Hochul Warns Of New Variant As HV Case Rate Hits 3.5%

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Coronavirus positivity rates continue to rise in the Hudson Valley as across New York, and state officials are tightening up rules for hot spots while preparing for the emergence of the omicron COVID-19 variant now spreading around the globe.

The statewide rate was 4.12 percent as of Sunday.

(Source: New York State)

The winter surge is here and the Thanksgiving holiday will lead to more cases, Gov. Kathy Hochul predicted Monday.

"We lost 41 people yesterday," she said. "How tragic it is for families after the holiday to have to deal with this searing loss."

Saying positivity rates should show a post-holiday surge in five days and any surge in hospitalizations would occur in about 10 days, Hochul asked New Yorkers to watch for symptoms and stay in touch with family members.

The increase in cases has already begun to stress hospitals in upstate communities with low vaccination rates, Hochul said, but not in the Hudson Valley, Long Island or New York City.

She signed an executive order Friday to limit elective surgeries in hospitals in those hot spots that are low on available beds and staff.

"My number one concern is hospital capacity," she said. She said she wants to ensure that "other people who need medical attention are not denied it because the beds are filled with COVID patients."

While there is a correlation between the hospital staff shortage upstate and the mandate that healthcare workers be vaccinated, she said, the correlation is much stronger between high hospitalization rates and lower vaccination rates among nearby residents.

She said she would not back off on the statewide health worker vaccine mandate in order to help hospitals in hot spots raise staffing levels.

No one needing health care in New York should have to fear that they could catch COVID-19 from the people tasked with helping them, she said. "I can't change the policy because of individuals who made that personal decision."

Researchers are discovering that people who are vaccinated against COVID-19 are less likely to spread it if they are infected in a breakthrough case.

Meanwhile, Hochul reminded New Yorkers to continue taking the other precautionary steps known to reduce the spread of the virus: wear a mask in indoor public places, use proper hand hygiene, get tested, and stay home when sick.

While as of Monday afternoon the omicron variant has not yet appeared in New York, "We know it's coming. But here's the good news," she said. "We're not defenseless compared to a year ago. Anyone over 5 can get vaccinated."

She brought in Kirsten St. George, head of the laboratory of viral diseases at the state's internationally-renowned Wadsworth Labs, to talk about how scientists across the state, the country and the world are collaborating on gene-sequencing work and reporting to track all variants.

State officials are particularly concerned about nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, she said. The first reason is that some hospitals in hot spots are filled with non-COVID patients because there is no room at nearby care facilities. The other is that only 56 percent of nursing home residents in the state have received a booster shot, which could be problematic because federal guidelines allow unvaccinated visitors.

She applauded the Erie County Executive's mask mandate. A look at the numbers shows that many upstate residents jumped to false conclusions, she said.

"People said 'we're over this' but there are leaders all across the state who are doing the right thing," she said. "It takes courage. It's not fun to be the person who has to say 'it's not over.'"

She said she was proud that 90.3 percent of New Yorkers 18 and older have received at least 1 dose of vaccine, urging people to get that second dose or that booster shot.

"We want to get back to normal. We want to get back to a time when children are not wearing masks to school," she said. "It is within our reach."