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May 20, 2021.
Dear Fellow New Yorker,
Yesterday marked a milestone in our fight against COVID. New York adopted the CDC's updated guidance on masks and social distancing and many business capacity restrictions have been lifted. This major reopening of our state means that 400 days after New York was the first state in the country to implement a mask mandate, fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to use a face covering in most public places. However, the steps taken this week don't mean that COVID has officially been relegated to the history books. We need to stay vigilant and help get even more New Yorkers vaccinated. But New York is coming back, and it's a testament to the strength and grit of New Yorkers who stayed tough over the last year and a half.
Photo of the Day: New York is coming back better than ever.
Here's what else you need to know tonight:
1. COVID hospitalizations dropped to 1,490, the lowest since November 8. Of the 186,078 tests reported yesterday, 1,583, or 0.85 percent, were positive—the lowest since September 11. The 7-day average percent positivity was 1.02 percent. There were 339 patients in ICU yesterday, down 23 from the previous day. Of them, 208 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 18 New Yorkers to the virus.
2. As of 11am this morning, 62.7 percent of adult New Yorkers have completed at least one vaccine dose. Over the past 24 hours, 170,343 total doses have been administered. To date, New York administered 18,025,115 total doses with 53.5 percent of adult New Yorkers completing their vaccine series. See additional data on the State's Vaccine Tracker.
3. Today the State announced the "Vax and Scratch" lottery program. This program provides free NYS Lottery scratch-off tickets to individuals 18 and over with a grand prize of $5 million. The program will initially include 10 vaccination sites in the New York City, Long Island, Mid-Hudson, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley and Western New York regions. The sites will be open from Monday, May 24 to Friday, May 28. All sites will be open from 8am to 7pm.
4. Take a flight, take a shot at seven new pop-up vaccination sites at New York airports. From May 24 to May 28, seven new pop-up vaccination sites will open at airports in New York City, White Plains, Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo. The sites will open for walk-in vaccinations on a first-come, first-served basis utilizing the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
5. County fairs and local festivals can be held this summer so long as local governments permit them and consider COVID-19 health guidelines. County fairs and local festivals must ensure that the total number of attendees is limited so that six feet of distance can be maintained between individuals who are not members of the same party, unless all attendees present proof of full vaccination status. Fairs and festivals may require masks for all attendees, and per CDC guidance masks are required for unvaccinated attendees in certain settings, and indoors where vaccination status is unknown.
6. We announced updated guidance for health and safety measures at child care, day camp, and overnight camp programs, effective May 19. The measures include protocols for COVID testing, physical distancing and sanitation, among other requirements to help prevent COVID-19 cases. The Department of Health will continue to monitor and evaluate health metrics for child care facilities and camp programs and, if necessary, will issue further guidance.
Tonight's "Deep Breath Moment": Tomorrow, the "Little Island" park in New York City will open to the public. This newly developed park, built above the Hudson River at the old Pier 55, will provide New Yorkers and visitors alike with two acres of stunning green space and views. Arts and entertainment programming will start next month. Access to Little Island will be provided as timed entry reservations.
If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State's Coronavirus Updates here.
Ever Upward,
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
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