A city-run COVID-19 testing site (Michael Appleton/ Mayoral Photography Office)
Dec. 30, 2021 By Allie Griffin
More than a dozen Queens residents died of COVID-19 Tuesday — the highest number of fatalities among the 62 counties in New York State.
Altogether, 97 New Yorkers died from COVID-19 Tuesday including 13 Queens residents as the number of cases reached the highest level on record amid a soaring Omicron-driven surge.
The daily death toll is the highest the state has seen since February 2021 and more residents of Queens died Tuesday than of any other county in New York, according to state data.
“That is not the direction we want to go,” Governor Kathy Hochul said at a press conference in Plattsburgh Wednesday. “It is heartbreaking to know that there’s families that will not see the [start] of the new year with their loved one.”
Hochul warned of a January surge as the number of new cases Tuesday shattered all previous records. A whopping 67,090 New Yorkers contracted COVID-19 on Tuesday alone — with more than half coming from the five boroughs.
New York City reported 39,591 new coronavirus cases and 28 COVID deaths Tuesday. In addition to the 13 Queens residents who succumbed to the virus, six residents from Brooklyn, six from the Bronx, two from Manhattan and one from Staten Island also died.
Legislators in Queens — which made national headlines as the “epicenter of the epicenter” of the pandemic early on — have been calling for more resources to address the spike in cases and demand for testing.
They have urged the city and state to open more COVID-19 testing sites in various parts of the borough as residents wait for hours in the cold outside existing facilities.
Hochul added a state-run mass testing site at York College in Jamaica, which opened Wednesday.
However, she noted more testing and resources will be needed as the state prepares for cases to rise even higher—as New Yorkers return from holiday gatherings and travel.
“We know it’s coming and we’re naive to think it won’t,” Hochul said. “We just had, a few days ago, families travel all over the county… Because they’re with extended family and friends, we do think there’s going to be a spike in cases.”
She warned that hospitalizations statewide will likely increase as well.
Hochul said the number of hospitalizations is already concerning, albeit lower than last year due to vaccinations. Statewide, 6,767 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 complications Tuesday — up 594 from a day earlier.
Beginning last week, New York City’s public hospitals have banned nearly all visitors in an effort to protect both patients and staff.
Staff shortages due to employees contracting COVID-19 has affected several industries. A lack of staff has shuttered private urgent care facilities that offer COVID-19 testing and has also hurt the airline industry—leading to the cancellation of thousands of flights during the busy travel season.
Five CityMD urgent care clinics in Queens have temporarily closed, with no word from the company when they will reopen.
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29 Comments
what did we learn in 2021? never hire a very old incompetent man to fix a difficult problem.
“huh, was i supposed to order tests?, i was picking out a new puppy, cmon man!”
I thought it didn’t matter because Omicron is just a bad cold and liberals are overreacting? Please at least stick to a single narrative!
As a doctor on tv said. Most of these cases are from people that walked to a testing site to get tested because they got very mild symptoms or in most cases came across someone that tested positive the past two weeks. Eventually this covid surge will result in very low hospitalizations and deaths statistically and we will be told the pandemic is over in time for spring/summer. The real fear wld be a strain as deadly as delta and as fast spreading as omicron. I think they called it deltacron. Not sure of the name. But for now that is unlikely to happen. I tested positive with an at home kit and i feel like i have an extended holiday vacation. Too cold to go out today so i do not care and my job has to give me 5 days off.
That about sums up everything the Trumpers know about COVID ?
Fauci is a doctor on TV that says things all the time . Where’s your Trump derangement syndrome with that? He’s been gone a year, find a new obsession.
The gift that keeps on giving.
Happy/Healthy 2022 to all! See you next week..
Hospitalizations and deaths from omicron are still low and people just need to relax and get away from NYC. I must say NY’ers are blind to what is around them. Just outside the city are some beautiful landscapes and scenery. You can reach many of these places by bus or by train. Even a weekend get away in Atlantic city is a nice break. The problem is people don’t really do these types of things when they live in NYC. They get all caught up in the city life. I am totally guilty of this myself but when you are on the outside looking in you see the transportation hub and access to all these places…. GO THERE . Its really easy to do. Visit a store or restaurant have a purpose but just buy a bus or train ticket somewhere in your price range.
Just want to take the time to wish all posters and readers a very happy and healthy new year. We all know how bad this last year was……. Fingers Crossed………….
2020: elect me!! “Im going to STOP the virus!!!”
2021: rampant crime, energy shortage, record inflation, china and russia threats, border surge, americans stuck in afghanistan…. dont worry about it. I got it, man!!
2022: c’mon man, its all Trumps fault
Did someone mention Trump? ?
That right-wing fever swamp is still hot and crazy.
Joey- Diaper Don said the virus was a hoax and danced with the American Flag at CPAC.Remember?
Oh please. Christmas was quiet most likely because everyone went away. I was home reading and watching the news that makes it seem like everyone is NYC is sick, depressed and scared. Its new years eve and everyone is outside! People are walking around, the streets are packed with cars, I saw adults and kids smiling and people eating at restaurants and drinking at bars and this was in the afternoon as if it was a beautiful spring day. All those living in worry and fear go out and take a walk. Everyone is back from the holidays and celebrating.
In other positive news: “From Celia Cruz to Eric Garner Way, 199 NYC Streets Get New Names.” I guess. I’m thankful for it–these streets are being named in a way to give some folks an indication of where not to live.
https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/199-nyc-streets-get-new-names-in-2021
Not to worry. The NYPD Strategic Response Team was called in to remove a kid and his family from a Queens restaurant for not having their vacation cards with them. That will certainly help. Its all over social media.
https://nypost.com/2021/12/29/nyc-mom-and-her-child-kicked-out-restaurant-by-cop-over-covid-vaccine-cards/
Juana- Very misleading comment and post. Not surprised by someone who uses the NY Post as a news source. Mother of child negligently brought this child to a protest held at this restaurant.
Lifelong Sunnyside resident and with the city now being a medical tyrannical capital (in addition the rising crime and unaffordable col) for the first time I’m seriously looking to make an exist sooner than later.
I’ve long been a huge cheerleader for the city and couldn’t see myself living anywhere else. I genuinely loved this place. But I don’t recognize the city anymore and I fear that NYC is now so addicted to COVID paranoia, that it will be permanently ingrained in the culture here. Covid is just going to keep coming back year after year. There will always be another variant, mutation, whatever. The fact that this city is panicking the most I’ve seen since the start of the pandemic, over what is turning out to be the least lethal strain of Covid, tells me everything. There will be a Covid panic every year for the foreseeable future, even when the new variant amounts to essentially a common cold. Everyone is freaking out because they all “know someone with Covid”. And before anyone brings up the elderly or immunocompromised, a common cold or influenza can also be equally devastating to them. Yet we don’t go into a collective panic over those illnesses.
We are lucky that the vaccines still provide good protection from death and hospitalization. The virus is unpredictable and there’s no knowing if the next variant will be “less lethal.” Too early to know if the milder Omicron will have long-term health problems either, or Long Covid, which is not something to worry about with the flu or the common cold.
Young kids under 5 are especially at risk since they are not eligible for the vaccine. Put yourself in the shoes of a parent of a young child. I’m encouraged that New Yorkers are taking this virus seriously. Can’t say that about some other areas of this country.
NYC is so bad now, even NJ is noticeably better. When that is the case, you know it is bad.
Personally I like seeing a lot of people leave NYC. I wish many of them left sooner.
It doesn’t matter anymore. Just wear masks and go to work.
We thought 2020 was bad but 2021 ended up bad as well LOL
If numbers are this high now imagine when everyone comes home from holiday travel and starts going to the restaurants and bars. Those that could are staying away and once again moving.
You can do all you can to protect yourself but the city is too dense. Plain and simple. We are packed like sardines where ever we go and inhaling all the second hand weed smoke is not helping either especially in WQ.
Agreed. Another good reason to mask up outdoors. Or decamp to Florida.
This is awful.
Please get vaccinated, boosted, wear masks and social distance.
It is recommended that you now wear a high quality mask.