Apr 8, 2021
- New Yorkers have done a tremendous job at continuing to beat back COVID, but we are not out of the woods yet. Even as we keep expanding eligibility, opening new vaccination sites and working to ensure the system is equitable, there's still more work to be done before we can fully get back to the things we love. With transmissible variants spreading and an infection rate that continues to hover above three percent, there is real cause for New Yorkers to stay vigilant. Washing hands, social distancing and masking up are small behaviors that make a big difference in our ability to combat this virus. There is a real need to continue these behaviors. We can get past this pandemic—we just have to get there together.
Here's what else you need to know tonight:
1. COVID hospitalizations dropped to 4,422. Of the 263,737 tests reported yesterday, 8,379, or 3.18 percent, were positive. The 7-day average positivity rate was 3.40 percent. There were 947 patients in ICU yesterday, down three from the previous day. Of them, 600 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 47 New Yorkers to the virus.
2. As of 11am this morning, 35.1 percent of New Yorkers have completed at least one vaccine dose. Over the past 24 hours, 223,154 total doses have been administered. To date, New York administered 11,092,454 total doses with 22.3 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 annual Rochester Lilac Festival will be held in a different format this year. The annual festival will be held in a smaller format this year, split up between weekends in May to ensure full compliance with the State's outdoor event gathering guidance. Attendees who plan to enjoy the Flower City's annual festival will also be required to wear a mask.
4. 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 & 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": Last September, we featured a Naples, NY teenager who built a boat on his own. Today we're glad to feature him again for another engineering feat. Now 15, Josh Gleason expanded his repertoire and is now designing and building underwater remotely operated vehicles. Gleason modeled his vehicles after those used by the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and along with scouts from Naples Troop 40, he has deployed the vehicles to explore the waters of Honeoye Lake.
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