New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says we’re at a new phase in the fight against COVID-19, and he released a five-point plan on Monday to continue the battle.
Cuomo says the arrival of colder weather and the fact that small home gatherings are now the chief cause of spreading the virus are forcing a change. He says New York’s positivity rating on testing is now the highest it’s been since May, and the governor says that’s before counting in an expected surge in the coming days from Thanksgiving get-togethers.
Cuomo says the new strategy focuses on Hospitalization rates, testing, keeping schools open (testing has proven it’s the safest place for kids), discouraging small social gatherings and vaccination when it becomes available.
Hospitalization rates and hospital capacities will be a key driver of New York’s coronavirus response. Hospital crowding will become a factor in figuring out whether an area is in a yellow, orange or red zone. He ordered all hospitals to identify retired personnel who could be called on in emergencies. He ordered large hospital systems such as URMC and RRH to transfer patients between their hospitals so one doesn’t get overcrowded. And he put elective surgeries on hold in Erie County, which is an orange zone effective Friday.
Hospitals have again been instructed to prepare to add temporary beds to increase capacity by 50 percent