Gov. Kathy Hochul said at her COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday that cases remain high in New York, but that a downward trend in rate of increase is providing a “glimmer of hope.”

According to data provided for Jan. 10, there are 12,540 hospitalized with COVID-19 in New York and 160 new deaths.

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An area of concern for the governor continues to be pediatric hospitalizations.

“Ninety-one percent of 5- to 11-year-olds newly admitted to hospitals are unvaccinated,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be that way.”

The governor announced a new Vax for Kids campaign to help encourage children who can get the shot to get one. She is also pushing to get more tests to school systems.

Hochul also nixed contract tracing in the state, saying that it is now optional for counties to call residents who become infected. She said the rate of increase has made it “impossible” and that she would rather redirect the resources it takes to trace cases.

Officials are urging anyone who does become infected to not go to an emergency room for a test. State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said that the state will be “moving to more self-management" when it comes to positive tests and contract-tracing. More details about that will be revealed on a state website that will launch on Wednesday morning.

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