ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Gov. Kathy Hochul joined a Rochester radio program Wednesday morning to encourage people to get vaccinated.

The governor, appearing on 98.9 FM The BUZZ Rochester, announced a new COVID-19 vaccine incentive called “Take Your Shot at an Outdoor Adventure” which offers nature-themed prizes.

“We have tried to think of anyway we can get to our hold outs,” Gov. Hochul said. “We are going to announce an incentive called ‘Take Your Shot at an Outdoor Adventure’ with gifts, worth up to $5,000 for our hunters, outdoor people, and more.”

According to the governor, five grand prize winners will be randomly selected from a pool of the first 2,000 newly vaccinated people in December to receive their choice of deluxe fishing, hunting, and birding packages. Each Grand Prize package will include a lifetime license and the highest quality hunting and fishing gear. The deluxe birding package will include a spotting scope, binoculars, and more.

Additionally, 25 entrants will be randomly selected for a tier two prize that includes fishing and hunting packages, which include annual licenses and equipment specific to angling, bowhunting, rifle hunting, and turkey hunting. The beginning birder package includes binoculars, birdfeeder, bird seed, and I Bird NY materials.

The first 2,000 people to enter the sweepstakes will all receive a tree seedling from DEC’s Colonel William F. Fox Memorial Tree Nursery in Saratoga, NY, and their choice of either a gift card to a major sporting goods retailer, or a free night of camping at a DEC campground. In addition, all sweepstakes entrants will receive a one-year subscription to DEC’s Conservationist Magazine, which is currently celebrating its 75th year in publication.

The governor reiterated a common sentiment Wednesday, saying that vaccination is the best way of getting past the pandemic. She also said that boosters will help.

“We have to put this behind us and we will try to cater the vaccine to everyone across the state,” Gov. Hochul said. “With the booster shot you’ll be ironed out, too. Do it for the people you love. Do it for New York.”

On Tuesday the governor reported 27 new COVID-19 deaths in New York, adding that 76,451 vaccine doses were administered statewide in the 24 hours prior.

“Soon we will be gathering with loved ones, many of us for the first time since the onset of the pandemic – I want to urge New Yorkers to do everything they can to ensure they stay safe this holiday season,” Gov. Hochul said Tuesday. “The vaccine is the best tool we have to prevent the spread of COVID-19. If you haven’t gotten yours yet, go out and get it today, and if you have and you’re due for your booster, get yours as soon as possible. Vaccines are safe, effective, and readily available throughout the state.”

Tuesday’s statewide coronavirus, according to the governor’s office, was as follows:

Today’s data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported – 118,953
• Total Positive – 5,336
• Percent Positive – 4.49%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive – 3.81%
• Patient Hospitalization – 2,515 (+154)
• Patients Newly Admitted – 372
• Patients in ICU – 474 (+4)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation – 235 (-1)
• Total Discharges – 213,583 (+209)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS – 27
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS – 46,283
  • The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.
• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC – 58,948
  • This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.
• Total vaccine doses administered – 29,226,424
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours – 76,451
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days – 694,257
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose – 85.4%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series – 78.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 90.1%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 80.4%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose – 73.6%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series – 66.1%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 77.2%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 68.1%

Each region’s seven-day average of cases per 100K population is as follows:

Each region’s seven-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:

Check back with News 8 WROC as we will continue to update this developing story.