'Alarm going off' says Hochul as COVID hospitalizations rise in New York

New York's mask mandate expanded

Businesses are scrambling to comply with a new statewide mask mandate in New York to try and curb the spread of the coronavirus.

NEW YORK - The FDA just authorized Pfizer boosters for 16 and 17-year-olds as COVID cases are increasing in the Empire State.

"This red is an alarm. This is an alarm going off," said Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The governor is referring to a map next to her, showing COVID cases on the rise in New York State. Long Island reporting more than 2,000 cases. In New York City, there are more than 4,200. The state's 7-day average percent positivity rate is up to 4.78%. Gov. Hochul says it’s no surprise as the weather is getting colder and more people are heading indoors.

"What we have now is community spread. It is not coming from people who have traveled. It’s being spread in the communities," said Hochul.

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But it’s the hospitalizations concerning her the most, which are up to 3,546 across the state.

"You know this is what keeps me up at night, we continue seeing an uptick in hospitalizations," said Hochul.

Right now, 32 hospitals – mostly upstate – are experiencing a strain on available beds and less access to critical services. As a result, elected surgeries are on hold until January 15 when the state will reassess.

But New York Health Commissioner explains the Omicron variant isn’t the issue, just yet.

CDC investigating spread of Omicron variant at Anime convention

Health officials hope an investigation tracking Omicron cases linked to last month's anime convention at the Javits Center will give them clues as to how the new variant spreads.

"I do wanna stress the uptick in cases and hospitalizations reflects the Delta variant. It remains overwhelmingly the dominant strain in U.S. and the world," said Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett.

Which makes the timing of the FDA and CDC approving in booster shots for 16 and 17-year-olds that much more important.

How severe is the omicron variant?

COVID rates in our area continue to rise, as concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant increase as well.

"We’ve had an increase in boosters, I think the Omicron variant got everybody a little nervous, and realizing breakthrough with original vaccination, and had half a million booster doses in the past week," said Hochul.

Right now, 20 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant are in New York State. 13 in New York City, three in Suffolk County, and one in Westchester County.

Pfizer has been creating a COVID treatment pill. The company CEO says data is being collected and will be submitted to the FDA for emergency approval for treatment. The pill is called Paxlovid and in clinical trials, said to reduce hospitalizations and deaths by 89%.