Gov. Cuomo cautions about hospital capacity level

NEW YORK STATE--Gov. Andrew Cuomo hosted Dr. Anthony Fauci during a briefing on the state of coronavirus in New York, Monday, Dec. 7. As New York's statewide positivity rate approaches 5 percent, the governor said he has directed the state department of health to begin implementing the state's "surge and flex" protocol and mandate all hospitals begin expanding their bed capacity by 25 percent to further prepare hospitals for a future COVID-19 surge. Hospitals had previously been preparing plans for this action as part of New York's Winter COVID Plan. Additionally, the governor issued a call to all retired doctors and nurses urging them to return to service if they are able to do so. Registration will be renewed at no cost for an individual who completes the questionnaire through the volunteer portal, set up by the department of health.
While there have yet to be any "Red Zones" in New York, meaning the strictest restrictions on activity outside of the home, Cuomo said regions that reach critical hospital capacity will be designated as a Red Zone under New York's micro-cluster strategy. If a region's seven-day average hospitalization growth rate shows the region will reach 90 percent within the next three weeks, the region will become a Red Zone.
The governor also said if a region's hospitalization rate does not stabilize in the next five days, additional restrictions will be applied to indoor dining. In New York City this would mean indoor dining would be suspended, while outside New York City capacity restrictions will be reduced to 25 percent.
"Right now, the data is showing us that the highest percent of hospitalization is actually upstate - Finger Lakes, that's Monroe, Rochester area," Cuomo said. "Buffalo, western New York, central New York. You come down to New York City, Long Island, we actually have a lower rate hospitalized than upstate, which is an exact flip of where we were in the spring."
On Monday, Dec. 7, Yates County Public Health reported 20 new cases in Yates County (seven-day positivity rate 6.1 percent), Schuyler had 12 (seven-day positivity rate 3.6 percent) while Steuben County had 123 (seven-day positivity rate 10.3 percent).
"As predicted, we have had multiple positive cases and a number of contacts traced back to Thanksgiving gatherings," said Steuben County Public Health Director Darlene Smith. "With more holidays around the corner, we implore you to reconsider gathering with anyone outside your COVID bubble. Even small gatherings can result in multiple positives, with the potential for some to end up in the hospital or worse. Let this year's holidays look a little different so that next year can be complete with all your loved ones."