The COVID-19 infection rate has soared across the state and Mid-Hudson region and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday that although the state is not where it was in April 2020, she continues to prepare in case the numbers reach a crisis situation. "We're preparing for all case scenarios - including the worst-case scenarios - which we're not at. But as I said from the very beginning, I want to have the ability to deploy whatever actions need to be taken if we get to a crisis situation - and we are not there yet."

The governor also encouraged parents to use this time off from school to get their children vaccinated. There are now 184 children hospitalized from COVID-19 compared to 70 a few weeks ago.

Hochul says they want to keep schools open by students being vaccinated and school districts testing for transmission.

To do that, Hochul says about 3 million testing kits will be sent to school districts statewide. "We want to make sure these schools stay open," she said. "It is not a good option to say children are going to be returning home again."