The Peru Gazette

We have seen the COVID movie before and with the Delta variant leading to an increase in cases and hospitalizations in New York and across the world, we must be vigilant. Let’s start with some of the facts. Fact: Almost all new COVID cases are the Delta variant. Fact: The high transmissibility of the variant has led to the number of hospitalizations doubling over the past month. Fact: The Delta variant spreads quickly, and even vaccinated people can spread it. Fact: Fortunately, if you are vaccinated you’re less likely to catch it and far, far less likely to be hospitalized. Fact: The vaccines are the best weapon against COVID-19 and all its variants—including Delta. None of us want a repeat of the last year and a half. We flattened the curve the first time by being smart. Let’s be smart again.

Slide of the Day: The State will open nine new vaccination sites this week so state employees and others can get vaccinated.

Here’s what else you need to know tonight:

1. COVID hospitalizations are at 788. Of the 72,514 tests reported yesterday, 2,143, or 2.96 percent, were positive. The 7-day positivity average was 2.53 percent. There were 162 patients in ICU yesterday, up 10 from the previous day. Of them, 56 are intubated. Sadly, we lost four New Yorkers to the virus.

2. As of 11 am this morning, 75.5 CDC. Over the past 24 hours, 29,127 total doses have been administered. To date, New York has administered 22,324,811 total doses with 68.7 percent of adult New Yorkers completing their vaccine series. See additional data on the State’s Vaccine Tracker.

3. MTA and Port Authority employees working in New York facilities will be required to either be vaccinated or get weekly testing starting Labor Day. Employee-only vaccination sites will increase access for these workforces, along with nine new vaccination sites that will open this week.

4. New York State will administer nearly $1.1 billion in federal funding directly to child care providers. This funding—available through the American Rescue Plan Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act—will help stabilize the industry and enable more parents to return to the workplace full time. It will provide direct support to child care programs and help replenish losses experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

5. Broadway theaters and the Metropolitan Opera will require proof of vaccination and masks when performances return. New York is not New York without the arts. To ensure the industry returns safely, all 41 Broadway theaters will require patrons and staff to be fully vaccinated. Today I encouraged private businesses like restaurants and stadiums to require patrons to be vaccinated in order to incentivize more people to get vaccinated.

6. Reminder that Excelsior Vaccination Passes are valid for 365 days after the final dose. Back in May, the State extended the validity of vaccination status through Excelsior Pass from 180 days to 365 days (after the final vaccine dose is administered). Those who already have a COVID-19 Vaccination Pass with a shorter period of validity can simply retrieve a new Pass at epass.ny.gov in order to take advantage of the extension.

Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: New York has many symbols, including a state bird (the Eastern bluebird), a state snack (yogurt), a state muffin (apple muffin)—and now it has an official state sport. On Friday, I signed legislation designating baseball as the official sport of New York State. New York is home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, which is believed to be the birthplace of baseball. The State also has been home to four of the most popular franchises in the sport—the New York Yankees and New York Mets, as well as the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers, which moved to San Francisco and Los Angeles, respectively, in 1957. I thank the 4th grade class of Cooperstown Elementary School for proposing this bill.

Ever Upward,

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo