The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19 is seen at Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg, Idaho on Monday, Dec. 14, 2020. (John Roark/The Idaho Post-Register via AP)

As deaths from COVID-19 across New York state and Chautauqua County continue to rise, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is continuing his push to get the vaccine out to hospital staff and nursing homes immediately.

Three new COVID-19-related deaths were announced Wednesday by the Chautauqua County Department of Health. This makes 11 deaths in the last eight days.

To date, 39 people have died due to complications associated with the virus.

The county also announced 113 new confirmed cases, bringing the total to 4,309. The number of people in the hospital with the virus dropped two to 49.

There were 651 active cases as of Wednesday.

Of the new cases recorded, 15 involve people living in the Dunkirk zip code, 10 in Fredonia, 42 in Jamestown, five in Kennedy and nine in Lakewood.

In nearby Cattaraugus, 53 new cases were reported Tuesday. At last check they had 37 individuals who were hospitalized and have reported 53 deaths since the pandemic began.

“We’re seeing the continued increase from the celebration of the holidays. It’s the holiday COVID hangove,” Cuomo said during his briefing Wednesday. “Celebrate smart, you reduce the infection rate. If you don’t celebrate smart, you have a hangover. The COVID hangover is increasing infection rate, increasing positivity rate, increasing hospitalization rate and that’s what we’re seeing.”

Currently, Western New York’s hospitalization rate is 0.4%, which is slightly higher than the Southern Tier (.03%) but much better than the Finger Lakes (.08%).

Cuomo said the emphasis on hospital staff is important because it’s possible they will run out of hospital staff before hospital space. “Many hospitals are now complaining they have the beds but they don’t have the staff,” he said. “The staff is stretched, the nurses are stretched because the capacity is so high, and because they’re getting sick from COVID.”

Along with hospital staff, New York is permitting other essential workers get vaccinated.

These include: first responders in medical roles such as emergency medical services providers, medical examiners and coroners, funeral workers, ambulatory care providers, and persons living in and working in long term care facilities, private medical practices; hospital-affiliated medical practices; public health clinics; specialty medical practices of all types; dental practices of all types; dialysis workers; diagnostic and treatment centers; occupational therapists; physical therapists; speech therapists; phlebotomists; behavioral health workers; and student health workers.

On Wednesday, both Chautauqua and Cattaraugus County health departments provided vaccine for those essential workers and are expected to schedule future clinics as they receive vaccine from the state. To sign up for a clinic and to see if you are eligible, go to https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/ and click on “Am I eligible.” Eligible residents may go to their county Health Department’s website to see about upcoming vaccination clinics.

Cuomo said during his briefing, mass availability for the general public is not expected until March or April.

UNIONS SEEKS REMOTE LEARNING IF POSITIVITY RATE HITS 9%

Across the state, teacher unions say they want to go back to remote learning if New York’s positivity rate hits 9%.

On Wednesday, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and state United Teachers President Andrew Pallotta issued the following joint statement after they said the state reversed previous guidance for reopening schools as COVID-19 cases continue to spike.

The full statement is as follows: “Over the past week, we have seen 6 out of 10 regions in the state surpass the 9 percent state infection rate threshold that was set by the Reimagine Education Advisory Council in the summer. Educator confidence in the safety of our school buildings has fallen as COVID rates have risen in our communities.

“We have a moral duty to follow the science on reopening-that’s why New York schools should immediately go to remote learning if positivity rates exceed 9 %, as calculated by the state. The science is what drove the Council, on which Randi served, and was the basis for the threshold.

“There are many ways to mitigate risk, but weakening school safety standards is not one of them. We’re seeing new research from Europe that says schools can be vectors. But in New York schools that have reopened, the safety guardrails we’ve put in place ensured in-school spread has been curbed. We can’t throw up our hands now-the positivity triggers for closing must be upheld, and if they are exceeded, we must close buildings and then redouble our efforts to crush community spread so they can reopen.

“Let’s not make the mistake of undoing the bonds of trust among parents, educators and districts that we’ve spent months building up. We’re all tired of COVID and know kids need to be in school buildings. But we can’t make educators expendable.”

According to the state’s website, New York’s positivity rate is at 8.31%. Western New York’s positivity seven day average is at 8.8%. Cattaraugus County’s seven day average is 9.5% while Chautauqua County’s seven day average is 12.4%.