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New York state will roll out updated COVID-19 vaccines as soon as Friday in an effort to combat new variants of the virus, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday in a press conference.

On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration authorized an updated mRNA vaccine to protect from spreading variants amid a recent spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across New York since mid-July.

“We know how to treat it, we know how to lessen the impact, how to fight new strains and how to fight the new variants,” Hochul said. “That’s the fight we’re in right now, and that’s why this news is coming at a perfect time.”

Hochul said the state received its first shipment of the FDA-approved vaccine on Tuesday, which will soon be available at doctor’s offices, pharmacies and healthcare providers across the state, including at Syracuse University.

New York remains prepared for an uptick in COVID-19 cases, Hochul said, as the fall season continues. The state experienced spikes in the fall and winter seasons to varying degrees between 2020-22, according to data from the New York State Department of Health.

From July 1 to Sept. 10, cases increased from 1.8 to 10.0 per 100,000 residents in the state, according to the NYSDOH COVID-19 dashboard.

The active COVID-19 case count across New York “fails to tell the whole story,” Hochul said, as mandatory testing policies become less common statewide.

On Sunday, SU confirmed at least 124 active self-reported COVID-19 cases among students, faculty and staff. The university ended mandatory testing for COVID-19 as of the fall 2022 semester and stopped updating its COVID-19 dashboard on May 20, 2022.

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna will both offer the updated vaccine. On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended people who are six months and older to get the updated vaccine shot.

“This is a new vaccine built specifically to match the circulating strains, so it doesn’t matter if you’ve already been vaccinated. Take no comfort in that … thank you for getting vaccinated in the past, but that is not protecting you today,” Hochul said.

The FDA released updated guidelines Monday based on age and prior vaccination status. People 5-years-old or older, regardless of past vaccinations, are eligible for a single dose of the updated vaccine if they’re at least two months removed from the last dose of a previous vaccine shot.

While COVID-19 numbers remain lower compared to previous years, Hochul said her main concern lies in the recent increase in hospitalizations across the state due to COVID-19.

SU confirmed it will offer clinics for the updated COVID-19 vaccine and the flu shot, according to a Tuesday SU news release. SU has yet to receive a supply of the new vaccine shot but will begin scheduling clinic appointments at the Barnes Center at The Arch upon arrival.

COVID-19 cases across New York remain at lower levels now compared to the height of the pandemic, Hochul said. Amid the spread of new variants, however, Hochul urged state residents to take precautions by getting the updated vaccine.

“There’s no need to be careless. We have the tools we need — treatment, tests, masks. But the best, most effective way to deal with this is getting the vaccine. It’s going to be available, so let’s use it,” Hochul said.

Published on September 13, 2023 at 11:32 pm

Contact Dominic: dcchiapp@syr.edu | @DominicChiappo2