Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday that the state will require unvaccinated school staff to undergo weekly Covid-19 tests to combat the spread of the virus and its Delta variant.
The new rule applies to public and charter schools.
Hochul also said $65 million will be available to local health departments across the state to support the quick and reliable distribution of booster shots.
“Last year every community across the state came together in a profound way to say, ‘we can do this’,” Hochul said. “This war is not over and the Delta variant is a serious threat, especially for people who are still unvaccinated. We all need to remain vigilant to protect each other – and that means coming in to get your shot and booster shot, wearing masks in indoor spaces, and exercising basic safety measures that we are all familiar with by now.”
Local health departments will support the distribution of booster shots in New York.
COVID-19 Numbers for New York as of Monday:
• Test Results Reported – 95,579
• Total Positive – 3,789
• Percent Positive – 3.96%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive – 3.35%
• Patient Hospitalization – 2,234 (+48)
• Patients Newly Admitted – 232
• Patients in ICU – 484 (+16)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation – 247 (+18)
• Total Discharges – 192,839 (+185)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS – 22
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS – 43,573
• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC – 55,602
COVID-19 Vaccination Data for New York as of August 31, 11 a.m.:
• Total vaccine doses administered – 23,665,694
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours – 46,143
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days – 367,128
• Ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose – 77.0%
• Ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series – 69.9%
• Ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 79.7%
• Ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 71.6%
• New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose – 64.9%
• New Yorkers with completed vaccine series – 58.5%
• New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 67.3%
• New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 60.0%