Governor Kathy Hochul said on Saturday that week-over-week COVID cases in New York plunged a whopping 47% in the state.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
“We are turning the corner on the winter surge, but we’re not through this yet,” Governor Hochul said. “Please keep getting vaccinated, getting the booster dose, getting our children vaccinated, and wearing non-cloth masks. Let’s not undo all the hard work we’ve put in to bring the numbers down.”
The governor signalled something else worth noting, specifying non-cloth masks. In general, that means KN95, N95 and surgical masks. And the Biden administration had good news in that direction. Beginning Wednesday, January 19th, all Americans can order free at-home test kits through the federal government. The ordering site is already up and ready to go.
On Roosevelt Island…
Increased activism locally by elected officials started with a vaccine clinic hosted by State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright on Thursday. Friday, City Council Member Julie Menin’s team handed out free KN95 masks at the Roosevelt Island Food Pantry.
The state registered under 48,000 cases on Friday. That’s a lot, but it hit 90,000, one week earlier.
The downturn echoes results seen elsewhere after the Omicron variant spiked COVID cases. In New York City alone, reported cases fell from a 7-day running average or 438 cases to 357 in just two days, between Wednesday and Friday.
Statewide, the positivity rate is 14.62%, as of Friday. That brought the 7-day running average down to 17.59% with New York City at 16.44%.
While New York is not out of the danger zone yet, current results find us speeding in that direction.
More from the Roosevelt Island Daily
- Tuesday’s PSD blotter: noise calls, a harassment reportRIOC’s Nov. 10 PSD blotter lists 15 incidents, all on Main Street, including four noise complaints, a harassment report and one hospital transport.
- Queens Public Library Ransomware Attack: Digital Services Still DisruptedThe Queens Public Library ransomware attack continues to disrupt public computers, digital books and online services, with no confirmed restoration date.
- A new RIOC appeals officer denied records on how its general counsel was hiredA different RIOC appeals officer denied records on how RIOC hired general counsel Lance Polivy. RIOC’s internal deliberations on the hire stay withheld.
- Monday’s PSD blotter: two hospital transports, two disputesRIOC’s Nov. 9 PSD blotter lists 14 incidents, including four aided calls with two hospital transports and a verbal dispute at 750 Main Street that drew FDNY.
- Flushing Spa Murder: Man Charged After Woman Found Stabbed to DeathFlushing spa murder investigation leads to a murder charge against a 54-year-old man after a woman was found fatally stabbed in a Queens storefront.
The Steam Tunnel Repair That Disappeared
Capital projects change. Costs rise, engineering evolves, funding moves and questions of ownership can complicate even urgent work. But the Roosevelt Island Steam Tunnel was not a speculative improvement that simply slipped down a priority list. RIOC’s own records describe an infrastructure problem known for decades.
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