On Thursday, Governor Andrew Cuomo released an update on the state’s fight against COVID-19.
Today we are expected to find out how indoor dining, and other economic restrictions could change in parts, or all of Upstate New York.
“As we continue to see the number COVID-19 cases surge across the nation, it is beyond critical that we ensure hospitals, and hospital systems as a whole, have developed additional capacity and are prepared to work cooperatively with each other to prevent any one facility from becoming overwhelmed,” Cuomo said on Thursday. “With this work already underway through the state’s Surge and Flex program, we also continue to fight to ensure the vaccine’s distribution is as fair and equitable as possible.”
He said the distribution of the vaccine would begin soon, after federal and state approval, which would be consequential in New York’s fight against COVID-19.
The state had 5,164 people hospitalized from the virus. That’s important because hospitalization is expected to play a bigger role in new restrictions.
https://www.fingerlakes1.com/coronavirus/
He said earlier in the week that if any region was on pace to reach 90% capacity of hospital beds that economic restrictions would be considered. An updated table released by the Governor’s office on Thursday indicates that Central New York has 24% beds available with 319 patients hospitalized. The Finger Lakes has 604 hospitalized, which reflects 27% of beds available. The Southern Tier, which Governor Cuomo has held up as an example for making progress from its earlier fall wave – has 41% of beds available, according to the state’s chart.
That’s overall hospital beds, though. What about ICU beds?
The Finger Lakes has 506 total ICU beds. Central New York has 290 and the Southern Tier has 129. Each of those regions is around halfway to filling up available beds. For example, the Finger Lakes has 56% of its ICU beds available. Central New York and the Southern Tier both have 33% of those beds available.
These numbers are the ones that will be used to determine economic restriction this winter. Click below to watch Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Friday press conference.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].