Hochul addresses healthcare worker shortage during COVID briefing

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Gov. Kathy Hochul talked about helping healthcare facilities during her daily COVID briefing Tuesday.

She said the state is investing more than $4 billion in bonuses and wages for healthcare workers, as well as retention bonuses and that she is working on getting more workers from out of state.

"That’s what this is all about to show: Yes we need your help today,” Hochul said. “We hope to be more independent next time because we’re going to rebuild this workforce, make it stronger, make it more resilient to any other healthcare crisis that come our way, we need to have more people in this system."

Hochul also addressed the winter surge plan, and how COVID-19 cases are going down.

Statewide, the 7-day average is down to less than 6%.