New York State’s 7-day average COVID-19 positivity rate has hit a new record low.
That’s according to data released Saturday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo which shows that infection rate at 0.54%. That represents 61 straight days of decline.
In Western New York, the positivity rate as of Saturday was 0.64%. That is down from 0.78% on Thursday. The Southern Tier also had a rate of 0.64% and the Finger Lakes Region remains highest in the state, at 1%.
In terms of vaccinations, the percentage of New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose is 54.4%. The percentage of New Yorkers with the completed vaccine series is 46.8%.
The governor also announced Saturday that the state’s "Vax and Scratch" program, which provides free state lottery scratch-off tickets to individuals 18 and over with a grand prize of $5 million will be extended into next week at 10 state mass vaccination sites, including the University at Buffalo South Campus.
The lottery ticket, which is sold by retailers across the state for $20, will be provided free to individuals 18+ who take their first dose of Pfizer or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine at one of the sites. The sites are open to both walk-ins and appointments.
WBFO's Marian Hetherly contributed to this story.
