NEW YORK (NEWS10) — New York Governor Kathy Hochul held a COVID-19 briefing in New York City at 10:30 a.m. She talked about state and local government transparency, pediatric vaccinations and COVID statistics in New York.
Hochul signed legislation to increase transparency in state and local governments. She signed a bill to have documents discussed at government meetings made available to the public. Hochul also signed a bill for the MTA to publish data that will also be available to the public.
Hochul announced a new COVID-19 data hub for all state COVID dashboards to appear in one place. The hub will include the school COVID dashboard, nursing home statistics, hospitalizations and vaccination rates by county. The data hub will include more information and Hochul said more data will be added.
The statewide positivity rate as of this week is 2.58% and 77.4% of New Yorkers are fully vaccinated. Hochul reminded New Yorkers of an upcoming vaccination deadline on November 1 for workers in the Office of Mental Health and Office of Disability Services.
Hochul said a Pfizer vaccine for children 5 to 11 is expected to be available sometime in November. Hochul said schools will be the best way to vaccinate children. She encouraged parents to make appointments now to get their children vaccinated.
“I’m asking all parents to put the health of their children first. Take advantage if they’re 12 to 17 to get them vaccinated as soon as possible,” Hochul said.
Breakthrough cases in New York are 0.9% this week with 0.06% hospitalized. Hochul sent her sympathies to the family of Colin Powell, the former Secretary of State who died from COVID complications.
“There are other circumstances that clearly went into his unfortunate death, and I don’t want anyone to say that this is a reason not to get vaccinated,’ said Hochul.
Hochul announced that more appointments were going to be made in her administration in the coming days.
There will be four new “Vax to School” popup sites in Western New York.
They’re as follows:
Chautauqua Lake Central School Bus Garage
100 North Erie Street
Mayville, NY 14757
Open: Tuesday, October 19; 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Vaccine Type: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Janssen/J&J
Event Partner: Chautauqua County
WNY Women’s Foundation and Harvest House
175 Jefferson Avenue
Buffalo NY 14210
Open: Friday, October 22; 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
(For members of the WNY Women’s Foundation and Harvest House)
Vaccine Type: Pfizer-BioNTech
Second Dose Event
Event Partner: Erie County
Lake Shore High School
959 Beach Road
Angola, NY 14006
Open: Friday, October 22; 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Vaccine Type: Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna
Event Partner: Erie County
For information go to: www.erie.gov/vax
Incentive: Tops Gift Cards
Orleans-Niagara BOCES
Niagara Career and Technical Education Center
3181 Saunders Settlement Road
Sanborn, NY 14132
Open: Saturday, October 23; 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Vaccine Type: Pfizer-BioNTech
Event Partner: Niagara County
Incentive: Regal Gift Cards
