Pregnant women, asthmatics, and obese adults of all ages are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in New York starting Feb. 15.
Governor Cuomo announced on Friday that he is expanding the pool of eligible vaccines to include a list of people with comorbidities.
Announcing the changes, Cuomo said, “ New Yorkers with co-morbidities and underlying conditions exist throughout the population of the state – it’s our teachers, lawyers, and carpenters, in addition to the doctors who keep us safe every day, and they are a badly affected population.
“ We are committed to vaccinating vulnerable populations who have suffered the most as we distribute a strictly limited supply of vaccines, and people with comorbidities are responsible for 94 percent of the state’s COVID deaths.
“That’s why, starting February 15, we will be eligible for people with co-morbidities and allow hospitals to use the additional doses they need to address that population.
“Local governments have a week to prepare for the new change – they need to prepare now.”
The wider population of people under the age of 65 without either of these conditions has not yet received a vaccination date.
New York has vaccinated 75 percent of hospital staff, but has yet to begin vaccinating the general public.
Friday, a highly anticipated vaccination site opened at Yankee Stadium.
But the only appointments are for people living in the Bronx, the municipality with the highest test positivity rate, and many of the appointments went unclaimed on Thursday.
Representatives from New York are urging people living there to get their vaccines for fear of losing them.
There remains a huge mistrust in the vaccine among black and Hispanic people.
During his briefing on Friday, Cuomo said he understood why people would be skeptical of the vaccines if they were only approved by the Trump administration, but that his national health board had also reviewed and approved them.
The Bronx has by far the highest COVID infection rate of anywhere in New York City
On Thursday, New York City opened a mass vaccination site at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, but by noon between February 7 and February 12, at least 300 appointments were still unfulfilled (left and right)
Mark Levine, New York City Councilor, condemned the city for lack of coverage and said more investigators were needed to schedule appointments. Pictured: Unfilled slots for vaccinations at Yankee Stadium
People queue in front of Yankee Stadium for vaccines amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the Bronx neighborhood of New York City, New York, USA, February 5, 2021
A National Guard soldier assists in the check-in of a person waiting to make an appointment for the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination site at Yankee Stadium on Feb. 5, 2021
They are, as established by the CDC;
Cancer (current or in remission, including 9/11 related cancers)
• Chronic kidney disease
• Pulmonary disease, including but not limited to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate to severe), pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis and 9/11 related lung diseases
• Intellectual and developmental disorders, including Down syndrome
Heart conditions, including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, or hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) including but not limited to solid organ transplant or by blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, use of other immune-weakening drugs, or other causes
• Severe obesity (BMI 40 kg / m2), obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg / m2 or higher but <40 kg / m2)
• Pregnancy
• Sickle cell disease or thalassemia
• Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
• Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
• Neurological conditions, including but not limited to Alzheimer’s disease or dementia
• Liver disease