NEW YORKERS WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR COVID VACCINE SHOTS.

 WPCNR GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO COVID REPORT. By Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, December 16, 2020:

 New York State health insurers will be instructed to cover COVID-19 vaccinations. The New York State Department of Financial Services issued a letter to New York-regulated health insurers Wednesday, directing them to immediately cover, without cost-sharing, approved COVID-19 immunizations and administrations. No New Yorker will have to pay a penny to get the vaccine.

As we see hospitalizations climb, remember that what we do collectively influences what happens. New Yorkers can stop a shutdown, New Yorkers can save lives. It depends on what we do.

Right now we need to manage the hospitals, administer the vaccine and slow the spread. With a major winter storm hitting large swaths of the state today, I encourage New Yorkers to stay safe in more ways than one. Please exercise caution, prepare for snow accumulation and keep off the roads unless absolutely necessary.  

Photo of the Day: Even with the world on his shoulders, the Atlas sculpture in Rockefeller Center wears a mask. Here’s what else you need to know tonight: 

1. New York launched a new website about the COVID-19 vaccine with everything you need to know. It provides New Yorkers with a one-stop location for accurate and up to date information on the vaccine, safety, distribution priorities and more. On the site, New Yorkers can find general information about the vaccine, a detailed Frequently Asked Questions section that provides facts about the vaccine’s safety and efficacy, and other questions you may have. 

2. The State has identified Regional Vaccination Hubs to develop vaccination networks ahead of Phase 2. These hubs will be led by local hospital systems and will work with community leaders to develop vaccination networks, which will guide vaccination administration for the second phase. Under the state’s plan, the second phase of administrations will focus on essential workers and individuals in the general public who are most at risk.

3. Total COVID hospitalizations climbed to 6,097. Of the 160,947 tests reported yesterday, 9,998, or 6.21 percent, were positive. There were 1,098 patients in ICU yesterday, up 33 from the previous day. Of them, 611 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 95 New Yorkers to the virus. 

4.  The State has received 87,750 total Covid Vaccine doses so far. Yesterday, NYS received 77,025 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. An additional 80,000 Pfizer vaccine doses will arrive in the coming days to start the vaccination program for residents and staff at nursing homes.  

Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: Michelle Truxel of Dewitt, NY, is spreading holiday cheer to cats and dogs that live in shelters. As part of an effort she has dubbed “Santa Paws,” Truxel collects toys and treats for shelter animals to enjoy on Christmas morning. Recently, she partnered with the Central New York SPCA to help provide a count of how many cats and dogs will be in the shelter around the holidays. To learn more about the animals at the CNY SPCA shelter or donate, click here. Read more about Santa Paws here. 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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3 MT. KISCO SHOPS CHARGED SELLING ALCOHOL & VAPING PRODUCTS TO UNDER-21s

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. December 16, 2020:

Three Mount Kisco businesses were recently charged with selling alcohol or vaping products to a youth who was under 21 years of age.

Westchester County Police and the Westchester County Department of Health sent the underage youth into multiple stores in Mount Kisco last week at the request of the Village. They conducted compliance checks to ensure that shops that sell beer, tobacco or vaping products were complying with laws that prohibit such sales to persons under 21 years old.

The stores that failed were:

·         Smoking of Chen Inc., (doing business as The Smoking King), 32 Main St, which is charged with selling vaping supplies to a person under age 21, a violation of New York State Public Health Law;

·         Henry’s Deli at 351 Lexington Ave. and Mount Kisco Snacks at 540 Main St., which are charged with selling alcohol to a person under age 21, a violation of the state Alcohol Beverage Control law.

Smoking of Chen was cited for a similar violation in 2019 and Henry’s Deli was charged with selling cigarettes to an underage person in 2019.

“The Village appreciates the continuing enforcement efforts of the Westchester County Police and the Westchester County Department of Health to ensure compliance with regulations prohibiting the sale of tobacco and alcohol to minors. We will advocate to suspend the license for businesses who continue to put the health of and safety of our children at risk,” Mount Kisco Mayor Gina D. Picinich said.

Public Safety Commissioner Thomas A. Gleason said the County Police conduct enforcement and public education in conjunction with its Office of Drug Prevention & Stop-DWI to deter underage persons from using alcohol, tobacco or vaping products.

“We continually conduct these compliance checks and work in partnership with community organizations and the municipalities we serve to encourage young people to make safe and healthy choices,” Gleason said.

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White Plains Hospital Expects to Receive Covid vaccine “Shortly,” :Mayor Roach

WPCNR CORONA VIRUS REPORT From Mayor Thomas Roach Monday, DECEMBER 14, 2020:

We received good news Monday, Sandra Lindsey an ICU nurse in Queens New York became the first person in NY to receive the Covid vaccine outside of a clinical trial.

I have been in contact with White Plains Hospital and our local nursing homes all of whom expect to receive the vaccine shortly.

We will let you know when the vaccinations begin.

The CDC is setting the guidelines for distribution and we will keep you apprised as additional groups become eligible. It is anticipated that everyone will be eligible by late March or early April.

White Plains Hospital continues to see an increase in COVID patients. While they are actively monitoring the situation, they continue to perform elective procedures and encourage all community members to go to the hospital if they are in need of emergency care.

The County has advised us that due to technical issues they are unable to provide updated covid numbers at this time (Monday evening). We do expect to receive an update tomorrow (Tuesday) and when we do it will be posted on our website.

It is the beginning of the end, the final battle against the scourge of Covid-19. It is not the time to let down our guard. We must all carry on the adaptive habits we have come to know. It has been repeatedly shown that wearing a mask and regular hand washing can temper the spread of the virus. This has become second nature to most of us and we must focus on continuing to do it for our own good health and the good health of our community. Brighter days are ahead but we still have work to do!

Our next Covid update will be on Monday, December 21 st . Until then remember, we are standing together by staying apart.

El condado nos ha informado que debido a problemas técnicos hoy no podrán mandarnos los números de covid más recientes.  Esperamos recibir los datos más recientes mañana. Los publicaremos en nuestro sitio web tan pronto como los recibamos.

Hoy recibimos buenas noticias. Sandra Lindsey, enfermera de la UCI en Queens, Nueva York, se convirtió hoy en la primera persona en Nueva York en recibir la vacuna contra el COVID.

 He estado hablando con el Hospital de White Plains y nuestros hogares de ancianos locales, los cuales esperan recibir la vacuna dentro de poco. Le avisaremos cuando el proceso de vacunación comience. La CDC está estableciendo pautas para la distribución de las vacunas. Lo mantendremos informado a medida que se expandan los grupos de personas que puedan recibir la vacuna. Se espera que todos puedan recibir la vacuna a fines de marzo o principios de abril.

El hospital de White Plains ha visto un aumento de pacientes con COVID. Mientras monitorean activamente la situación, continúan realizando cirugías rutinarias y sugieren a todos los miembros de la comunidad que vayan al hospital si necesitan atención de emergencia.

Estamos acercándonos al final de esta batalla contra el Covid-19. No es el momento de bajar la guardia. Debemos seguir las pautas que hemos aprendido hasta ahora.  Se ha demostrado repetidamente que usar una mascarilla y lavarse las manos con regularidad puede atenuar la propagación del virus. Esto se ha hecho rutinario para la mayoría de nosotros y debemos concentrarnos en continuar haciéndolo por nuestra propia salud y la buena salud de nuestra comunidad. Se vienen días mejores, ¡pero aún tenemos trabajo por hacer!

Nuestra próxima llamada será el lunes 21 de diciembre. Hasta entonces y que recuerde estamos más juntos al mantenernos más separados.

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GOVERNOR CUOMO: WE HAVE TO STOP COVID NOW. “Unsustainable Trajectory!” HOSPITALS “OVERWHELMED” BY JANUARY. CORONA VIRUS INEXORABLY SPREADS. MASK UP. DO NOT SOCIALIZE CLOSE. SAVE YOUR STATE.

WPCNR GOVERNOR CUOMO CORONAVIRUS REPORT. From Governor Amdrew M. Cuomo. December 15, 2020:

Everything we have done from the start of this pandemic has been based on the facts, and the facts are that COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths are all on the rise across the country.

We are on an unsustainable trajectory and if we don’t act now, hospitals could become overwhelmed in January. 

Right now, New York is focused on growing hospital capacity through our Surge and Flex program and requiring hospital systems to begin working together so they are prepared. As those operations continue, it’s on all of us to be smart, tough, and do what we know stops the spread—socially distance, wear masks and wash our hands.

Here’s what else you need to know tonight: 

1. Total COVID hospitalizations rose to 5,982. Of the 194,188 tests reported yesterday, 10,353, or 5.33 percent, were positive. There were 1,065 patients in ICU yesterday, up 25 from the previous day. Of them, 580 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 128 New Yorkers to the virus.

  2. New York hospitals continue to receive and administer doses of the COVID vaccine. Among them was Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, NY, which administered doses that arrived today to the first members of its staff. The doses were administered to Upstate employees Kenzo Mukendi, Caprice Hibbler and Suzanne Buck, by Chief Nursing Officer Nancy Page.  3

. The Finger Lakes region, with 725 hospitalizations, has the highest rate of COVID hospitalization by population. Hospitalizations in the Finger Lakes represent 0.06 percent of the region’s population.

Western New York has 520 hospitalizations (0.04 percent of its population);

Central New York has 350 hospitalizations (0.05 percent); Mohawk Valley has 192 hospitalizations (0.04 percent); Long Island has 972 hospitalizations (0.03 percent); the

Mid-Hudson has 735 hospitalizations (0.03 percent);

Capital Region has 288 hospitalizations (0.03 percent);

Southern Tier has 166 hospitalizations (0.03 percent);

New York City has 1,968 hospitalizations (0.02 percent).

North Country, with 56 hospitalizations (0.01 percent), has the lowest rate of hospitalizations due to COVID. 

 4. In the second round of the program, Nourish NY has so far spent $3 million to help New Yorkers in need. Over 2.8 million pounds of raw milk has been turned into dairy products and distributed by food banks, along with 993,000 pounds of produce. Over 1.1 million households in need have received products sourced from New York farms. With food insecurity impacting millions of Americans, we encourage all those in need to visit a food bank or pantry.  

Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: A teenager became a hero when she rushed in to save her neighbor from a house fire on Long Island. When flames surrounded a home in Brentwood, New York, 16-year-old Star Grant noticed that one of the residents of the house was missing: 69-year-old Catarina, who lived on the ground floor of the home. Star rushed in and escorted Catarina out of the house unharmed.  

If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State’s Coronavirus Updates here. 

Ever Upward, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo