Governor Hochul announced more than 84,000 new positives across the state amid this omicron wave.
But despite the numbers, is the new variant's reputation leading to some misconceptions?
There's been encouraging data that the omicron variant is less severe, but that is still not stopping a surge in hospitalizations, with 317 more across the state today. The state’s total hospitalizations now is at more than 11,000. These numbers are why health experts say omicron should not be considered "mild."
Dr. Brian McDermott leads the infectious disease team at Saratoga hospital. He says the most severe COVID-19 cases they're now treating are among the unvaccinated.
Because of that, and even though omicron has less risk of hospitalization, there's still more and more beds being filled every day.
Another problem is with the healthcare workforce. Even if workers have mild symptoms, when they test positive, they can't work, and can't treat patients. It puts even more strain on burnt out employees.
Dr. McDermott says what everyone needs to realize is that while maybe not as severe, omicron spreads from person-to-person much, much faster.
"This is moving at a speed between, from person-to-person severalfold faster than before, and even though in general people are having less severe disease, there are still more people going to the hospital than before,” he said.
We asked Dr. McDermott about a new policy announced in California. All employees who work inside in Los Angeles County will soon have to wear stronger, medical-grade masks, and employers will have to provide them.
Dr. McDermott says the protection is stronger, but it might not do much for transmission since he says the majority of people are getting COVID-19 from face-to-face interactions where precautions aren't taken, like at the holiday gatherings pretty much everyone just went to.