NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – With the Omicron variant spreading and New York breaking one more document for folks testing constructive, Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled Friday what she known as her “Winter Surge Plan 2.0.”
It includes extra fast testing, sending dozens of latest ambulance groups to New York Metropolis, and a dramatic plea for folks to get vaccinated.
READ MORE: Surging COVID Cases Push New Yorkers To Change New Year’s Eve Party Plans
As CBS2’s Marcia Kramer reviews, the Omicron-driven COVID surge is continuous unabated – 76,555 new circumstances and a 22.5% positivity charge.
FIND TESTING SITES: Click here for New York City’s testing site locator, together with cellular websites and at-home appointments
“It’s nearly not price saying we’re breaking data. We’re breaking data on daily basis,” Hochul stated.
Hochul made a dramatic plea for New Yorkers to get vaccinated and boosted as the easiest way to keep away from the worst results of the illness and to keep away from hospitalization.
Hochul stated a lot of the COVID sufferers in New York hospitals are unvaccinated.
AVOID THE LINES: Click here for NYC Health+Hospitals testing wait times
“The most recent information we now have is 30 per 100,000 circumstances are unvaxxed, in contrast with 2.1 who’re vaccinated,” she stated. “In case you are vaccinated, you could have a really low likelihood of being hospitalized.”
The governor and Well being Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett additionally pleaded with mother and father to get their children vaccinated because of an increase in youngsters being hospitalized. The week of Dec. 5, there have been 50 children that needed to be hospitalized. This week thus far, there have been 299.
Watch Marcia Kramer’s report
“I feel all of us as a society acknowledge a accountability to guard youngsters,” Bassett stated. “Now we have too many youngsters below the age of 12 who’re eligible for vaccination who aren’t vaccinated. It’s solely 17.5%, possibly 18.5% at the moment which can be totally vaccinated.”
Hochul’s plan consists of:
As a part of her plea for folks to get vaccinated and boosted, the governor enlisted a variety of elected officers, together with Sen. Chuck Schumer and Mayor-elect Eric Adams to make video testimonials. However Rep. Tom Suozzi, who’s working towards Hochul for governor, stated the plan falls far brief.
COVID VACCINE
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“We should be advertising and marketing boosters on daily basis by way of TV commercials throughout the state, from hospitals and medical doctors – not politicians,” Suozzi stated.
Suozzi stated the state must ramp up testing websites, together with drive-throughs.
Hochul stated there are 1,800 check websites within the state, with 13 extra opening this week and 6 extra subsequent week.
WATCH: Gov. Kathy Hochul Outlines Winter Surge 2.0 Plan
Well being officers worry issues may solely worsen.
“I hope folks do keep cautious and maintain their guard up, which means please maintain masking, even indoors, even once you’re amongst family and friends that you could be not dwell with,” immunologist Dr. Purvi Parikh advised CBS2’s Dick Brennan.
Dr. David Goldberg, assistant professor on the Columbia College Vagelos Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, says the primary concern is the variety of people who find themselves nonetheless unvaccinated.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
With 2022 upon us, many are involved about what we face subsequent from COVID.
“Are we on the level the place we’re simply going to should study to dwell with some type of this virus down the highway?” Brennan requested.
“That’s the massive concern,” Goldberg stated. “Will we ever be able the place you’ll be able to go to the theater or fly [on] a airplane with out carrying a masks? I don’t suppose anybody is aware of.”
One other headache for the brand new 12 months: the flu. Docs say it’s as soon as once more surging.
“Flu is up. It’s 600% than it was a few years in the past, so I’m simply anxious {that a} twindemic may very well be catastrophic on the well being care system,” Parikh stated.
So medical doctors say it’s extra vital than ever to get each your COVID and flu vaccines.
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CBS2’s Dick Brennan contributed to this report.
