Gov. Kathy Hochul provided several updates on the fight against COVID

Albany, New York — Wednesday morning Governor Kathy Hochul provided several updates on the fight against COVID.

Effective Wednesday, masks are required at child care and daycare centers in New York State. They are also now required at state-regulated congregate day programs, like outpatient substance abuse programs, and inpatient facilities. The requirement applies to New York State Office of Children and Family Services-licensed and -registered child care centers, home-based group family and family child care programs, after-school child care programs, and enrolled legally exempt group programs during operational hours, according to the state. They also apply to programs and facilities licensed and certified by the Office of Mental Health, the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, the Office of Children and Family Services, and the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

“We all want this to be over,” Hochul said. “Everybody’s tired of it. It’s been a long, long haul, and the great news is, we have the power to end this – if every single person in New York State who is eligible, and that is everybody over the age of 12, would simply get their vaccine and then prepare to get their booster. We could get through this like this. We could show the rest of the nation what enlightened people look like, what they act like, what they do.”

According to Hochul, the state is warily watching case numbers over the next few weeks.

“I feel like we’re replaying the same movie like last year but it has a better outcome because now we’re better prepared and have the vaccine, but still,” she said. “People are coming indoors, congregating more closely together. We also have some events. We saw a spike go up last year. What triggered it? Halloween. Who would have thought that people gathering at Halloween would have precipitated a spike but that’s exactly when numbers started going up.”

The state will fight a judge’s decision Tuesday which temporarily blocked the state of New York from forcing medical workers to be vaccinated, Hochul said.

She also addressed the announcement Tuesday by Erie County and Buffalo Bills and Sabres owners that fans must be vaccinated to attend games and events at Highmark Stadium and KeyBank Arena.

“This is how we are going to deal with this fall vulnerability. This is where people congregate, big gatherings, lot of tailgating going on, but if people are there who have been vaccinated, it would be a far different outcome than if we allow people to come if they are not,” she said.

The state is also preparing for the rollout of more booster shots. Hochul echoed what Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said last week: that they need people who can administer vaccinations. Hochul has directed the state health department to allow basic EMTs to administer vaccines. That makes 50,000 basic EMTs available to train for this, she said.

“I’ve seen a lot of good signs lately and it’s very, very promising,” Hochul said. “Last night we opened Broadway. Broadway was the first to shut down and the last to reopen as far as the key industries that help define our state.”

On Tuesday, the governor reported New York has administered 40,017 vaccine doses in a 24-hour time span. She also reported that there were 28 COVID-19 deaths statewide Tuesday.