Top Republican Warns COVID Could Be Worse in New York This Fall

The top Republican in the Senate is urging eligible New Yorkers to get vaccinated.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is pleaded with unvaccinated Americans to ignore "demonstrably bad advice" and get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.

"If there is anybody out there willing to listen, get vaccinated,” McConnell said.

With the more contagious delta variant spreading and fewer people signing up to get vaccinated the Republican from Kentucky fears the nation is going to be in trouble again.

McConnell is worried this fall could be just as bad as the fall of 2020.

"These shots need to get in everybody’s arms as rapidly as possible or we’re going to be back in a situation in the fall that we don’t yearn for — that we went through last year. This is not complicated,” McConnel said.

McConnel's plea comes after the CDC director said the battle with COVID is becoming a "pandemic of the unvaccinated."

McConnel added he didn't think it would be this difficult to get most Americans vaccinated.

"It never occurred to me we’d have difficulty getting Americans to get the shot," McConnell said.

On Wednesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19 and announced 1.41 percent of tests came back positive in the previous 24 hours.

"Getting vaccinated is more crucial now than it's ever been before. As the Delta variant makes its way through the nation, it is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against the virus," Cuomo said. "The vaccine is safe, effective, free and accessible. There's no excuse not to get yours as soon as possible. This is steadily becoming a pandemic amongst the unvaccinated - utilize the weapon we have."

The state's 7-day COVID percent positive rate has increased to 1.41 percent. According to Cuomo, 74 percent of all New Yorkers 18 and older have received at least one vaccine while 67.5 percent have completed their vaccine series.

Nearly 62 percent of all eligible New Yorkers have at least one vaccine dose.

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Categories: New York News