Dec 6, 2021
- Yesterday, five cases of the omicron variant were discovered in New York State. As I said last night with Mayor de Blasio and New York City public health experts, we knew the variant was coming and we are ready to handle it.
We are not defenseless. We have the tools, let's use them: Get vaccinated, get your booster, and wear a mask. To quote our new Health Commissioner, Dr. Mary T. Bassett: “I have enormous hope about our ability to tackle this big picture." And I couldn't agree with Dr. Bassett more.
Let's dive in.
UPDATES IN OUR FIGHT AGAINST COVID
WELCOME, DR. BASSETT! We need tested leadership and experience to improve health equity and access across the state, and I'm proud to have Dr. Bassett leading the New York State Department of Health during this critical moment. Keep up with Dr. Bassett on Twitter and with the Department of Health on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
BOOST UP, NEW YORK. I'm grateful for the 80.9% of adult New Yorkers who are fully vaccinated -- we've come a long way! With the holidays approaching, now is the time to get vaccinated and get the booster dose to protect yourself and your loved ones. This week, we launched a six-figure campaign -- Boost Up, New York! -- to encourage New Yorkers to get their booster as soon as they can. Find a vaccine and booster site near you: ny.gov/vaccine.
PRIORITIZING TESTING. Testing allows us to keep our communities safe and prevent the virus from spreading, and thanks to the White House's newly released COVID-19 Winter Plan, we are able to break down barriers and make it easier for New Yorkers to get tested. Find a testing site near you.
THE LATEST ON THE NUMBERS
THIS WEEK'S COVID TRENDS. As of December 2, 2021, there are 3,107 New Yorkers hospitalized with COVID-19. Our 7-day percentage positivity average was 4.85%, which is up from 3.82% last week.
Per the CDC as of December 3, 2021, 91.2% of adult New Yorkers have at least one vaccine dose. So far, 30,164,634 total vaccine doses have been administered, and 159,560 doses were administered over the past 24 hours.
Photo of the Day: I welcomed New York's Department of Health Commissioner, Dr. Mary T. Bassett to my COVID briefing this week. [Photo by Kevin Coughlin]
ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS
Every week, we're answering some commonly asked questions about COVID-19 and vaccinations. You can submit a question for a chance to get your question answered in next week's newsletter. Submit your question here.
QUESTION: How can I include my booster vaccine onto my excelsior pass that I already have on my phone? (Cheryl, Kings County)
ANSWER:
At this time, an Excelsior Vaccination Pass only includes an individual's initial vaccine series. It does not include an individual's booster dose and/or additional dose. New Yorkers who received a booster or additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can retrieve their Excelsior Vaccination Pass Plus—which, as a secure copy of an individual's vaccination record—includes all COVID-19 doses received to date. If you have previously retrieved your Excelsior Vaccination Pass Plus before this update was made, simply visit epass.ny.gov to retrieve a new Excelsior Vaccination Pass Plus at any time. New Yorkers can expect their booster or additional doses to be available 3 – 4 days following when they received their booster or additional dose.
Ever Upward,
Governor Kathy Hochul