As the vaccination process continues across the country, Senate Charles Schumer has announced that New York will receive a ‘supercharged’ dose of the vaccine within a few weeks.
According to Schumer, 1.65 million doses of vaccines will arrive in New York each week by the end of April, which is a 33% increase from what the state currently receives.
At a news conference outside Ryan Health on the Upper West Side, Schumer, along with White House COVID vaccine coordinator Jeff Zients, said the surcharge effort would be strengthened by ‘a massive expansion of federally funded vaccine sites using New York’s existing Community Health Centers (CHCs) – like Ryan Health here – to help them get into arms. ‘
At a White House COVID press conference later in the day, Zients outlined the federal strategy to increase vaccinations: more vaccine supply, more vaccinations in the field, more vaccination centers in places like CHCs.
Schumer noted that about $ 500 million in direct federal aid is directed at expanding vaccines in New York, such as the Ryan Health Center. He said: “One of the biggest problems in getting people vaccinated is access. Especially in our subordinate and disadvantaged communities. We have heard numerous stories of people who had to travel too far to get a vaccine, which is our ability to recover, hampered the pandemic and return to ‘normal’ With this announcement that more vaccines and sites will open, New York is in a position to get more shots in the arms, especially in areas where COVID hit hardest. ‘
The senator’s office noted that one in nine New Yorkers relies on a community health care center, and 89% of those with low incomes and 71% are people of color.
This week, 80% of New York adults were eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, and as of Friday, 24.6% of New Yorkers had at least one dose of the vaccine, and 12.7% was completely vaccinated. Below is the vaccination delivery card (the data is from March 14, the last time it was updated):
CVS, which has just vaccinated adults over 60 and teachers, has just opened appointments to include people over 16 with underlying conditions:
President Biden says all adults must be eligible for the vaccine by May 1st.
Eligible New Yorkers can schedule appointments at state vaccination sites using New York’s “Am I eligible?” website or by calling the state’s COVID-19 vaccination telephone at 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829), or by New York Vaccination Portal or call the city’s COVID-19 vaccination phone 1-877-VAX-4NYC (1-877-VAX-4692).