NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul says every option is on the table when it comes to fighting COVID-19.
The Governor says the Omicron variant is not detected in New York State yet, but since it's already in Ontario, she expects it will show up here soon.
The Western New York region still has the highest COVID rates in the state, and the Governor says a surge is coming in the next couple of days because of Thanksgiving gatherings.
The state is highly recommending people wear masks indoors. 2 On Your Side asked Hochul if she's talked with local leaders about whether they'd decide to move on to Phase 2 sooner than December 13 after implementing a mask mandate last week.
"That will be up to the County Executive to go Phase 2 if he chooses, but we're working very hard to control this, and again, my number one concern in hospital capacity to make sure that anyone who needs hospital care, whether they have COVID, and if they have COVID and they're not vaccinated, we're dealing with that. Those are the category of, it does not have to be that way, but also other people who need medical attention should not be denied that because the beds are filled up with COVID patients especially in the ICU," Hochul said.
The Governor said downstate there isn't a capacity issue for hospital beds, but here it is an issue. Right now, she says she's focused on preparing for the winter spikes in positive cases and addressed COVID fatigue.
"I believe that those people who did the right thing and got vaccinated understand we can not control a variant that arises from South Africa. What they've done is all they can do. We're not talking about shut downs. We're not talking about reinstituting the harsh measures that were needed at a time when we did not have any defenses. We had no defenses. We had no vaccination. The tests were in short supply. We are in such a different world right now, so it's still a time of concern, I am very concerned about this, but we know so much more," says Gov. Hochul.
She said she knows everyone wants to get back to normal, and says those things are within our reach if people continue getting their booster shots. More than 90% of people 18 and up in the state have received at least one dose of the vaccine, but there are counties in our region where that number is closer to 50 or 60%.
Gov. Hochul was asked about the possibility of a statewide mask mandate until we know more about the new variant.
"That is an option, but there is also a reality that is out there, and the people who will not get vaccinated are probably the same people who won't wear a mask as well, so now we're taking the shift off of the individuals that I can help, I can help people who get sick enough to go into a hospital. I can help them, and I want to make sure that we're focused on that. That's exactly what I've been talking about today, and we'll consider all options," said Hochul.
But she says right now, to have a widespread approach with a mask mandate, may not make sense and she encouraged people who haven't gotten boosters yet to do that. Hochul also said more mass vaccination sites would be opening.