This archive report was first published on 18 December 2021.
As the Omicron variant continues to spread across New York, the state has reported a record number of coronavirus cases for one day. This comes as Broadway shows and some New York colleges have canceled performances and activities, respectively, in an effort to contain the virus's spread.
On Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a plan to confront the surge in cases, including distributing a million free KN95 masks and 500,000 at-home tests, enforcing mask and vaccine mandates more rigorously, and expanding hours and capacity at city-run testing sites.
“People need to get vaccinated right now, get that booster right now,” Mayor de Blasio said. “If they are not feeling well, get tested right now. It’s an urgent situation.”
Dr. Denis Nash, an epidemiology professor at the CUNY School of Public Health, noted that the big jump in case counts is likely due to the Omicron variant. However, there is little reliable data indicating what percentage of the new cases in the city are being caused by the variant.
Meanwhile, Governor Kathy Hochul has said that state officials plan to change the definition of fully vaccinated to include receiving a booster dose. “People who are certainly eligible, we want them to do it, but, in terms of requirement, we just have to make sure that we adapt to that flexibility required, but we’ll get it done,” she said in an interview on CNN.
