The Peru Gazette

Video of the Day: We launched a new ad to encourage New Yorkers to get vaccinated. Watch it here.

Here’s what else you need to know tonight:

1. COVID hospitalizations are at 546. Of the 56,868 tests reported yesterday, 1,296, or 2.28 percent, were positive. The 7-day positivity average was 1.88 percent. There were 123 patients in ICU yesterday, up three from the previous day. Of them, 42 are intubated. Sadly, we lost four New Yorkers to the virus.

2. As of 11am this morning, 74.6 percent of adult New Yorkers have received at least one vaccine dose, per the CDC. Over the past 24 hours, 22,912 total doses have been administered. To date, New York has administered 22,055,646 total doses with 68.0 percent of adult New Yorkers completing their vaccine series. See additional data on the State’s Vaccine Tracker.

3. The State is allocating $15 million to community organizations to bolster vaccination efforts in ZIP codes with low vaccination rates. Some of the groups receiving funding include the Hispanic Federation, the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, the New York Immigration Coalition, the Asian American Federation, the Charles B. Wang Community Center, and the APICHA Community Health Center.

4. New York is streamlining the rent relief program application process. The new process immediately relaxes documentation standards for both tenants and landlords and implements a streamlined process for submission of arrears documentation for multi-tenant landlords effective tomorrow, July 27. Learn more about the rental assistance program.

Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: The Force is strong with two Western New York brothers. Lockport residents Santiago Schaus and his brother Gavyn had their room completely decked out with Star Wars trappings, thanks to Make-A-Wish Western New York. They were even paid a from Darth Vader and other characters. Santiago was adopted by his family three years ago from Colombia, and even though he has a form of epilepsy that makes him unable to speak, Star Wars became a way the brothers were able to bond a grow closer.

Ever Upward,

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo