Tech:NYC Digest: January 6

Tech:NYC Digest: January 6

January 06, 2021 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

Wednesday, January 6, 2021This afternoon, it became clear that today is not a normal day — and so we didn’t feel we should send a normal digest. Like many of you, we are horrified and saddened to watch what can be described as nothing less than a violent attempted coup at our nation’s Capitol, instead of what should have been a largely uneventful, ceremonial certification of the electoral college vote. Peaceful transitions of power define our democracy, and we fully intend to see one happen two weeks from today on Inauguration Day.We echo the scores of elected officials and other leaders in denouncing the violence, and we stand alongside countless Americans urging Congress to accept and certify the electoral college results.

Here’s just a handful of new COVID-19 updates for today. We plan to be back with our regular, full digest tomorrow.

Confirmed Cases:

  • New York State: 1,057,676 (+16,648) 

  • New York City: 454,133 (+5,623)

  • Statewide Fatalities: 30,965 (+161)

  • NYC Positivity Rates: 

    • NYS reports: 6.4 percent (+0.1 percent)

    • NYC reports: 9.3 percent (+0.3 percent)

General Updates:

  • Gov. Cuomo said vaccination progress for healthcare workers has improved — over the past three weeks, the daily rate of vaccinations in hospitals was around 10,800. On Monday and Tuesday, it was more than 30,000 each day. (Newsday) But he also said that as many as 30 percent of employees in nursing homes and hospitals are expected to refuse the vaccine. (New York Post)

  • The first two of more than a hundred planned pop-up vaccination sites opened yesterday in NYC. (New York Times) Gov. Cuomo said today that experts are now advising the vaccine will be widely available to the general public in March and April, assuming supply from the federal government remains consistent. (MarketWatch)

  • Here’s a good overview of the new variant strain of coronavirus found in Upstate New York on Monday. (New York Magazine) It has also been confirmed in four other states. Though there is no evidence to-date that the strain causes a more intense illness or leads to a higher fatality rate, faster transmission does mean more cases, which can lead to higher hospitalization rates.

  • We’ve also heard a lot of speculation that US officials are considering half-doses or delaying second doses so more people get at least some immunity more quickly. But, TL;DR: neither is really an option. (The Cut)

Check these sources for verified information from government agencies and public health authorities:

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