While the cases of COVID-19 in the Big Apple they run at high speed On a wide highway, the vaccination plan gets stuck on a slow road that began to clear on Wednesday when the State health authorities gave the green light for workers caring for the sick and elderly at home, In addition to officers from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and correctional facilities, so are they immediately absorbed to the immunization program.
Mayor Bill de Blasio assured that he is also encouraging New Yorkers 75 and older and all essential workers, including teachers, are added to this first stage of vaccination, reserved in the protocols for high-risk hospital system personnel and boarding schools for the elderly.
“We need the freedom to vaccinate, because with that flexibility we can reach many more peopleSaid the mayor pushing for the goal of a million vaccinations by January 31.
The branch president confirmed that he was allowed to include in the first phase a category of people with high priority, such as the home care workers and effective from the uniformed who answer calls from emergency to 911.
It is calculated based on the latest data that exists in New York City 202,000 home care providers, of which more than 70% are from the Hispanic and African American minorities.
“This is a great step. I want to go even further with people who do critical work for our family. Get vaccinated immediately”, De Blasio noted.
Since this week around 25,000 NYPD employees they are eligible to be vaccinated with the new drug. The city estimates that approximately 10,000 officers have already been vaccinated by next Sunday.
Let’s vaccinate the elderly!
According to City Department of Health (DOHMH) data for the past 30 days, alarming trends are shown with cases and hospitalizations in adults over 75 years old. 58% of the deaths in this period They belong to this age group with a positive infection rate of 12%.
“That’s why we’re convinced that New Yorkers 75 and older should be eligible for the vaccine as soon as possible. Several states have already prioritized this issue. As a city we are our points increase access to doses, doing everything possible to extend our response when we are self-directed, ”said DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi.
Elected leaders condemn slow plan
Just before the controversies arise from the “slowness” of the vaccination schedule, New York City elected leaders this Wednesday they stood before the state and city health authorities, so that Hurry up and change the road map as for the groups that should start immunizing as early as this week.
“Home care workers for the elderly, employees of supermarkets, the ‘deliveries’, the workforce of the urban transport system, New Yorkers over 75 and residents of the neighborhoods with the ZIP codes most affected by the pandemic, and who happen to be the poorest, should also be placed at the top of the list, “demanded Eric Adams. Brooklyn Borough President at a demonstration in front of a NYC Health + Hospitals testing center In wood.
The application, which was signed by the presidents of all New York City counties, a group of assembly and councilors, and the Ombudsman, underlines that the vaccination process is entwined for a bureaucratic battle between the governor’s office and the mayor’s office, while the communities “continue to suffer economically and emotionally from the punishment of the virus.”
Elected leaders condemned that the Big Apple has already received three weeks 340,000 doses of the new drug and to date they have barely injected 110,000 New Yorkers.
“The positivity rate is already 9% and the number of deaths continues to increase, while we have a slow and inaccurate vaccination program. We need it from the health authorities a clearer action guide and to immediately include other groups of New Yorkers who are also exposed to COVID-19, ”said Gale Brewer, president of the Manhattan County.
Look at the poor neighborhoods
Likewise, Councilor Ydanis Rodríguez described as an important step forward that home workers providing services to the elderly and the sick could soon be part of this immunization process, but he believes it is necessary to “Take Other Jumps” in favor of the neighborhoods most affected by the pandemic.
“We have to focus on the postal zones that correspond to the poorest places where the majority are Latinos, African Americans, and Asians, and how it was possible to extend the test plan that didn’t exist in any way last spring, ”said the Dominican politician.
Meanwhile, the Quisqueyano Eleazar Good, chairman of the community board 12 from Upper Manhattan, is calling for health authorities to use zip code data ranging from 10032 to 10040, belonging to Washington Heights – Inwood, where the highest number of casualties and infections have been recorded to be ascertained Priorities for immediate immunization.
“The virus continues to rage here. We must have the right of way if you really want to stop the pandemic and restore the economy, ”said the community leader.
Steps in NYC:
- 25 access pointsacross community clinics, emergency care locations and Health + Hospitals points and DOHMH emerging clinics were included in the Big Apple immunization strategy this week.
- 100,000 inoculaciones It is the goal that the City has set itself this week.
How long do you need to be vaccinated?
For more detailed information about phases, agreements and doubts on the vaccination plan in New York City, see: nyc.gov/covid19/vaccine