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JOHN BAILEY INTERVIEWS WHITE PLAINS’ ALEX PHILIPPIDIS, VETERAN NEWSMAN ON THE CORONAVIRUS VACCINE SITUATION. WHAT’S AHEAD FOR BIG PHARMA, IS THERE ENOUGH VACCINE? ARE THERE ENOUGH DRUGS TO CURE THOSE WHO ALREADY HAVE IT? FACTS ON WHERE VACCINATIONS STAND NOW.
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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2020. Official Statement of Westchester County Executive George Latimer on the events in Washington yesterday 5:30 PM. January 7, 2020:
“We’ve all watched television this afternoon with some sense of horror about the attack at the Capitol that has happened when a large group of individuals stormed the Senate and House of Representatives. They marched inside into the chambers and disrupted the work of both houses as they seek to complete the electoral process of the Electoral College.
I had to remind myself, and all of us, that this is a nation of law – not of men. We set rules and standards for a reason – and we pride ourselves as nation on following those rules because it gives equal opportunity for all and an equal sense of responsibility we have to each other as fellow residents and citizens.
“In the history of this nation, no matter how much conflict we have had – and there is conflict built in every day in the halls of government – we never go from disagreements as fellow Americans to inciting violence or expecting that a mob can control a legislative body in order to impose its will outside of its legislative structures.
“We have the right to free speech and the right to free assembly but you don’t have the right to impose you will, which you perceive to be the truth, upon all the rest of Americans because you feel so strongly about it. We all feel strongly about the things we believe in but we don’t go beyond that in the world of violence to impose that.
“We have a situation that represents today what is culmination of a number of years where we have broken down the proper barriers that protect us as a democracy. We have existed for over 250 years as a democracy, but no democracy has existed indefinitely. Totalitarianism always knocks. It’s always easier to rule completely if one man rules the whole nation, without a need for messy debate.
“You have that in Russia, China, North Korea, Iran – and we don’t want the here in the United States of America. It is time for our fellow Americans to understand that the election process has played out and has given us a new President and a new Congress.
In two years time, if individuals are dissatisfied with Congress, they get a chance to change the House of Representatives and 1/3 of the Senate – in 4 years they can change the President and the Congress again. And they have that opportunity at the state and local level all throughout. That’s the American system.
Mob-ocracy is not the American system. I know that today people who are Democrats and Republicans will join voices to decry what happened in today in Washington. Let this be a reminder we have a civic responsibility to not only vote but to uphold the basics of our democratic society. Or else, as Ben Franklin said ‘it’s democracy only if we can keep it.’”
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WPCNR GOVERNOR CUOMO CORONAVIRUS REPORT. JANUARY 7, 2020:
The vaccination rate at NY hospitals has increased dramatically.
Over the past three weeks, hospitals were administering 10,809 vaccine doses per day (on average), but this week the rate increased to 31,157 doses per day. We want to see this number go up even more.
I know that many New Yorkers are eager for information on the vaccine’s distribution. In fact my mother, Matilda, keeps asking me when she can get vaccinated. Much of the timeline depends on how quickly the federal government can distribute supplies to states, and we expect the supply to increase over time.
Currently, we are in Phase 1A—which includes residents and staff of nursing homes and other congregate care facilities as well as doctors, nurses, and all health care workers that come into contact with the public, including individuals administering the COVID vaccine.
After we vaccinate our heroic health care workers, we move into Phase 1B, which will include teachers and education workers, first responders (police, firefighters), public safety workers, public transit workers, and people 75-and-older. If you’re unsure whether or not you’re currently eligible, you can check here: ny.gov/vaccine.
Photo of the Day: Members of the New York National Guard assembling COVID-19 vaccine pods that will be used as stand-up vaccination sites throughout the state (Photo by Darren McGee)
Here’s what else you need to know tonight:
1. Total hospitalizations rose to 8,665. Of the 197,816 tests reported yesterday, 16,648, or 8.41 percent, were positive. There were 1,408 patients in ICU yesterday, up 16 from the previous day. Of them, 877 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 161 New Yorkers.
2. We need the federal government to take action on international flights to prevent the spread of COVID variants. I sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf asking him to require that airline travelers to the United States receive a negative COVID-19 test result before being allowed into the country.
Between 70,000 and 80,000 international passengers arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City each week. Read the letter here.
3. The Finger Lakes, with 934 hospitalizations, has the highest rate of COVID hospitalizations by population. Hospitalizations in the Finger Lakes represent 0.08 percent of the region’s population.
Mid-Hudson Region (which includes Westchester County has 984 hospitalizations (0.04 percent);
Western New York has 540 hospitalizations (0.04 percent of its population);
Central New York has 403 hospitalizations (0.05 percent);
Mohawk Valley has 306 hospitalizations (0.06 percent);
Long Island has 1,614 hospitalizations (0.06 percent);
Capital Region has 472 hospitalizations (0.04 percent);
Southern Tier has 220 hospitalizations (0.03 percent);
New York City has 3,107 hospitalizations (0.04 percent).
The North Country, with 85 hospitalizations (0.02 percent), has the lowest rate of hospitalizations due to COVID.
4. The vaccination rate at NY hospitals has increased dramatically. Over the past three weeks, hospitals were administering 10,809 vaccine doses per day (on average), but this week the rate increased to 31,157 doses per day. We want to see this number go up even more.
Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: Last month, New York was hit with a snowstorm that dropped large quantities of snow across the state and left behind significant debris and felled branches. After the storm, father-son duo Craig and Lincoln Marshall of Glen Cove, New York, found that the Welwyn Preserve was hit especially hard by the storm, and many of the trails and paths were blocked by trees. Together, the two grabbed a chainsaw, endured the cold and cleared out the pedestrian and bike paths of the natural public reserve so residents could quickly enjoy the wildlife and scenery—a great example of civic-mindedness! If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State’s Coronavirus Updates here. Ever Upward, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
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WPCNR CORONAVIRUS BULLETIN. By John F. Bailey. January 7, 2020:
WPCNR has learned that a person scheduled to get a first Covid Vaccine shot of the Moderna Vaccine, indicates the reason vaccinations of medical personnel, first responders is proceeding at a slow pace.
The individual in question will receive the first shot of moderna and then wait 3 weeks for a second shot.
According to the New York State Department of Health, All vaccines but one require 2 shots to be effective, meaning swift, mass, efficient fast as possible first inoculations to any universe is essential.
As the Westchester Medical Center advised in a statement to WPCNR yestereday , they are beginning to inoculate employees who have had the first shot three weeks ago yesterday.
The information about three weeks between shots if it applies to all the vaccines, if made clear by the Westchester Medical Center provides a reason why the first persons to receive the vaccine have not been completed yet.
Based on the cryptic explanation of the Westchester Medical Center Health Group issued yesterday that they are proceeding “swiftly,” with no background information calls into question how fast first shots were completed, if three weeks between covid vaccine shots is required.
It also means the next persons to receive shots may take even longer before the vaccines are available to the general public. No timetable has been issued by the Westchester Medical Center Health Group, though they have been asked for it.
This afternoon Westchester County Executive George Latimer will hold a Covid briefing at 2 PM. Perhaps the County Executive can clarify in specifics what he has learned about the Westchester Medical Center Health Group situation, logistics, and protocols and specific timetables for completion of the first stage vaccine distribution.
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Just in — Westchester Medical Center Health Network issued this statement to WPCNR last night, but just received by WPCNR on the present status of their vaccinations assignments:
” Westchester Medical Center is moving swiftly through our vaccine allocation.
Daily we are vaccinating hundreds of our workforce members. Earlier this week, we also began administering the second dose to our workforce.
We are closely following New York State guidelines for vaccine prioritization and distribution, and are working under those guidelines hand-in-hand with nearly 200 community partners, including county departments of health, local government, emergency service and other community providers, to deploy vaccine allocations as they become available.
WPCNR has followed up with these queries:
1. When does the Medical Complete expect to complete all first and second doses to all your personnel?
2. How many are left to get the second dose and how many have to get their first shot?
3. Is the second dose have a delay attached to it before it can be administered after the first shot, does that explain the “lag” criticized by the Governor?
4. Is there a shortage of vaccines to cover the persons in this first availability (your personnel) as seems alluded to in the last sentence of your statement?
5. Do you have enough vaccine on hand to move on to the elderly, then the general public?
6. Do you have an explanation for the delay (only 32% vaccinated according to the Governor) Monday
7. For patients suffering from Covid presently at your facilities, do you have enough approved treatment drugs on hand to help those hospitalized, or do you need more supplies?
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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. January 6, 2020:
Many constituents have complained about the slow rollout of vaccinating New Yorker’s. Although some hospitals have the vaccines they have not been administered.
The Governor has threatened to fine the hospitals that have the vaccines but don’t use it. I have previously encouraged the state to encourage more retired Doctors, nurses, EMTs to volunteer to help administer vaccines to expedite the process of vaccinating more people quickly.
To encourage buy in among those who don’t believe in vaccinations I think that the religious community should be enlisted in the process.
An idea: vaccinations can be given to congregants at the conclusion of services.
If religious leaders and fellow congregants take the vaccines in front of their congregants it might encourage others to have confidence in the safety of the vaccines.
Another suggestion made to me: school nurses could be given more vaccines and authorized by school districts to vaccinate not only students and teachers but residents who live within the school district.
To coordinate this massive effort – I suggested in today’s NY Daily News that the Governor call in the National Guard just like he did during the past year.
Greenburgh, N.Y.: Gov. Cuomo deployed the National Guard to New Rochelle to establish containment centers to stem the coronavirus. The governor also used the National Guard in November to better enforce the state’s testing rules going into the holiday. The National Guard also helped construct a temporary hospital at the Javits Center. Why doesn’t the governor call in the National Guard to expedite distribution and coordination of the vaccinations? We can’t allow the timeline for COVID-19 vaccines to keep slipping. Paul Feiner
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WPCNR GOVERNOR CUOMO CORONAVIRUS REPORT. JANUARY 6, 2021:
| In New York we are working hard to distribute vaccines to eligible groups as fairly and expeditiously as possible. Planning is well under way in preparation for widespread vaccination as more groups become eligible. We are working with the public and private sectors across the state to develop a “retail network” of vaccination provider sites. Similar to operations for the annual distribution of the flu vaccine and like with our ongoing COVID-19 testing, these sites will help ensure access to the vaccine in multiple locations in each of the state’s 10 regions. The network of sites will include pharmacies, federally-qualified health centers, local health departments, private urgent care clinics, private doctor networks, and other sites capable of vaccinations. More sites continue to be added to the network every day. In addition to hospitals and the “retail network,” the State will undertake special efforts to supplement these sites with pop-up locations, including at the Javits Center, SUNY and CUNY locations, community centers, and houses of worship—with a special emphasis on reaching underserved communities. Vaccine FAQ of the Day: The COVID vaccine is safe and effective and will not give you the virus. Learn more about the vaccine at ny.gov/vaccine. Here’s what else you need to know 1. So far, we have enrolled 3,762 vaccination provider sites in the state. Of these sites enrolled to administer the COVID-19 vaccine, the State has so far activated 636 sites to begin vaccine distribution. By the end of this week, the State will have distributed 911,000 first doses of the vaccine. Providers can learn more here. 2. Essential workers and older New Yorkers are next up to receive the vaccine. Once New York has completed administering the vaccine to health care workers as part of Phase 1A, the next step is Phase 1B, which comprises essential workers and New Yorkers aged 75 and up. Roughly 2.5 million New Yorkers make up this group. 3. To prepare for the next phase of vaccine distribution, we encourage essential worker groups to operationalize their medical teams to administer the vaccine. To help alleviate reliance on the hospital system and protect our hospital capacity, we’re encouraging essential worker organizations such as police departments, fire departments, educators, and public transit organizations to begin developing plans to vaccinate their workforce. RISING HOSPITALIZATIONS, RISING INFECTION RATES 4. Total hospitalizations rose to 8,590. Of the 152,402 tests reported Monday, 12,666, or 8.31 percent, were positive. There were 1,392 patients in ICU yesterday, up 35 from the previous day. Of them, 851 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 149 New Yorkers to the virus. 5. To date, New York has conducted over 26 million tests. If you are experiencing COVID symptoms or believe you may have been exposed to someone positive for COVID, get tested. Find a testing site near you. You can also call 1-888-364-3065 to make a free appointment at a New York State-run testing location. “Deep Breath Moment”: Four high schoolers at Alexandria Central in Alexandria Bay, New York, have come together to form an all-girl barbershop quartet called the AcousChix. The group, comprising two freshmen and two juniors of the school, represented New York at Barbershop Harmony Society’s national competition in Jacksonville, FL last year and will participate this year virtually in the same competition. For this year’s submission, the AcousChix put together a video performance singing “Happy Together” by The Turtles. If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State’s Coronavirus Updates here. Ever Upward, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo |