New York Has Worse COVID-19 Numbers Now Than a Year Ago

New York State was worse off on Friday, September 17, 2021, from COVID-19 than it was a year ago. We seem to be going backwards when you look at the COVID-19 numbers from September 17, 2020.

More Than 5,000 New Yorkers Tested Positive for COVID-19 on Friday

Last year, prior to any vaccines being approved for emergency use, New York state was actually controlling the spread of COVID-19 better than it is today. Yesterday, Governor Kathy Hochul's office released its daily COVID-19 update, which states that more than 5,000 New Yorkers have tested positive for the deadly virus on Friday. Out of the 197,275 tests reported to the state, 5,368 were positive - a 2.72 percent positivity rate. Back on September 17 of last year, 986 of the 110,444 tests reported were positive - a 0.89 percent positivity rate.

COVID-19 statistics for Sept. 17, 2021:

Patient Hospitalization - 2,382 (-13)
Patients Newly Admitted - 322
Patients in ICU - 557 (-10)
Patients in ICU with Intubation - 312 (-2)
Total Discharges - 197,629 (+303)
New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 27

COVID-19 statistics for Sept. 17, 2020:

Patient Hospitalization - 467 (-11)
Patients Newly Admitted - 61
Hospital Counties - 31
Number ICU - 144 (+3)
Number ICU with Intubation - 60 (-2)
Total Discharges - 76,101 (+65
Deaths - 2

When you compare recent stats to a year ago, before we even had vaccines available, you can see that we are worse off. Here in Western New York, we had 302 positive cases reported for September 17.

Erie - 146
Chautauqua - 52
Niagara - 51
Cattaraugus - 23
Allegany - 21
Wyoming - 9

All New Yorkers Who Work for These Type of Companies Must Get Vaccinated

All of the following workers in New York State have been mandated to get vaccinated:

- On September 9, 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden made an announcement that affects many New Yorkers. Biden announced that any employee of a company with more than 100 employees must get vaccinated against COVID-19 or show a weekly negative test,

My job as President is to protect all Americans. So, tonight, I’m announcing that the Department of Labor is developing an emergency rule to require all employers with 100 or more employees, that together employ over 80 million workers, to ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated or show a negative test at least once a week.

The announcement will affect just under 50 percent of New York Employees.

- Prior to leaving office, Governor Cuomo announced on August 16, that all healthcare professionals must get vaccinated,

all healthcare workers in New York State, including staff at hospitals and long-term care facilities (LTCF), including nursing homes, adult care, and other congregate care settings, will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Monday, September 27.

- All school personnel in the state will be required to take the vaccine. Gov. Kathy Hochul made the announcement on her first day in office, outlining her plan for protecting students in NY,

- CUNY and SUNY students must be vaccinated in order to attend in-person classes.

- All active-duty and reserve military members (not directly mandate through NYS, but affects members of the military in the state). On August 25, the United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, issued a memo stating that all members of the armed services must be vaccinated.

There are five military bases in New York - Fort Drum Army Base in Jefferson, Fort Hamilton Army Base in Brooklyn, Us Military Academy Army Base in West Point, Watervilet Arsenal Army Base in Watervilet and Saratoga Springs NSU Navy Base in Saratoga Springs. The National Guard has approximately 21,000 soldiers in the state.

If you live in New York State and would like to get the vaccine, you can call 1-833-NYS-4-VAX or get more information here.