Oct 16, 2020
- New York's numbers remain steady, despite the handful of clusters we are currently focused on. We are addressing these clusters through our targeted approach to ensure that they don't become community spread. As we go through the fall and into winter and cases continue to rise across the country, it's going to take the work of all New Yorkers to maintain our progress. We cannot and will not risk going backwards to where we were in the spring. Our progress is thanks to New Yorkers, who rose to the occasion and came together like no other community. But we have to keep it up — we must all keep washing our hands, wearing our masks and remaining socially distant. This is about caring for one another and being New York Tough, which means being loving.
Here's what else you need to know tonight:
1. The positivity rate in "Red Zone" focus areas was flat yesterday at 4.84 percent. The statewide positivity rate excluding the focus areas was 1.14 percent. There were 918 total hospitalizations. Of the 132,106 tests reported yesterday, 1,707, or 1.25 percent, were positive. Sadly, we lost 10 New Yorkers to the virus.
2. Remember that New Yorkers can request an absentee ballot online now. If you have concerns about COVID, you may request an online ballot now — don't wait until the last minute. New Yorkers have several options to vote in this year's election: Early voting, absentee voting and in-person voting on Election Day. Learn more.
3. The test positivity rate remains below 2 percent in every region of the state. In New York City, the positivity rate yesterday was 1.2 percent. In Long Island, it was 1.1 percent. In the Capital Region, 0.7 percent. In Central New York, 1.2 percent. In the Finger Lakes, 1.5 percent. In the Mid-Hudson Region, 1.8 percent. In Mohawk Valley, 0.3 percent. In the North Country, 0.5 percent. And finally, in the Southern Tier, it was 1.6 percent. You can check updated data for your region anytime online.
4. Westchester's Winter Wonderland Holiday celebration will be held as a drive-thru event this year. For the seventh annual celebration, organizers have arranged a 1.2 mile drive-thru route for families to safely drive through. The planned route will feature lights, holiday decorations and even holiday music. The celebration will begin November 27th and run until January 3rd.
5. We are taking action to reduce food insecurity among community college students, older adults and disabled New Yorkers. Food insecurity has increased due to COVID, and New York is responding. Today's actions expand eligibility for SNAP (food stamps) to up to nearly 75,000 low-income college students enrolled in career or technical education course work. Food insecurity affects a wide breadth of low-income New Yorkers and we have an obligation to help in their time of need.
Tonight's "Deep Breath Moment": Every year for the past 20 years, Utahan Ken Klinker stirs up excitement for Halloween by creating dozens of intricate jack-o-lanterns to display in his yard. His passion was first kindled when carving pumpkins for his children. Since, Ken continued to create his pumpkins with increasingly elaborate designs. This year, he will display some of his work in his yard and others at haunted houses and haunted forests. See some of his pumpkins here.
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