Governor Kathy Hochul is calling on New Yorkers to get the new COVID-19 vaccine to combat the recent spike in COVID and respiratory illness cases.

“We want this to be easy, hassle free, most insurance will cover the cost of the shots. For those who are uninsured or your insurance won't cover this. We have shots for free at community health centers all over New York or our local health departments, and we'll make sure that that information gets out there," Hochul said.

Hochul made the announcement through a COVID Booster public service announcement, which seeks to educate New Yorkers about the benefits of getting the booster.

The new vaccine is now available in the state.

The Governor and New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald also announced the Commissioner’s standing order allowing all eligible New Yorkers to receive the new COVID-19 vaccine at any pharmacy in New York State without a prescription from their individual health care provider.

Despite the call for residents to get the vaccine, Hochul attempted to downplay the seriousness of the situation.

"Now, I want to be very clear. This is not going back to the dark, scary days of 2020, 2021, and 2022. We are far from it. And we have excellent vaccines, including an updated vaccine just approved by the federal government. Now, cases and hospitalizations are not elevated from what they had been this summer. They're actually down a little bit from recent weeks," she said.

Hochul said the state will continue its surveillance through statewide wastewater testing that can be used to determine if a community is seeing a spike in cases.

She said the number of cases are likely down compared to the summer figures, based on current testing.

"You can see over there, they spiked up a little bit in the summer and now they're starting to trend out," she said.

But Hochul said with the weather cooling and people beginning to go back indoors more often, numbers are expected to spike again.

Children in schools will also lead to a significant transference of germs, she said.

"And we do tend to see when the weather changes, a seasonal uptick in illnesses like flu and COVID-19. Now, they spread once it gets cold outside, people spend more time, and especially around the holidays," she said.

Hochul said the data is clear about vaccines.

"The vaccines actually work. And it reduces infections by 57 percent in 18 to 49 year olds. And it cuts doctor visits and hospital visits down by about 50 percent. That's all good news. Now here's the choice people have, New Yorkers, I know you don't want to hear about this, but you can spend Thanksgiving quarantining, walk around the house with a mask on, not enjoying the holiday dinner, waiting for a nasal swab from a hospital, or you can be with your family," she said.

Hochul said getting the vaccine is not just about an individual's health, but also for the health of their family.

"I want to encourage all New Yorkers, now is the time to take care of yourselves and your children. Don't wait until later. Don't get sick. There have been cases around, even my office, where people got sick over the summer. And it is long in duration and is really unpleasant. So all of that is avoidable, which is extraordinary," she said.