COVID Cases Tick Up, New Protocols Possible In Hardest Hit Areas

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — As coronavirus positivity rates continue to rise statewide, Gov. Kathy Hochul said new protocols in areas with the highest numbers could be coming, including more mask time for children in school.

"I am concerned," she said Tuesday. "I would love to be able to declare an end to this war but the numbers don't allow us to say that just yet."

Hochul pointed to the Finger Lakes, where the positivity rate was 8.73 percent, up from 6.68 percent last week and 5.11 percent on Nov. 1 — and western New York, which has a positivity rate of 8.52 percent, up from 6.40 percent last week and 5.74 percent on Nov. 1.

Increases have been seen in other areas, too: On Long Island, the positivity rate stood at 3.48 percent, up from 2.50 percent last week and 2.15 percent on Nov. 1.

The Hudson Valley has a much lower rate, though it also is rising. In the region, the positivity rate was 2.7 percent, up from 1.92 percent Nov. 7 and 1.73 percent on Nov. 1.

"We are entering into a vulnerable time," Hochul said. With the holidays coming, she advised New Yorkers to celebrate Thanksgiving safely by getting the vaccine or booster, wearing a mask in public, indoor spaces, maintaining physical distance of at least 6 feet, and avoiding large gatherings in indoor spaces.

An increase in hospitalizations is a concern, she said. Breakthrough infections, up to 1.2 percent this week from 1.1 percent last week, are also "very troubling," Hochul said.

More than five regions in New York, up from one region last week, have more than 50 regional cases per 100,000, a cause for "alarm," she said.

The reasons why some regions have much higher percentages are simple, Hochul said: People are heading indoors, and are more complacent, not wearing their masks indoors. Also, those who refuse to be vaccinated are holding back progress, she said.

The state's vaccination tracker puts the percentage of New Yorkers with at least one dose at 76 percent. Vaccination rates in the Hudson Valley vary widely:

• Dutchess: 69.7 percent of residents have at least 1 dose
• Orange: 60.6
• Putnam: 74.7
• Rockland: 63.4
• Ulster: 74.7
• Westchester: 79.6

However, the vaccination rates are even lower in the areas where the numbers are higher: The rate in Seneca County is 51.7 percent of people with at least one dose; in Allegany County in western New York, it's 44.7 percent.

"We are approaching the holidays and we have to fix this," Hochul said. Those in high-transmission rates should get a booster as soon as possible, she said.

Unless people respond to the call, new protocols could be coming, Hochul said.

"I want to be able to come here and declare that this is over," she said. "The last thing I want to do is to talk about putting more protocols in place. But this situation is untenable; the numbers are far too high."

Hochul said local governments have the full support of the state if they need to take additional steps to put those protocols in place. "I will have your back," she said. "Let's get more shots in arms. Let's get through this."

Vaccinating children is a priority; so far, 140,000 children ages 5 to 11 have been vaccinated, Hochul said. To help local health departments, pharmacies and pediatricians, who were first tasked with getting New York's children vaccinated, pop-up vaccination and mass vaccination sites are opening, she said.

However, if the numbers rise, the governor said she may have to increase the time kids wear masks at school. Currently, they are allowed not to wear them for outdoor recess and gym and while eating or 6-feet apart.

"We all know how critically important it is for kids to stay in school," Hochul said. "We saw the decline in kids at home; they slid hard and far. As parents, one of our greatest tragedies, aside from the loss of life, is the loss of education. I want them to be in school safely. And we know how to do this — making sure kids are vaccinated."

Hochul introduced a new advertising campaign to assuage parents' fears about vaccinating kids. "There are a lot of lies out there," she said, adding that a new facts page has also been created.

Hochul said her message was loud and clear: For those in high transmission areas, vaccines and boosters are critical.

"If the numbers don't start on a downward trend, we will need to talk about larger protocols," she said. "This is the warning."

Patch Editor Lisa Finn contributed to this report.