Archive: NYS COVID-19 Resources & Information
1/5/21

In the rapidly changing dynamics of combating the Coronavirus, information is updated constantly. This archive is being provided as an additional resource for those seeking to learn more about how New York State is addressing COVID-19.

LATEST NEWS & INFORMATION - 1/5/21     

From Governor Cuomo's latest Zoom debriefing:

OVERVIEW 

  • Day 311
  • Statewide positivity rate without micro-clusters: 8.2%
  • Statewide rate with micro-clusters: 8.3%
  • Micro-cluster rate: 8.8%
  • 152,402 tests conducted
  • 149 fatalities
  • 8,590 hospitalizations, up 339
  • 1,392 ICU patients, up 35
  • 851 intubations, up 8 

REGONAL HOSPITALIZATIONS 

- Finger Lakes: 929 (0.08%)
- Western NY: 546 (0.04%)
- Southern Tier: 22 (0.04%)
- Mid Hudson: 986 (0.04%)
- Central NY: 397 (0.05%)
- Mohawk Valley: 309 (0.06%)
- NYC: 3,055 (0.04%)
- Long Island: 1,577 (0.06%)
- Capital Region: 476 (0.04%)
- North Country: 87 (0.02%) 

POSITIVITY RATE 

- Finger Lakes: 10.32%
- Western NY: 8.61%
- Southern Tier: 5.41%
- Mid Hudson: 8.33%
- Central NY: 9.13%
- Mohawk Valley: 10.70%
- NYC: 6.38%
- Long Island: 9.61%
- Capital Region: 10.12%
- North Country: 9.19%
- Manhattan: 3.74%
- Staten Island: 7.85%
- Brooklyn: 6.25%
- Queens: 7.28%
- Bronx: 7.82% 

VACCINE

  • The federal government controls the supply of vaccine.
  • NYS has been receiving about 300,000 doses per week, approximately 1.2 million per month.
  • Cuomo urged the federal government to approve AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, and increase supply from Pfizer and Moderna to speed up the vaccination process.
  • On distribution, the state is mostly in control, except for the federally run nursing home program; the state will supplement federal efforts.
  • 900,000 vaccines have been distributed so far to healthcare workers.
  • After healthcare workers are vaccinated, essential workers and general public over 75 years of age will be priority, which is about 2.5 million people.
  • For the general public, the vaccine will go through retail network of pharmacies, federally-qualified health centers, county health departments, urgent care clinics, private physicians.
  • 3,762 provider sites are enrolled statewide so far, 636 already have the vaccine and are administering to healthcare workers.
  • The State is asking police departments, fire departments, transit workers to utilize their own medical teams to vaccinate their workers if possible.
  • Other sites will include Javits Center, churches, SUNY/CUNY facilities for drive-thrus. 

UK COVID STRAIN 

  •  Anyone who may have been in contact with the case in Saratoga should contact NYSDOH. 

FROM THE Q&A 

On whether the state will require hospitals to post vaccination numbers online:

  • The state released yesterday ten hospitals that are using their allocation most quickly, and ten utilizing it most slowly, based on DOH data.
  • Governor said the state will continue to provide this information. 

On what is causing lag in vaccinations for hospitals:

  • Cuomo denied that hospitals were given too many allocations, citing that doses are available for only half of healthcare workers so far.
  • Governor stated some hospitals are simply operating better than others. 

On whether additional cases the new strain has been detected:

  • The test for this strain takes 44 hours, has not been completed yet for additional samples. 

 On “Retail Sites:”

  • The state is still focusing on healthcare workers currently—it will be weeks before this tier is completed.
  • The Governor stated that 25% refusal is expected and acceptable to reach critical mass.
  • Essential workers should utilize their own networks when possible. 

On whether the state can mandate healthcare workers receive vaccine:

  • There is a legal question as to whether this can be done under a federal emergency use authorization, which this vaccine has. 

The Governor’s Office also released the following Executive Orders:  

Executive Order 202.87 

Highlights

  • Extends E.O. 202 and various other E.O.s through January 29, 2021.
  • Extends accidental death benefit provisions. 

Executive Order 202.88 

Highlights

  • Pertains to vaccine allocation and administration.