Hochul: Another COVID record broken; state ready for surge

New York state has broken another COVID record. Gov. Hochul said Monday that more than 23,000 people tested positive for COVID in the past day.

She also announced Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett tested positive for COVID during a COVID rapid test. She will have another PCR test to confirm that. Hochul says Bassett is feeling fine.

Hochul is once again urging all New Yorkers to get vaccinated, get boosters, and get tested if they feel sick.

She also tried to calm the fears of people who may think this feels like the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

"This is not March of 2020. It is not even December of 2020," said Hochul. "They’re not comparable to what we went through when we did not have vaccinations and boosters and the knowledge we have now."

Hochul added that if you’re vaccinated and boosted, you’re likely to only have minor symptoms if you get omicron.

She also stressed the importance of keeping kids in school and avoiding a government shutdown.

She’s also sending $65 million to the counties to help them enforce the mask mandate. She says smaller counties will get $1 million and larger counties can get up to $2 million.

Hochul’s administration is promising 10 million more tests, more masks and more test sites to accommodate the new demand for testing.

MORE INFORMATION: New York State coronavirus dashboard | Vaccine tracker

You can watch Gov. Hochul’s full briefing here.