ba.2 variant

The latest COVID-19 wave overtaking the tri-state appears to be ebbing, based on the CDC’s latest update, just as the wildly contagious strain that has been spreading rampantly in New York for weeks asserts national dominance. The number of U.S. counties deemed to be at high risk for community COVID spread dropped to 250 in the CDC’s Friday update,...

NYC raised its COVID alert level to high last week as it grapples with rising case and hospitalization rates — and nearly 90% of all counties in the state are now considered high- or medium-risk for COVID spread by the CDC.

Well, the entire state of New York didn’t end up losing all of its green in the CDC’s latest COVID community risk level update, despite topping 11,000 new cases in a day Thursday for the first time since January. But all of New York City turned orange, reflecting the highest threat scenario of the federal health agency’s three tiers....

New York City is on high COVID alert, and Mayor Eric Adams reemphasized that there is no mask mandate. Andrew Siff reports.

The CDC COVID map is expected to show upgraded levels for all 62 counties in New York at its next update, based on the latest COVID transmission and hospitalization data available.

The fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to roll over New York City, with transmission rates up 34% this month and positivity rates hovering near 20% in parts. More than two years since the city’s first confirmed case, despite vaccines and boosters and masks and distancing and wave after wave of death, thousands of people are still being infected…

Despite the high alert level from the Health Department, health officials believe that advice will be enough to slow the spread of the current COVID wave. Andrew Siff reports.

Mask mandates are not coming back to New York City public schools despite the city’s transition to high COVID alert status a day ago and the latest mask-up-indoors-for-all advisory, Mayor Eric Adams said when asked about any protocol change Wednesday. Under the new, tiered COVID alert plan Adams and his team unveiled earlier this year, which is based on...

As COVID cases rise again, the FDA has authorized a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine to children ages 5-11. Erica Byfield reports.

They said omicron was the most infectious COVID strain yet. Then we had another one that was 30% more contagious. This one overtaking NY at a much faster rate than America is estimated to be even more transmissible than the last.

New York City raised its COVID alert level to high on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after warning of the possibility, as a fifth pandemic wave fueled by the most contagious COVID subvariants yet tighten their grip on the metro area and the nation.

Half of the 10 NYC ZIP codes with the highest rolling COVID hospitalization rates right now are in Manhattan.

Mayor Eric Adams is recommending New Yorkers wear masks indoors as COVID cases are rising again, but he is not requiring it. Erica Byfield reports.

NYC is preparing to change its COVID alert level for the second time this month. Here’s what an upgrade to “high” alert means for you and what to know about mask protocol going forward.

Positivity rates in Nassau and Suffolk counties climbed above 11 percent, putting Long Island at a high COVID risk level. Pei-Sze Cheng reports.

Long Island now has the highest rolling COVID case rate of all New York regions except for one. And the number of US counties considered to be at high community risk by the CDC has almost tripled in the last two weeks.

All boroughs except for the Bronx, which has the second-lowest full vaccination rate among the five, are now considered medium COVID alert areas by the CDC. NBC New York’s Andrew Siff reports.

The CDC now has most of New York — the entire state — at a higher COVID alert level. Reinfections and breakthrough cases are up, too.

It’s the 10th worst county in America for COVID deaths and the 20th worst for cases since the pandemic started. And somehow, this lower-vaccination rate NYC county is defying the latest trend. (Hint: It’s not Manhattan, which has the highest infection rate now.)

Gov. Kathy Hochul revealed late Sunday that she tested positive for COVID, even though she’s vaccinated and boosted. NBC New York’s Adam Harding reports.