May 24, 2021
- Since its launch in March, more than 1 million Excelsior Passes have been retrieved—a great milestone. After a long and incredibly difficult year, New Yorkers are finally returning to the things they missed amid rising vaccination rates, and Excelsior Pass is a great tool for doing so. Excelsior Pass is a voluntary, free and secure way to present digital proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results. You can use Excelsior Pass at major sports venues—including Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center—or simply as a convenient backup to your physical CDC card. Learn more: ny.gov/excelsiorpass.
Here's what else you need to know tonight:
1. COVID hospitalizations dropped to 1,305, the lowest since November 4. Of the 85,019 tests reported yesterday, 929, or 1.09 percent, were positive. The 7-day average percent positivity was 0.90 percent. There were 303 patients in ICU yesterday, down 12 from the previous day. Of them, 185 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 14 New Yorkers to the virus.
2. As of 11am this morning, 63.7 percent of adult New Yorkers have completed at least one vaccine dose. Over the past 24 hours, 63,443 total doses have been administered. To date, New York administered 18,441,242 total doses with 54.9 percent of adult New Yorkers completing their vaccine series. See additional data on the State's Vaccine Tracker.
3. Get vaccinated and get a free State Park pass. Today we announced the "Shot in the Park" incentive—anyone who gets vaccinated between May 24 and May 31 will receive a free two-day pass to any New York State Park. Additionally, 15 New York State Parks will host pop-up COVID-19 vaccination sites, offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on a first-come, first-served basis.
4. Join us virtually tomorrow for a webinar on women's health and the COVID-19 vaccine. On Tuesday, May 25 at 4pm ET, a panel of top New York medical experts will discuss the effects of the COVID-19 vaccine on women's bodies at all stages of life and explore how the vaccine can protect the health of young people. Attendees will have the opportunity to directly ask questions about the vaccine including topics such as fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding and vaccinating youth. No judgment—just an open conversation with experts. You can register to attend the webinar here.
Tonight's "Deep Breath Moment": A Buffalo father attended the same school as his daughter to earn his bachelor's degree and this year they graduated at the same time. Cesar Galarza graduated from SUNY Buffalo with a degree in social work where his daughter, Clarimar, was already studying art education. At this year's ceremony, the father-daughter duo graduated with honors as part of SUNY Buffalo's Class of 2021. Congratulations to both Galarzas.
If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State's Coronavirus Updates