Child Hospitalizations Surge In NY; New Testing Sites Set To Open

NEW YORK — With the omicron variant continuing to send COVID-19 cases spiraling upward over the Christmas holiday weekend, Gov. Kathy Hochul urged parents to vaccinate children ages 5 to 11 as the number of pediatric admissions increased statewide — and almost fivefold in New York City.

During a press briefing Monday, Hochul suggested parents use the school break to vaccinate children, with opportunities to do so available at pharmacies, urgent care centers, state sites and pediatricians.

Thirteen new testing sites will open statewide Wednesday, including two on Long Island.

Appointments can now be made for the new sites here. News 12 reported that people showed at the not-yet-open Hauppauge testing site Monday morning with emails confirming appointments for Monday.

"It's very frustrating," one woman told News 12. "Just nobody can get anything right."

New York's Acting Commissioner of Health Dr. Mary Bassett, back with Hochul after testing positive herself last week, said in New York City, the numbers of pediatric hospitalizations has increased "nearly fivefold," compared to about two-and-a-half-fold statewide.

According to state data, the number of pediatric admissions in New York City jumped from 22 cases, from Dec. 5 to 11, to 109 during the Dec. 19 to Dec. 23 period. In the rest of New York State, 48 cases were reported in the week of Dec. 5 to 11, and that number rose to 75 cases last week.

Currently, there are 70 pediatric admissions related to COVID-19, with 184 in New York City, Bassett said.

Bassett added that while the number of actual cases themselves was not high or a cause for panic, she and Hochul were pointing them out to urge parents to get shots in kids' arms. Also, she said, the goal was to alert pediatricians so they could be aware of the potential COVID-19 diagnosis in children — and to raise awareness among parents.

"Many parents think children don't become infected. That's not true," Bassett said. "Some do, and will be hospitalized."

Hochul also said she is urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve vaccinations for children under the age of 5. In the meantime, Hochul said parents with multiple children at home should vaccinate kids 5 and up to protect younger siblings.

On Monday, Hochul also said the number of case continues to climb as the winter surge batters New Yorkers and the omicron variant spreads rapidly. On Sunday, Long Island's positivity rate stood at 14.79 percent, and 16.7 percent in Suffolk County. In New York City, that number stood at 11.76 percent.

Over the past two days, 132 New Yorkers have died and the total number of daily hospitalizations statewide stands at 5,526.

As many residents cry out about an inability to find rapid tests, Hochul said a total of 37 million rapid testing kids have been ordered.

There is a current "unwavering" focus on keeping kids in school, although that could change if the situation worsens, Hochul said. As of this week, 3 million to 3.5 million tests are expected to be delivered to schools statewide, with 2 million heading straight to New York City schools by Friday, she said.

Acting Department of Homeland Security Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray described the distribution of tests to schools statewide, explaining that there are 731 end points, or districts, and 60 different hubs statewide — with more than 100 trucks on the road. The tests will be prioritized on case rate per district, she said.

Hochul discussed her winter surge plan, including the decision to pause non-essential procedures in hospitals with limited capacity; expand the eligible workforce; allow additional health care workers to administer vaccines; deploy the National Guard to nursing homes; and work with hospital to send staff to high-need areas.

The number of hospitals statewide with limited capacity has decreased from 32 to 25, "but that could change in a moment's notice," Hochul said.

Hochul also said she will unveil "winter surge 2.0" plans at a press briefing on New Year's Eve. "We're preparing for all scenarios, including worst case," she said. "We want to be able to deploy whatever actions need to be taken if we are in a crisis situation. We're not there yet."

On the vaccination front, more than 3.2 New Yorkers have been vaccinated since December 1, with more than 33 million does as of 11 a.m. Sunday, and 4.3 million boosters administered.

While Hochul said she is excited that New York reached the milestone of 90 percent of residents having received one dose, the gap between one dose and fully vaccinated is still too large — and boosters are critical, she said.

Discussing the announcement that New York State would allow health care and other essential workers who have tested positive for COVID-10 to return to work sooner, after five days, Hochul said the state's guidance differs from that issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in that New Yorkers must be fully vaccinated. They must also be asymptomatic or have their symptoms fully resolved and wear well-fitting masks.

The state's guidance regarding returning after five days aligns with federal guidance for contingency measures to protect health care capacity, Hochul said.

"This is not about sending people back to work who are sick or having symptoms," Hochul said.

As for the state's 608 nursing homes, about a third have reported at least one resident with COVID-19, Hochul said. Nearly 90 percent of nursing home residents are vaccinated but statewide, only about two-thirds of nursing home residents have been fully vaccinated and boosted.

Bray added that state officials are working with county executives to get nursing home residents fully vaccinated and boosted. "The facts are clear. We know three quarters of lives we have lost are those over 65," she said. "Being vaxed and boosted is critical in vulnerable nursing home populations."

Hochul said there have been nursing home barriers, including those with dementia, or in instances where family members decline to give approval for vaccinations.

"It's very frustrating," one woman told News 12. "Just nobody can get anything right."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is sending an incident management assistance team to Albany Monday and will be embedded in the emergency operations center to provide federal help with clinical staffing, ambulances and mobile testing — six mobile testing teams arrived in New York City last week and 30 ambulances were sent by the federal government, Bray said.

And, Hochul added, when the federal allocation of oral treatment created by Pfizer is available, New York "wants to get its fair share and be first on line."

The governor told New Yorkers planning New Year's Eve festivities to be vaccinated and boosted, make sure guests are, too, get tested before attending, and stay home if sick.

"We will get through this winter surge together," Hochul said.