Number Of COVID Cases On The Rise In New York, 3.5 Million New Yorkers Are Unvaccinated

The spread of COVID-19 is back on the rise across New York, with the daily statewide infection rate surpassing two percent.

Governor Andrew Cuomo says 75 percent of New York adults have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine.

Cuomo says the problem now is vaccine hesitancy.

He says outreach on the ground through community-based organizations is the key to increasing the vaccination rate.

Cuomo says the state will make $15 million in funds available to six statewide organizations.

"COVID-19 exposed longstanding inequities in our society, and we've seen evidence of that in both the positivity rate and the vaccination rate in communities that were hardest hit by the virus," Governor Cuomo said. "New York is pulling out all the stops to get shots in arms, and this budget funding will help us target outreach efforts in the state's most vulnerable communities to make sure that everyone is able to get vaccinated. We've made incredible progress in the fight against COVID-19, but there's more work to do, and this will help us protect communities across the state."

The Governor also announced a new ad urging New Yorkers across the state to get vaccinated.