ALBANY, NY – Governor Kathy Hochul gave a briefing today regarding the new omicron variant following declaring a state of emergency on Friday.

While no cases have been identified in New York as of Monday, the Governor continues advocating for everyone to get a vaccine or a booster.

Hochul says they know cases are coming, but the state is more prepared to handle it then they were a year ago.

She also says there’s an increasing number of COVID hospitalizations in the upstate region.

Elective surgeries will be suspended at hospitals who already have a low capacity.

The National Guard will also be deployed to help nursing homes take in more non-COVID patients to free up hospital beds.

She also says there are plans to open more mass vaccination sites.