May 7, 2021
- New Yorkers have been amazing in acting for the good of the group throughout the pandemic, and as we near the light at the end of this COVID tunnel, we must continue to work together. Remember that all New York State-operated vaccination sites are open for walk-ins on a first-come, first-serve basis. And if you prefer to schedule an appointment, you can do so on the Am I Eligible App or by calling 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829). Our providers are working around the clock to get as many shots in arms as possible, and we as a society must all do our part.
Here's what else you need to know tonight:
1. COVID hospitalizations dropped to 2,264. Of the 194,988 tests reported yesterday, 2,370, or 1.22 percent, were positive. The 7-day average percent positivity was 1.53 percent. There were 571 patients in ICU yesterday, down 34 from the previous day. Of them, 354 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 25 New Yorkers to the virus.
2. As of 11am this morning, 59.4 percent of adult New Yorkers have completed at least one vaccine dose. Over the past 24 hours, 161,388 total doses have been administered. To date, New York administered 16,395,758 total doses with 47.0 percent of adult New Yorkers completing their vaccine series. See additional data on the State's Vaccine Tracker.
3. The federal government is accepting applications for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. If you're a restaurant owner, caterer, or food business owner, I encourage you to take a look and apply.
4. In the third round of the program, Nourish NY has spent $9 million to help New Yorkers in need. So far, over eight million pounds of raw milk has been turned into dairy products and distributed by food banks, along with over 2.5 million pounds of produce. Over five million meals have been made for households in need using products sourced from New York farms.
Tonight's "Deep Breath Moment": A local barber in Amsterdam, NY, is hoping to use community support to inspire local high schoolers to attend college. Understanding the struggle many went through during COVID, barber Jay Blendz started "Books N' Blendz," a $2,000 scholarship fund to help high school seniors in his community with their post-graduation pursuits. The scholarship will be given to four high school graduates to use toward tuition, books and room and board.
If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State's Coronavirus Updates