	2.78%	2.63%	2.56%
Richmond	2.46%	2.36%	2.31%

MAYOR ADAMS, DCWP COMMISSIONER MAYUGA SECURE REINSTATEMENT WRONGFULLY FIRED STARBUCKS WORKER AUSTIN LOCKE

 

Settlement Secures Reinstatement of Austin Locke, Who Returns to Work Today at Astoria Starbucks, Over $21,000 in Backpay and Penalties

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga today announced a settlement with coffee giant Starbucks over the wrongful termination of Austin Locke in violation of the “just cause” protections of New York City’s New York City’s Fair Workweek Law. Last fall, DCWP announced a lawsuit against Starbucks for illegally firing the longtime barista from one of its Astoria locations. Starbucks has now agreed to reinstate Locke to his former position at the Astoria Starbucks where he worked, pay over $21,000 in backpay and penalties, and comply with the city’s Fair Workweek Law going forward.

 

“New York’s workers should know that we will always fight to protect their rights” said Mayor Adams. “Thanks to the efforts of our administration, Austin Locke will be returning to his job today at Starbucks — and with thousands of dollars in backpay in his pocket. We will not stand by when an employee is unlawfully terminated, and I commend DCWP for its quick work in this case.”

 

“Our city’s equitable economic recovery depends on our ability to protect workers across the five boroughs,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “The administration is proud to have secured Mr. Locke’s reinstatement, and we will continue to be vigilant against violations of the city’s Fair Workweek Law.”

 

“We are pleased to see Mr. Locke — who never should have been fired — reinstated with full backpay,” said DCWP Commissioner Vera Mayuga. “DCWP will not hesitate to take legal action to put someone back to work after an unlawful termination. Any fast food worker who believes they’ve been fired unfairly should contact us immediately.”

 

“Getting reinstated is not just a win for me but a win for the working class,” said Austin Locke. “Let this be an example to all: In New York City, you can’t mess with workers.” 

 

In July 2022, DCWP received a complaint from Locke alleging that Starbucks had unlawfully fired him from his job. DCWP quickly launched an investigation and found that Starbucks did in fact terminate Locke unlawfully. DCWP gave Starbucks an opportunity to reinstate Locke at the conclusion of the investigation. When Starbucks failed to do so, DCWP filed a petition on September 1, 2022 with the New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. The petition requested an order of reinstatement and backpay for Locke, which he will now receive under this settlement.

 

Under the Fair Workweek Law, it is illegal for fast food employers to fire or lay off workers who have completed a probation period of 30 days, or reduce their hours by more than 15 percent, without just cause or a legitimate economic reason. Whenever an employee is discharged or has their hours reduced by 15 percent or more without their consent, the employer must give the worker a notice of discharge in writing within five days that explains the reason. A discharged employee who loses a scheduled shift is entitled to premium pay for each lost shift. Employers and employees can visit the city’s workers’ rights page or call 311 (212-NEW-YORK outside New York City) for more information about the law, including an overview of the law, information about the required progressive discipline policy, different templates for signage that must be posted, and FAQs. 

 

Since the Fair Workweek Law went into effect in November 2017, DCWP has received more than 520 complaints about potential Fair Workweek violations, closed more than 230 investigations, and obtained resolutions requiring nearly $27.1 million in combined fines and restitution for more than 20,100 workers.