| In March of last year, we created this newsletter in order to keep New Yorkers informed of the State’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to give you the facts directly. After 18 months, New York has gone from the highest infection rate in the country to one of the lowest. Millions of New Yorkers have been vaccinated with more getting vaccinated every day. The work of getting shots in arms and responding to COVID will continue, but tonight’s Coronavirus Update will be the last. I want to thank you for reading—and for your individual actions, big or small, that helped your fellow New Yorkers throughout this unprecedented pandemic. You can continue to monitor the State’s progress on ny.gov. |
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| Image of the Day: The vaccines are available to all New Yorkers age 12 and up. Find a provider near you at vaccines.gov and follow the @VaccinateNY Instagram for trusted content and information about the vaccine. Here’s what else you need to know tonight: 1. COVID hospitalizations are at 1,772. Of the 99,005 tests reported yesterday, 3,575, or 3.61 percent, were positive. The 7-day positivity average was 3.09 percent. There were 362 patients in ICU yesterday, up seven from the previous day. Of them, 134 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 11 New Yorkers to the virus. 2. As of 11am this morning, 77.6 percent of adult New Yorkers have completed at least one vaccine dose, per the CDC. Over the past 24 hours, 32,309 total doses have been administered. To date, New York has administered 22,932,286 total doses with 69.9 percent of adult New Yorkers completing their vaccine series. See additional data on the State’s Vaccine Tracker. 3. The State Department of Health has authorized a third COVID-19 vaccine dose for New Yorkers with compromised immune systems. Following the CDC’s recommendation, eligible New Yorkers can receive their third vaccine dose 28 days after the completion of their two-dose vaccine series, effective immediately. 4. All health care workers in New York State will be required to be vaccinated by Monday, September 27. This includes staff at hospitals and long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, adult care, and other congregate care settings. Limited medical and religious exemptions will be allowed. Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: A new world record was set at Nardin Academy in Buffalo, New York, last week. Basketball players from all across the region came together to play what is now the world’s longest basketball game. The game, which lasted five days, one minute and seven seconds, was organized to raise money for mental health resources in the Buffalo area. Ever Upward, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo |