Governor Encourages New Yorkers to Keep Using the Tools to Protect Against and Treat COVID-19: Vaccines, Boosters, Testing and Treatment

11 Statewide Deaths Reported on March 16

COVID-19/Vaccine Update News Releases to Be Sent Weekly on Fridays Ahead of Federal Public Health Emergency Expiration in May; Latest Data Remains Available Online 24/7

Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19 and outlined basic steps they can take to protect against the spread of viral respiratory infections.

"Every New Yorker must remain vigilant and continue to use all available tools to keep themselves, their loved ones and their communities safe and healthy," Governor Hochul said. "Stay up to date on vaccine doses and be sure to test before gatherings or travel. If you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options."

Starting today, March 17, and ahead of the federal government's planned expiration for the COVID-19 public health emergency on May 11, New York State's COVID-19/vaccine news release will be issued weekly on Fridays until further notice. The latest COVID-19 and vaccine data will continue to be available 24/7 on the New York State Department of Health's online tracker.

Additionally, the State Department of Health is assessing changes to COVID data collection and reporting in collaboration with local health departments and health care providers, in order to alleviate the burden on providers and leverage other data sources to maintain its ability to monitor the state of the disease and health care delivery system capacity. The agency remains committed to responding to the COVID-19 threat and continues to encourage New Yorkers to use the tools to protect against and treat COVID-19: Vaccines, boosters, testing and treatment.

Governor Hochul is urging New Yorkers to take common prevention measures — like staying up to date on vaccines and practicing proper hygiene — to protect from the flu and COVID-19. The Governor also continues to urge New Yorkers to get their bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters, which target both the original virus strain and circulating variants.

To schedule an appointment for a booster, New Yorkers should contact their local pharmacy, county health department, or healthcare provider; visit vaccines.gov; text their ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find nearby locations.

The New York State Department of Health is continuing its 12-week COVID-19 campaign on television, social media and streaming services to encourage New Yorkers with underlying medical conditions to recognize the importance of getting and staying up-to-date with the recommended bivalent booster to avoid serious illness or death. These conditions including being 65 or older, pregnant, obese, diabetic, or suffering from heart or lung disease, or having a weakened immune system.

Additionally, the Department of Health released its weekly flu surveillance report for the week ending March 11 and showing influenza remaining geographically widespread throughout the state for a twenty-second consecutive week, with a total 321,116 positive cases reported this season to date. The report found that confirmed cases statewide increased 1 percent to 1,866 for the week, while overall hospitalizations were down 16 percent from the previous week, at 151 hospitalizations across the state.

There were three outbreaks in acute care and long-term care facilities, the report determined. There were no influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported for the week, for a total of 11 statewide.

The Health Department is continuing its annual public education campaign, reminding adults and parents to get both flu and COVID-19 shots for themselves and children 6 months and older. For information about flu vaccine clinics, contact the local health department or visit vaccines.gov/find-vaccines.

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

    Cases Per 100k - 6.03
    7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 5.36
    Test Results Reported - 37,599
    Total Positive - 1,179
    Percent Positive - 2.92%**
    7-Day Average Percent Positive - 2.54**
    Patient Hospitalization - 1,340 (-10)
    Patients Newly Admitted - 203
    Patients in ICU - 146 (-12)
    Patients in ICU with Intubation - 52 (-3)
    Total Discharges - 407,272 (+219)
    New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 11
    Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 62,078

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a state Department of Health data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.

    Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 78,962

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by state Department of Health and New York City to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.

    Total vaccine doses administered - 43,880,106
    Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 1,689
    Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 18,283
    Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 85.5%
    Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 90.7%
    Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older who are up to date - 16.2%
    Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series - 74.6%
    Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 76.4%
    Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 who are up to date - 6.5%
    Percent of New Yorkers ages 5-11 with completed vaccine series - 40.1%
    Percent of New Yorkers ages 5-11 with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 41.0%
    Percent of New Yorkers ages 5-11 who are up to date - 3.9%
    Percent of New Yorkers ages 0-4 with completed vaccine series - 7.9%
    Percent of New Yorkers ages 0-4 who are up to date - 7.9%
    Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 76.5%
    Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 80.9%
    Percent of all New Yorkers who are up to date - 14.1%

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