Governor Kathy Hochul is looking to update the whole state on the status of COVID-19 and other infectious wintertime diseases that are looking to plague the Empire State with cumbersome results. Hochul wants to do everything to keep New Yorkers safe through the cold. The governor had been joined by pediatric expert Dr. Sallie Palmer in making announcements, in addition to Health Commissioner Mary Bassett in order to show more details on how safe the state can be in order to keep the residents safe.
This all comes on the heels of a likely tripledemic, with the one-two-punch that is offered through a COVID-19 combination with RSV and flu all over the state.
The combo, in of itself, is pretty stressful to the medical infrastructure as is, in specific to children’s hospitals. All seeing a rise in RSV cases. With these three viruses, it makes it even more difficult for routine medicine to be well-practiced. All because those patients are so occupied.
Through the general population, and since the beginning of the pandemic, flu-hospitalizations are passing the COVID hospitalizations. All while there’s been a 75% upping in flue cases all since the flu season started up about eight weeks ago.
Currently, there are around 27,000 positive cases existing. With flex staffing in place through hospitals, there becomes the need to stay prepared when possibly crowding could also occur through RSV. As of now, Hospital bed capacity is being closely monitored. The state holds a stockpile of ventilators and coronavirus test kits that will themselves be ready to be deployed upon request. About 13% of New Yorkers above 5 years old have received a coronavirus booster.
Authorities themselves are reporting high transmission rates than in recent months for COVID within the Tri-State.
In a public statement, Hochul had this to say: “We feel good about where we are, but we aren’t taking anything for granted.” This may very well be in reference to the Omicron variant. There are areas, like Long Island, where there are leveles that the CDC would require mask-wearing. About 13% of the population over five years old was give a booster shot.
Vaccines are essential to preventing major illnesses that are likely to overwhelm hospitals. All over the country, bed capacity is definitely a problem for kids as well. Hochul believes that it’s important to protect your children. All while Hochul and her people are working all day to save the folks of New York from danger.
