BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - Despite promising news about a vaccine for the coronavirus that has impacted daily life, Governor Andrew Cuomo said Friday that the "horizon" is further away than people think.
"If it takes six months, nine months to distribute a vaccine, I think we're talking about that range," the governor said Friday. "You cannot sustain a rising COVID rate until you have a vaccine. If that is an operating assumption, that is wrong. Some people say the vaccine is right around the corner so you can relax because the vaccine is here. The vaccine is not here. The vaccine is on the horizon and you cannot take this rate of increase and survive pending the arrival of the vaccine."
The governor continues to urge people to avoid mass gatherings, wear a mask, and to practice social distancing.
This weekend, the governor will attend a summit with various governors of northeastern states to come up with a plan.
Governor Cuomo did not announce any new restrictions on Friday. He said he wants to see how the current restrictions, such as restaurants and gyms closing at 10 p.m. and the ten-person limit on house parties, fare over the weekend.
"We believe we're going to have to take additional steps," the governor said.
New York's overall positive infection rate is 2.6 percent while micro-cluster zones at at 4.5 percent.
Most of Erie County remains under the yellow zone designation. The Western New York region had a 5.5 percent positive test rate on Wednesday and a 7-day average of 4.7 percent. There are 134 people hospitalized in Western New York, 25 of whom are in the ICU.
