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NYS Coronavirus Update

The number of new COVID hospitalizations is dropping steadily. Total hospitalizations dropped to 2,978, from 3,121 the day before. Tuesday, New York had 135 new COVID hospitalizations, down from 154 the day before. Yesterday 49 New Yorkers died of the virus — the lowest number since March.

Outdoor dining at restaurants will be permitted in Phase 2 of reopening. Restaurants in the seven regions that have already entered Phase 2 — including our own Capital Region can reopen for outdoor dining beginning tomorrow, June 4th.

NYS Executive Order (not a mandate) Allows Store Owners to Deny Entry to People Without Masks Governor Cuomo announced an executive order last week that will allow private owners to refuse service to people who are not wearing a mask. “We are giving store owners the right to say, ‘If you’re not wearing a mask, you can’t come in,'” Cuomo said. It is not a law or a mandate. You do not have to refuse service to someone wearing a mask, but it allows you to do so if you choose.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

The number of total COVID hospitalizations continues to decline. Total hospitalizations fell to 3,436, from 3,619 the day before. Saturday, NY state had 191 new COVID hospitalizations.

Daily fatalities drop to lowest level since March 23rd. 56 New Yorkers died from COVID. This is a tragic number — but we are thankful it is much, much lower than where it was at the peak. As this number goes down, it is expected to level out. The question is how low it will go before that happens.

Grab the tennis balls! Finley, a 6-year-old Golden Retriever from Canandaigua, NY, was recognized by Guinness World Records for being able to hold six tennis balls in his mouth with no assistance — shattering the previous record of five tennis balls. Congratulations to this very good boy on his world record.

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Memorial Day 2020

Today all across this great land, we pause to remember those who have fallen in the defense of freedom for the United States of America. We give thanks for their final sacrifice, for their love of country, and we say prayers for them, for their families, and for the country they served. We fly flags to honor their service, to observe our own dedication to our beautiful country.

The origins of Memorial Day are difficult to uncover. Some attribute it to former African slaves paying tribute to fallen Union soldiers. There is strong evidence that women of the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War. On May 30, 1868, flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. By 1890 all the northern states were observing the day. The South would not observe the same date until after World War I. It became known nationally as ‘Decoration Day.’

However, being the ever optimistic Americans we are, we have turned it into a nation wide party, a celebration of patriotism, family, and summer’s promise. However, Memorial Day is and always will be about the fallen servicemen and women who gave their lives for our country.

We see the news daily; from Communist China to theocratic Iran – there are so many who live under oppressive regimes who are not free. May we always remember the sacrifices of those who have given us the greatest gift after life itself – our freedom. Happy Memorial Day – cherish it and never forget.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

The number of total COVID hospitalizations continues to decline. Total hospitalizations fell to just over 4600, from 4,844 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations fell to 208, from 225 the day before. Tragically, we lost 84 New Yorkers to the virus Friday.

Please remember that social distancing rules apply at State Parks and all public outdoor spaces. You must wear a mask whenever it’s not possible to maintain six feet of distance from others.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

The number of total COVID hospitalizations continues to decline. Total hospitalizations fell to 4,844, from 5,187 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations fell to 225, from 246 the day before. Tragically, we lost 109 New Yorkers to the virus Thursday.

Gov. Cuomo issued a statewide executive order Friday night that now allows any gathering of up to 10 people, so long as social distancing is observed. The order permits “any non-essential gathering of ten or fewer individuals, for any lawful purpose or reason, provided that social distancing protocols and cleaning and disinfection protocols required by the Department of Health are adhered to.”

Vote for your favorite “Wear A Mask” PSA. NY state received 600+ submissions in our Wear A Mask NY Ad Contest. Watch the video finalists, the honorable mentions and vote for your favorite at wearamask.ny.gov.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

The number of total COVID hospitalizations continues to fall. Total hospitalizations fell to 5,187, from 5,570 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations fell to 246, from 295 the day before. Tragically, we lost 105 New Yorkers to the virus Wednesday.

Due to Coronavirus, there is a shortage of blood and blood donations are desperately needed. New York State is working with blood banks to ensure safe social distancing protocols are being followed. Learn how and where you can donate at http://ny.gov/donateblood.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

Message from Representative Stefanik on Wednesday’s Capital District Phase 1 Reopening “Brighter days are ahead.”

The number of total COVID hospitalizations continues to decline. Total hospitalizations fell to 5,570, from 5,818 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations fell to 295, from 335 the day before. Tragically, we lost 112 New Yorkers to the virus Tuesday.

Wearing a mask in public makes us all safer.To help get the message across, NY state launched a contest asking New Yorkers to create a video and share in their own words why New Yorkers should wear masks in public. After receiving over 600 great submissions, five finalists have been selected. The winning video will be chosen by an online vote and will be used as a PSA. Watch the videos and vote for your favorite here.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

Starting today, the Capital Region which includes Washington County and Huletts Landing, can begin Phase 1 of the state’s regional phased reopening plan. The region has identified enough tracers to meet the required metrics and will be joining Western New York, Central New York, the North Country, the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley in reopening Phase 1 businesses.

The number of total COVID hospitalizations continues to drop. Total hospitalizations fell to 5,860, from 5,840 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations fell to 335, from 373 the day before. Tragically, we lost 105 New Yorkers to the virus on Monday.

Elsewhere

Sometimes you just have to get excited about life!

The Belmont Stake will take place on June 20, without fans.Traditionally, the Long Island horse race is the last leg in the Triple Crown, following the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. This year, for the first time in history, the Belmont will be first. Earlier this week, Governor Cuomo announced that horse racing tracks could open without fans and the state will issue guidance on how they can safely reopen in the coming week.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

The number of total COVID hospitalizations in New York state continues to drop. Total hospitalizations fell to 5,850, from 5,897 the day before. There were 373 new COVID hospitalizations Sunday, essentially flat from 374 the previous day. Tragically, we lost 106 New Yorkers to the virus Sunday.

Elsewhere

President Trump’s Letter to the WHO

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NYS Coronavirus Update

There are over 700 locations where New Yorkers can get diagnostic testing. New Yorkers can visit a new website — coronavirus.health.ny.gov/find-test-site-near-you — and enter their address to view a list and a map view of the nearest testing sites. The state has also partnered with Google Maps to display testing site results. New Yorkers can search “COVID testing near me” on Google Maps to easily find the nearest testing sites. Please remember you must always schedule an appointment to get a COVID-19 diagnostic test by calling 1-888-364-3065 or your healthcare provider.

New York State is partnering with CVS to bring testing to more than 60 CVS pharmacies across the state. Each site will be able to conduct 50 or more tests per day.

The number of total COVID hospitalizations continues to drop. Total hospitalizations fell to 5,897, from 6,220 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations also dropped to 374, from 400 the day before. Tragically, we lost 139 New Yorkers to the virus on Saturday.

Elsewhere

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NYS Coronavirus Update

The number of total COVID hospitalizations is still dropping. Total hospitalizations fell to 6,220, from 6,394 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations also dropped, from 400 to 431 the day before. Tragically, we lost 157 New Yorkers to the virus on Friday.

Testing capacity continues to strengthen. On Friday, 40,669 New Yorkers were tested for the virus. For context, in early March, 2000 New Yorkers a day were being tested. Of those tested Friday, 2,419 people were positive.

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is calling for a federal probe of Gov. Cuomo’s handling of COVID-19 in nursing homes. Her call came after a new report showed the state quietly altered the way it publicly reports nursing home deaths from the virus. In early May the state stopped counting nursing-home patients who died from COVID-19 in hospitals in its official tallies of nursing-home fatalities, The Daily Caller reported. It now only includes those deaths that occur in the nursing home facility itself. So if a nursing home resident catches COVID-19 in the nursing home, gets sent to a hospital and dies, that gets listed as a hospital death.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

NY State beaches will be open Memorial Day weekend. In coordination with the governors of New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware, New York State beaches will reopen with restrictions in place effective Friday, May 22. The restrictions include reducing the number of people allowed and ensuring there are enough staff present to enforce social distancing. Local beaches and lakeshores may also open Friday May 22nd if they follow the same safety precautions.

“New York on PAUSE” remains in effect until May 28. However, as soon as your region hits the benchmarks, it can begin to reopen immediately — it does not have to wait until May 28. To see where our region stands, visit the state’s Regional Dashboard. Washington County has been placed in the “Capital Region.”

The number of total NY COVID hospitalizations is still dropping. Total hospitalizations fell to 6,394, from 6,706 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations rose slightly to 431, from 420 the day before. Tragically, we lost 132 New Yorkers to the virus yesterday, and our hearts are with their loved ones.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

New York will reopen certain low-risk business and recreational activities statewide on May 15th. This includes landscaping and gardening, low-risk outdoor recreational activities (like tennis) and drive-in movie theaters.

The number of total COVID hospitalizations are still dropping. Total hospitalizations fell to 6,706, from 6,946 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations rose slightly to 420, from 416 the day before. Tragically, we lost 157 New Yorkers to this vicious virus yesterday.

Patients in New York hospitals must now test negative for the coronavirus before they can be discharged to nursing homes, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has declared. This partially reverses a policy that that the Cuomo administration instituted that forced sickened senior citizens into facilities housing those most vulnerable. The ruling partially overrides a controversial March 25 order that nursing homes cannot deny admission or readmission on the basis of a positive or suspected COVID-19 case.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

The number of total COVID hospitalizations in New York continues to decline. Total hospitalizations fell to 7,262, from 7,776 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations yesterday was 521 — the lowest it has been since March 20.

Berkshire Bank has announced that effective 5/11/2020 its Whitehall branch will be expanding its branch hours. “For branches that are currently open, will now be available Monday-Friday 9am-4pm and will remain closed on Saturday and Sunday.”

Elsewhere:

Senator Tom Cotton appears with Maria Bartiromo to discuss recent reporting showing cell phone data in/around Wuhan China showed road-blocks and/or a containment zone may have been set up in October of 2019. The suspicion is that China knew the virus had escaped the Wuhan bio-lab and was taking effort to contain the spread of the virus.