January 24, 2022 Daily Headlines
Schuyler County Public Health will host two COVID vaccine clinics this Friday at the Watkins Glen Community Center. The first clinic will be from 9:00 A.M. to Noon and will offer vaccines to all those 12 and older. The second clinic will be from 2:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. and will offer the Pfizer vaccine for 5 to 11 year-olds. Registration is required for the second clinic. For more information visit the County website at schuylercounty.us
——-
On Tuesday, the Tompkins County Independent Redistricting Commission will be hosting public input sessions for the city of Ithaca. The commission is hosting three separate input sessions, each dedicated to a different section of Tompkins County. The commission is tasked with redrawing the county's 14 legislative districts following the 2020 census. For more information visit the county website at tompkinscountyny.gov/legislature
——-
Hospitalizations from COVID-19 have fallen below 10,000 in New York state for the first time since the beginning of the month. According to NBC4, the state’s positivity rate also fell to 10.5 percent, it’s lowest level since late December. NBC quoted CDC Director Rochelle Walensky saying the number follows a pattern of the Omicron variant where the virus surges rapidly, then declines rapidly. Though numbers have improved across New York state, New York City and Long Island have seen quicker recoveries than the upstate regions.
——-
The New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, Asian Legislative caucus is calling for the state to hire mental health professionals in every school district in the state. According to the Albany Times Union, the measure would require a full-time licensed counselor and psychologist in every elementary, intermediate, middle, junior, and senior high school in the state. The caucus, made up of state legislators, included the measure as part of their annual 2022 People’s Budget. Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled her own executive budget for the 2023 fiscal year just a week ago. The caucus is calling for the governor to include the proposal as a part of her own budget.