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ALBANY – Following in the federal government’s footsteps, Gov. Kathy Hochul issued her last COVID-19 update Friday — at least for the foreseeable future.
While celebrating the major milestone, many will find it hard to forget the fear and deaths brought by one of the deadliest pandemics in modern history.
COVID-19 cases experienced a sharp peak in the Capital Region on Jan. 7, 2022. There were 3,536 people testing positive daily in the region. That equaled a 21.5% positivity rate — or one in five people testing positive daily.
As of May 11, also the last day of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ federal Public Health Emergency, 12 people in the region tested positive for COVID-19 and the region had a 2% positivity rate.
Rates have also continued to trend downward since mid-February, state data showed.
“Even though the federal public health emergency has ended, I encourage every New Yorker to remain vigilant against COVID-19 and use all available tools to keep themselves, their loved ones and their communities safe and healthy,” Hochul said in a release. “Stay up to date on vaccine doses and be sure to test before gatherings or travel. If you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options.”
As Hochul ended the state’s COVID-19 updates, New York had a total of 6,678,930 reported positive cases, 79,569 deaths and 44,069,867 vaccine doses administered since the start of the pandemic, according to state data.
Nationwide, there have been a total of 6,143,551 hospitalizations, 1,127,928 deaths from COVID-19 and 56,478,510 total booster shots issued.
The state also announced it will no longer track COVID-19 breakthrough data, regional vaccination data and pop-up vaccination data. The federal government will also scale back its data tracking, but will continue to collect and regularly post data necessary to identify and respond to any emerging threats, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
During the pandemic, the state and federal government issued free vaccines and tests in an effort to curb new infections. Starting June 1, the federal government will no longer issue free vaccines and tests and costs for both will need to be covered by private insurance or at the cost of the individual. They will continue to issue them for free until the end of the month through COVIDtests.gov. Medicaid and Medicare will continue to cover the costs of COVID-19 PCR and antigen tests, according to HHS.
Some of the changes brought by COVID-19 will continue. Given the continued exposure risks to the elderly and disabled, the “vast majority” of current Medicare telehealth flexibilities will continue through the end of the year, particularly for those in rural areas and those who find it difficult to access in-person care.
Even as both the state and federal governments roll back COVID-19 protocols, officials are still urging caution. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a press release Thursday that the department will remain vigilant in monitoring the risks of the virus.
“The [public health emergency] is ending, but COVID-19 remains a public health priority, and our work to protect the American public will continue,” he said.
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