NY’s Continued Push for Federal Aid
Today Governor Andrew Cuomo, along with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins as well as various labor leaders from around the state published a letter addressed to the New York Congressional delegation emphasizing the importance of a “proportionate to the damage incurred” federal stimulus package.
Governor Cuomo indicated that without federal money the steps the State would need to take to fill its growing budget gap this year and next would be drastic, and without it here in New York there is “no tax increase that can make up for the lost revenue from Washington”.
Vaccine Plans and Difficulties
During Governor Cuomo’s press conference today he further laid out the States plan for the handling of the pending vaccines. New York will look to take a three pronged approach, including:
- Create a public education campaign to show the need and importance of the vaccine while also battling the perceived skepticism of its effectiveness;
- Further and continue outreach in the hardest hit communities, primarily in poorer black and brown neighborhoods; and
- Timely and effective distribution beginning in the next few days
Pending the presumed FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine, the Governor specified that the first priority was to get the vaccine to high-risk health care workers and the staff and residents of nursing homes. As the State moves forward into the full rollout of its distribution plan, the State has identified 90 locations around the State that will serve as regional warehouses for further distribution.
Possible Contact Tracing Data Release
The Governor was asked for more specific data about where the state’s tracing data indicates the continued COVID-19 spread is coming from, specifically what roll indoor dining plays in the spread. The Governor stated that “it is not as bad as it was, but it is not as bad as it was because we put significant restriction on indoor dining.” The Governor indicated that they will look to put together a compilation of contact tracing data and release it this coming Friday.
New York State COVID-19 Numbers
The statewide positivity rate yesterday was 5.44% with 4,993 hospitalizations, an increase of 158. There were 95 COVID-19 deaths in New York State yesterday. Please let us know if you have any questions. Stay safe everyone.
