Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday scrapped the idea of expanding the coronavirus vaccine eligibility list to include restaurant workers – saying it was a “cheap, disingenuous” suggestion when the state’s reserves of the shots are already thin.
The governor rejected the idea just days after announcing that city restaurants and bars could resume indoors at 25 percent capacity from Valentine’s Day.
‘I get the theory [making] restaurant employees are eligible, immunocompromised [people] eligible, people with diabetes who qualify, [people with] obesity, people with asthma are eligible, ”he said at a news conference in Albany.
“It’s very easy politically to say, ‘I think this one should be eligible, I think this one should be eligible, I think everyone should be eligible.’ The realistic situation is that you don’t have enough stock for one of these people. “
Those currently eligible for the vaccine include health professionals, seniors 65 and older, school workers, emergency responders, and supermarket employees.
Even with that limited group, New York has recently faced severe shortages of the vaccine due to problems with the federal supply chain, leading to postponements of appointments and site closures.
Cuomo challenged those calling for the list to be expanded to choose a group to be removed from the equation.
‘We don’t have enough already. Who do you want to delete? Teachers, police, [firefighters], [people who are] 65 plus? Who do you want to delete? ” he asked.
‘It’s a cheap, insincere discussion. Yes, I would like to see restaurant employees eligible. But what does eligibility mean if you don’t have enough? “
Vaccination efforts bumped up again early this week, as snow forced the postponement of appointments on both city and state-owned companies in the five boroughs on Monday and Tuesday.
Appointments at city-managed locations are automatically rescheduled, usually for next week, at the same locations – although not necessarily at the same time and day of the week, according to the municipal health ministry.
However, those who can’t make their automatically allocated slots can request alternative accommodations, including for later this week, if availability permits, the agency said.
Anyone who had scheduled appointments at Javits Center or the Aqueduct Racetrack – the state-run sites in the Big Apple – will receive an email or text rescheduling their appointment to a similar time, state officials said.
Cuomo assistant Melissa DeRosa on Sunday “guaranteed” that anyone whose appointment on a state site had to be rescheduled due to snow could get a new date this week.
As with the city system, anyone unable to make their rescheduled state appointment can get accommodation for a different day and time.