May 14, 2021
- As we near the light at the end of the COVID tunnel, it is imperative that we vaccinate as many people as possible. Our numbers remain on the decline but COVID is still out there, and if we let down our guard, we risk losing all the progress we have made. Our providers are working hard to get more shots into arms, and I urge everyone who still needs to get their shot to do so quickly—for themselves and for everyone they care about and want to protect.
Here's what else you need to know tonight:
1. COVID hospitalizations dropped to 1,767. Of the 203,852 tests reported yesterday, 2,068, or 1.01 percent, were positive—the lowest since October 10. The 7-day average percent positivity was 1.22 percent. There were 415 patients in ICU yesterday, down 18 from the previous day. Of them, 247 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 25 New Yorkers to the virus.
2. As of 11am this morning, 61.2 percent of adult New Yorkers have completed at least one vaccine dose. Over the past 24 hours, 140,551 total doses have been administered. To date, New York administered 17,306,771 total doses with 51.0 percent of adult New Yorkers completing their vaccine series. See additional data on the State's Vaccine Tracker.
3. The Thunder on the Buffalo Waterfront Air Show will take place at Buffalo's Outer Harbor on June 19 and 20, 2021. The outdoor event, sponsored by the Vein Treatment Center, features a range of military and civilian aerial performers. This year's show will be a ticketed event, with reduced capacity and social distancing measures in place to ensure a safe return of the exciting Western New York tradition.
4. The New York State Museum, Library, and Archives in Albany will reopen Monday, May 17. The State Education Department's Cultural Education Center reopens to the public on Monday, May 17, with new COVID-19 protocols in place and adjusted hours. Learn more.
5. See how Excelsior Pass can help you be a part of NY's safe reopening. To help revitalize New York's economy safely, the State launched Excelsior Pass—a free and voluntary platform for businesses and individuals that can be used to easily access secure proof of a recent negative COVID test or vaccination. Learn more.
Tonight's "Deep Breath Moment": A few weeks ago, we wrote about a peregrine falcon couple nesting on the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. We can share the happy update that the falcons' eggs have hatched and the chicks are healthy. You can keep up with the peregrine falcon family on the bridge's Falcon Camera.
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