New York Mayor Bill de Blasio voiced an aggressive plan on Thursday to vaccinate 1 million New Yorkers by the end of January, marking the biggest vaccination effort in the city’s history.
“This city can do that. The incredible health professionals in this city are ready, ”said de Blasio during a briefing.
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He detailed plans to expand operational vaccination sites and create new sites, or so-called “COVID-19 vaccination centers”, at community clinics and locations across the city.
“Our goal is to reach more than 250 locations across the city,” said de Blasio.
“It will be a lot of work, it will require a lot of urgency and focus,” he continued, detailing the necessary help from the federal and state government, as well as from vaccine manufacturers.
The mayor said more than 88,000 New Yorkers have been vaccinated so far.
“We need to accelerate now,” said de Blasio.
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The “decentralized grassroots effort” will involve vaccination centers, expanding vaccination at testing and screening sites and increasing the capacity of local organizations to do the job, all under the facilitation of the Vaccine Command Center.
De Blasio said the wealthy and privileged would not be allowed to “skip the line” for faster access to vaccines. The city’s top priority is for high-risk healthcare professionals and residents and nursing home staff.
In addition, New York City health commissioner Dr. Dave Chokski said the goal is to double access points for vaccination in one month.
“Part of our strategy includes the launch of the first municipal vaccine centers in the coming weeks,” said Chokski. “These vaccination clinics operated by the city quickly became distribution points in school gyms and elsewhere.”
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The health commissioner said the first sites will be launched in mid-January, administering 45,000 doses a week with expansion plans if the supply allows.
The locations of the sites were selected and prioritized based on the at-risk and hard-hit neighborhoods, “most often communities of color,” said Chokski.
Finally, de Blasio marked March 14 as a day of remembrance to recognize more than 25,000 New Yorkers lost to the new virus.