NY Coronavirus Vaccine: 65+, Immunocompromised Now Eligible
LONG ISLAND, NY — New Yorkers 65 and older and the immunocompromised are now eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday.
The change was announced based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said it poses some concern because 7 million people are now eligible for the vaccine and the state is allocated 300,000 vaccine doses a week. The individual wait time for a vaccine can be up to six months, he said.
Cuomo said the immunocompromised group needs to be defined and possibly prioritized. Those who might be considered part of that group include those with cancer, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, obesity, pregnancy and smokers.
On Monday, vaccination eligibility in New York expanded from health care workers to the 1b group that includes police, firefighters, teachers, transit workers and individuals 75 and older.
Cuomo questioned the ever-shifting federal guidance expanding vaccine eligibility while the number of vaccine doses allocated for New York hasn't increased. He said thousands of doctors and nurses still need to be vaccinated.
"The policy and the intelligence of the federal system eludes me, but we will do the best we can," Cuomo said, adding the state will follow federal recommendations.
The federal decision was likely motivated by United Kingdom coronavirus strain, which is more transmissible, Cuomo said. Twelve cases of the UK strain have been identified in New York.
"The UK strain is the X factor," Cuomo said. "If the UK strain increases the infection rate the way they expect and the way we are seeing, we will overwhelm the hospital system. We are balancing on the head of a pin with our hospital capacity."
On Tuesday, officials announced another 164 coronavirus deaths in the state. The statewide positive test rate was 7.7 percent. On Long Island, the rate was 9 percent.
Cuomo said it appears a spike of coronavirus cases after the holidays is flattening.
Cuomo also announced five state-run vaccination sites have begun accepting appointments and are scheduled to open this week, including a site at Jones Beach.
The sites, including the Jacob K. Javits Center, Westchester County Center and New York State Fair Expo Center, will all open on Wednesday at 8 a.m. Sites at Jones Beach and SUNY Albany will also open on Thursday and Friday, respectively, with more vaccination sites to be announced in the coming days, he said.
New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.
This article originally appeared on the North Fork Patch
