New York – Gov. Cuomo yesterday said that New York State’s independent COVID-19 Clinical Advisory Task Force approved the Moderna vaccine Friday. Their unanimous vote to approve the Moderna-developed vaccine followed the FDA vaccine panel’s vote last night to recommend it for Emergency Use Authorization. The formal authorization by the FDA is expected imminently, and the state anticipates receiving 346,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine next week.
Total hospitalizations fell to 6,081—down 66 from the previous day. 1,068 patients are in the ICU, down 27 from the day before. 592 of those patients are intubated, down 19 from the day before. Sadly, there were 120 COVID fatalities yesterday. As has been the case for a number of days, the Finger Lakes continues to have the most hospitalizations as a percentage of their population of any region in the state.
The Department of Health issued guidance on administering “extra” doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from vials. COVID-19 vaccine providers have consistently been able to withdraw more than five doses from one five-dose vial of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. As a result, after consulting with the FDA and the manufacturer, the State Department of Health issued guidance permitting vaccinators to withdraw more than five doses from a single vial, and to use any extra vaccine that can easily be drawn up in a syringe to meet the 0.3 milliliter dose requirement. But extra vaccine fluid from more than one vial cannot be combined to produce extra doses.
A record number of tests were reported yesterday at 249,385 tests were reported yesterday in New York State, a new high. Of them, 12,697, or 5.09 percent, were positive. Getting tested frequently is a good practice, especially since so many positive cases are from asymptomatic people (who can nevertheless infect others). Find a testing site here.
(A press release from the office of Gov. Cuomo)
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