ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul says New Yorkers in upstate communities seeing upticks in COVID-19 cases could again face more pandemic restrictions if infection rates fail to drop.
The Democrat didn’t outline Tuesday any specific measures she could take, or when they could begin, but said she’s troubled by vaccine holdouts and signs of rising COVID-19 cases in parts of western and central New York.
“If the numbers don’t start on a downward trend, we’re going to have to talk about tighter protocols,” Gov. Hochul said. “So this is the warning and I hope the community will listen because it doesn’t have to be this way.”
The governor also said anyone who feels they’re at high risk of getting COVID-19 should get a booster shot.
Hochul said vaccination remains the best option for reducing spread, hospitalization, and death pertaining to the pandemic. The state’s vaccination progress, according to the governor Tuesday, is as follows:
- 28,555,661 total doses administered
- 53,987 vaccine doses administered in past 24 hours
- 89.10% of New Yorkers 18 and older with at least one dose
- 79.8% of New Yorkers 18 and older fully vaccinated
- 71.30% of New Yorkers aged 12-17 with at least one dose
- 62.90% of New Yorkers aged 12-17 fully vaccinated.
Regarding breakthrough cases in New York, the governor reported a slight uptick week over week in percentage of breakthrough cases and hospitalizations.
She said breakthrough cases accounted for 1.2% of new COVID-19 cases in New York over the past seven days, and 0.08% of COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide, up from 1.1% and 0.07%, respectively, a week ago.
The governor announced that anyone who is 18 and older, who lives in a high transmission area, as designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, can get the booster shot if they want one. The CDC recommends booster shots six months after the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, or two months after the Johnson & Johnson dose.
