With the holidays fast approaching, Gov. Kathy Hochul is urging parents this morning to get their children vaccinated.

The governor's vaccination push for young kids come as AAA predicts nearly 53.5 million Americans will leave home to see family and friends for Thanksgiving.

Health experts say these gatherings could lead to another COVID-19 spike.

Meanwhile, the infection rate in the Hudson Valley continues to rise and is now at 2.46%.

A majority of new cases in the Mid-Hudson region is still coming out of Orange County with 119 new positives reported on Saturday. One new death was reported in Westchester County.

A similar rise is happening across the state. The seven-day average infection rate now up to 3.21%. About 5,000 new cases were reported Saturday with 29 new deaths.

During an appearance at a church in Brooklyn Sunday, Hochul urged parents of kids 5-11 to get what she calls “the lifesaving vaccine” before the holidays - not just to protect them, but everyone around them. 

"As Thanksgiving is approaching, this is the week that we can protect our grandparents and our loved ones, and make sure that we will be there for the next Thanksgiving and celebrate Christmas together," says Hochul.

Right now, there about 10 mass vaccination sites offering shots to kids 5 through 11, including the National Guard Armory in Yonkers. 

In a few days, New York will move its state-run vaccination site out of the Westchester County Center in White Plains to Westchester Medical Center as it expands vaccine access for children.

Gov. Hochul says as a little extra incentive, children who get vaccinated "in the next few weeks" will have a shot at winning a full college education.