Governor Kathy Hochul described as “a ray of hope” that for the first time in weeks the COVID-19 figures in New York have tended to fall, which could be a sign that the peak driven by the omicron variant would be starting to decrease.
“We may be getting over that peak,” the governor said. “Cases are going down, the rate of increase is slowing down, but they’re still high.”
“We are not at the end, but I wanted to say that this is, for me, a ray of hope, a ray of hope at a time when we desperately need it,” added Hochul.
All in all, 48,686 new cases were reported on Monday, along with 160 deaths.
New York City, the governor explained, is beginning to stabilize, with the seven-day average reflecting this stabilization.
#COVID Update:
-261,620 Test Results Reported
-48,686 Positives
-18.61% Positive
-12,540 Hospitalizations (+518)
-160 new deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS pic.twitter.com/Rfo001VqnK— Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) January 11, 2022
One area, however, in which there is particular concern is that of unvaccinated children and the consequent hospitalization of many of them.
“91% of children between the ages of 5 and 11 recently admitted to hospitals are not vaccinated. It does not have to be this way. It is unnecessary, it can be prevented. And that is what we are going to continue talking about, how to make sure that our children are protected,” added the governor.
To attack this problem of unvaccinated children, the governor announced a new campaign or initiative called ‘Vax for Kids’, in which parents and guardians are encouraged to vaccinate their children.
“As COVID-19 continues to spread, the best shield for our children is the vaccine. It is safe, effective, free, and more than half a million children in New York between the ages of 5 and 11 have already received their first dose so far. With the campaign #VaxForKids, we are redoubling our efforts to get this critical message to even more parents and guardians,” said Hochul.
The state health commissioner also spoke on this issue. “I urge parents to get their children ages 5-11 vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible. We are witnessing an alarming increase in the number of children sick and hospitalized due to omicron. Vaccination is simply the best way to protect them,” said Dr. Mary Bassett.
The governor also announced that starting Wednesday there will be a new website (ny.gov/isolation or ny.gov/quarantine) for New Yorkers to get information on what to do about isolation, quarantine, and similar issues related to Covid.
“The big change for New Yorkers is that if you test positive, you no longer have to wait for a call from your Health department. Instead, you should follow the isolation and quarantine guidance that will be released tomorrow and go to our website for more information on isolation and quarantine. What you must do to protect yourself, avoid contagion to others and stay healthy, “said the governor.
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