Apr 9, 2021
- To date, more than 1 in 5 New Yorkers are fully vaccinated. Our providers across the state are continuing to work around the clock to get more shots into arms, and we are doing everything in our power to make sure vaccine distribution remains fair and equitable. And while we continue to make progress towards defeating COVID once and for all, it's as critical as ever that New Yorkers remain vigilant and keep practicing the behaviors we know can stop COVID in its tracks—COVID fatigue is not an option.
Here's what else you need to know tonight:
1. COVID hospitalizations dropped to 4,351. Of the 304,956 tests reported yesterday, 9,014 or 2.96 percent, were positive. The 7-day average positivity rate was 3.37 percent. There were 899 patients in ICU yesterday, down 48 from the previous day. Of them, 591 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 56 New Yorkers to the virus.
2. As of 11am this morning, 36.0 percent of New Yorkers have completed at least one vaccine dose. Over the past 24 hours, 294,412 total doses have been administered. To date, New York administered 11,386,866 total doses with 23.1 percent of New Yorkers completing their vaccine series. See data by region and county on the State's Vaccine Tracker: ny.gov/vaccinetracker.
3. The State will provide additional tax relief for families of MTA employees through the COVID family death benefit program. Members of the MTA workforce risked their own health throughout the pandemic to ensure our essential workers could perform their vital duties. As part of the FY 2022 Enacted Budget, direct payments made to families of MTA employees through the COVID family death benefit program will be exempt from State income taxes to honor those heroes. The MTA's unprecedented $500,000 COVID family death benefit program began in April 2020 and has thus far led to $62 million in approved direct payments to families of MTA employees who died from COVID-19.
4. Sixteen community-based pop-up vaccination sites will come online over the next week. These sites are expected to vaccinate more than 7,100 people throughout the week. Since January 15, more than 200 community-based pop-up sites have administered more than 77,000 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Tonight's "Deep Breath Moment": Instead of asking for birthday presents this year, a young Long Islander asked for items she could donate to a local animal shelter. For her eighth birthday, Arianna La Rosa requested bags of pet food and toys, which she passed along to the animals currently at the Babylon Animal Shelter in Amityville, NY. Arianna's birthday "gifts" came from friends and family, with some donations coming from as far away as Florida.
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