Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on December 28 announced he is signing an Executive Order to extend the requirement that death benefits be paid out to families of frontline government workers for an additional 30 days. The legislation providing these benefits, signed by the Governor in May (Chapter 89 of the Laws of 2020), would otherwise expire on December 31. The Governor also announced that more than 200,000 New Yorkers have now been vaccinated with the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and beginning next week, New York will open vaccination criteria to ambulatory care health workers and public-facing public health workers, including those administering COVID-19 tests.
“The vaccine is the weapon that will win the war, but it can’t be done overnight and our actions will determine how fast we can reach the light at the end of the tunnel,” Governor Cuomo said. “Yes, we are getting the vaccine out as quickly as possible, and yes, we’re doing everything we can to slow the spread, but we also need to find ways to start reopening businesses through the use of testing. That is the smartest way forward and that’s what we’re trying to explore. In the meantime, there is one message New Yorkers should remember as we approach the close of the holiday season – celebrating smart stops shutdowns. If we stay smart, stay tough and take the steps we know help stop the spread, we will get through this.”
Today’s data is summarized briefly below:
- Test Results Reported – 154,949
- Total Positive – 13,422
- Percent Positive – 8.66%
- Patient Hospitalization – 7,892 (+78)
- Patients Newly Admitted – 1,106
- Hospital Counties – 55
- Number ICU – 1,250 (+26)
- Number ICU with Intubation – 702 (-9)
- Total Discharges – 101,295 (+853)
- Deaths – 144
- Total Deaths – 29,905
The regional hospital bed capacity and occupancy numbers, including the number of hospitalizations as a percent of the region’s population, is as follows:
|
Region |
COVID Patients Currently in Hospital in Region |
COVID Patients as Percent of Region Population |
Percent of Hospital Beds Available in Region (7-Day Avg) |
|
Capital Region |
404 |
0.04% |
26% |
|
Central New York |
404 |
0.05% |
22% |
|
Finger Lakes |
959 |
0.08% |
34% |
|
Long Island |
1,384 |
0.05% |
26% |
|
Mid-Hudson |
906 |
0.04% |
35% |
|
Mohawk Valley |
273 |
0.06% |
26% |
|
New York City |
2,772 |
0.03% |
31% |
|
North Country |
74 |
0.02% |
40% |
|
Southern Tier |
196 |
0.03% |
45% |
|
Western New York |
520 |
0.04% |
34% |
|
Statewide |
7,892 |
0.04% |
31% |
The regional ICU bed capacity and occupancy numbers are as follows:
|
Region |
Total ICU Beds in Region |
Total Occupied ICU Beds in Region |
Percent of ICU Beds Available in Region (7-day Avg) |
|
Capital Region |
216 |
187 |
19% |
|
Central New York |
267 |
203 |
27% |
|
Finger Lakes |
397 |
289 |
29% |
|
Long Island |
778 |
588 |
24% |
|
Mid-Hudson |
684 |
430 |
41% |
|
Mohawk Valley |
126 |
102 |
25% |
|
New York City |
2,469 |
1,802 |
29% |
|
North Country |
55 |
35 |
43% |
|
Southern Tier |
125 |
81 |
39% |
|
Western New York |
545 |
337 |
42% |
|
NYS TOTAL |
5,662 |
4,054 |
31% |
Yesterday, 154,949 test results were reported to New York State, and 8.66 percent were positive. Each region’s 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:
|
REGION |
