NY Covid News Superthread

[Ann 262]

I would like an answer to question #2.

[TTL News 306]

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Upstate New York has become the epicenter of a wave of COVID-19 infections that is now expected to spread to other parts of the country, as local officials face rising tensions over federal calls for people to wear masks indoors to curb outbreaks.

What began as a seemingly isolated outbreak in Central New York and the Finger Lakes in early April has since rapidly spread across much of the state. It stemmed from the emergence of a highly contagious omicron subvariant in those regions, which have seen COVID-19 hospitalizations rise recently but remain well below prior peaks.

But other factors fueling the subvariant’s rise included pockets of unvaccinated people, along with waning immunity from prior COVID-19 infections and vaccinations, experts said, as well as reductions in indoor mask wearing since state officials ended most pandemic restrictions earlier this year

 

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[Adam 372]

and of course(paraphrasing) our Exec says masking (and vax) should be done IF people choose. Im no fan of mandates, particularly for vax but i think its well been demonstrated that folks cannot be adult enough to do something, even for the common good, unless they are forced to do it. they then turn around and complain about the mandate and then have the nuts/stupidity/gall what have you to then wonder how or why this virus keeps coming back!

its not rocket science folks; large groups + relatively confined spaces X (Ignorance +politics2) = breeding ground for illness to spread. wash hands, mask indoors and stay home when sick and for Pete sakes stop believing every drop of BS that comes out of politicians' mouths....they dont give a tinker's fart for anything but your vote or money and will say anything to get one to part with either

[TTL News 306]

Quote

 

The COVID-19 subvariant estimated by New York state health officials to be even more contagious than the first descendant of the potently infectious omicron strain now accounts for up to 70% of all virus circulating in the region that encompasses the Empire State, according to new CDC data released Tuesday.

The prevalence of BA.2.12.1, which health officials say appears to be up to 27% more contagious than BA.2 (which also was said to be more contagious than its predecessor, omicron), in the agency's New York region has been increasing at a far faster rate than nationally, data shows. 

The CDC puts it at around 62% of COVID cases in the New York region, which for its purposes also includes New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands, though says BA.2.12.1's share of cases could be higher. Either way, that subvariant is the dominant strain locally, while the first omicron variant, BA.2., has retained its national dominance in recent weeks ( 62% of cases vs. 36.5% for BA.2.12.1).

"Significant community spread" of BA.2.12.1 was first noted in the state's Central New York region last month, state health department officials said -- and tied the increasing infection rates to that specific omicron subvariant. Now, Central New York's COVID numbers are leveling off, officials say, but other parts of the state appear to be encountering similar, even if smaller, viral increases associated with it.

 

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