Hochul calls for more New York vaccinations as holiday season begins

(The Center Square) – New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is urging residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or get their booster shot as the state is seeing its highest number of cases and rates in more than seven months.

The message also comes as the traditional start of the holiday season begins. Last year, that led to a second surge of the virus, with the number of new daily cases even exceeding what New York saw at the onset of the pandemic.

On Sunday, the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center reported a seven-day daily average of 6,815 cases. That’s the highest the caseload has been since mid-April. The 4% positivity rate was also the highest it’s been since early April.

According to information from the state, the Western New York region has the highest positivity rate among all regions at 9.72% on Monday. The Finger Lakes region was at 8.57%.

New York City, meanwhile, was at 1.65%.

Hospitalizations, which had a seven-day average of 2,925 through Wednesday according to Johns Hopkins, are at their highest since early May.

With some residents gathering with family members for the first time since the pandemic began, especially with the easing of international travel restrictions, Hochul said she wanted New Yorkers to do all they can to protect themselves.

“The vaccine is the best tool we have to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” she said in a statement Wednesday. “If you haven’t gotten yours yet, go out and get it today, and if you have and you’re due for your booster, get yours as soon as possible. Vaccines are safe, effective, and readily available throughout the state.”

New York has reported more than 29.2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the state. Nearly two-thirds of all New Yorkers, 66.1 percent, are fully vaccinated, and 73.6 percent of all residents have received at least one dose.

Last week while in Buffalo, as the COVID-19 cases began to rise, the governor hinted that more restrictions may be put into place to control the spread of the virus.

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