Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday that COVID-19 cases are at their lowest levels since Oct. 25 of last year.

She adds cases have dropped 97% since Jan. 7.

Hochul also touted a drop in hospitalizations, saying trips to the hospital because of COVID-19 have dropped 72% over the past month.

As the trend continues to drop, the focus now turns to what's next for kids in schools.

Hochul wasn't able to give a straight answer on this, and said there is not a "magic number" to hit when it comes to vaccinations. She said she wants to look at the infection rates in order to determine the best course of action.

Last week, Hochul spoke of providing test kits to schools. She said 5 million are being sent out for children to test after they return from winter break. The data collected there will be used to plan ahead.

Hochul also said she would like to see a rise in people returning to work in their offices across the city. Many have been working from home, but Hochul stressed that if people return to the office buildings, it'll help jump start the economy, which New York City is vital to state economy.

Medical experts like Dr. Rami Nakeshbandi said this is hopeful news, but that one shouldn't claim victory just yet.

"Given the fact the numbers are dropping significantly, I think it is an opportunity to ease some of the restrictions, however keeping vigilance, making sure that if somebody is sick stays home or getting tested as soon as possible," Nakeshbandi said.

Hochul also took to Twitter to thank those who've been vaccinated for contributing for the 97% decrease.

If anymore COVID-19 strains do turn up, Nakesbandi said virus strains do tend to get weaker than the last.

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