Gov. Hochul Holds COVID-19 Briefing at Upstate Medical University's CNY Biotech Accelerator
Story courtesy of syr.com 4/20/22 by John Frazier
SYRACUSE, N.Y (WSYR-TV) — Governor Hochul provided an update on New York State’s fight against the coronavirus Wednesday morning at SUNY Upstate Medical University.
Governor Hochul was introduced by SUNY Upstate Medical University President Mantosh Dewan. Dewan spoke about the work that the CNY Biotech Accelerator performs, along with the two FDA breakthrough authorizations they have received. Dewan added that SUNY Upstate continues vaccine trials for COVID-19 on children and is developing vaccines for other diseases like Zica, Lyme Disease — and even vaccines for preventing heroin and fentanyl addictions. Dewan shares that he hopes Upstate will become the premier vaccine development center in the nation.
After Upstate President Dewan spoke, Governor Hochul took the podium. She first mentioned the recent events in Syracuse, including a viral video of an 8-year-old being detained by police and a shooting in Armory Square on April 16. “We need to do better, and can do better,” said Hochul. She also mentioned that she has planned a gun violence round table for CNY.
Hochul, after addressing the recent events, then spoke on COVID-19. She mentioned the rising tide of cases and how the state government will continue to monitor and share numbers regarding COVID-19. The government will also continue to distribute home tests and notes that the state ordered 92 million tests in November that continue to be shared to those who need them.
Hochul also confirmed that the two omicron subvariants that have been identified in CNY, but shares that there is no evidence stating that these subvariants are more severe.
The governor then jumped into some COVID-19 numbers. She shares that the state measures COVID-19 by cases per 100,000 as opposed to infection rates and is, in general, in a far better place now than we were in January 2022. She shared that the state averages around 40 cases per 100,000 now, compared to 461 in January. Hochul also says that Central New York has double the statewide average of COVID-19 cases.
Governor Hochul added that testing is the number one way to stop the spread. She also mentioned that we now have a variety of antiviral and monoclonal treatments to help the infected.
Hochul concluded her briefing by sharing the pandemic impacts on our healthcare system and the support her 2022 budget will provide to the system, which provides $20 billion for healthcare.
After the governor finished speaking, Upstate Nurse Manager Despina Garcia spoke and thanked the leaders of Upstate and New York for their direction and guidance.