NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – We are analyzing for the first time who was vaccinated in New York City.
The mayor says this shows disparities between the neighborhoods they are trying to combat.
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As Andrea Grymes of CBS2 reports, there is a lot of data, divided by CEP.
To view it, click here.
Neighbors Sinny and Danny were talking on the corner in their Washington Heights neighborhood. Sinny took two doses of the COVID vaccine on the armory block. Danny … not yet.
“One, two, three, ready,” said Sinny.
VACCINE FOR COVID
“In all the news, all I hear is that it’s been very difficult … getting an appointment,” said Danny.
Washington Heights was one of the popular areas in the city. Now, according to newly released city data, 13% of adults in CEP 10032 are fully or partially vaccinated.
See the report by Andrea Grymes –
In Corona, Queens – another hotspot – the numbers are worse. Only 5% of adults in CEP 11368 were fully or partially vaccinated.
“It is neither fair nor equitable for communities that have been devastated by COVID,” Councilor Francisco Moya told Jessica Layton of CBS2.
Moya says the data released by the city on Tuesday confirm what he already knew about the main inequalities in the distribution and accessibility of the vaccine in the city’s colored communities. He admits that there is also an element of mistrust.
“How much of that are people who can’t, versus people who just don’t want to?” Layton asked.
“Look, I think it’s a combination of both, but what we’re seeing more than anything else is the lack of ability to get an appointment,” said Moya.
The mayor does not deny the disparities or the disjointed nomination system.
“The people who have the most privileges are the most capable of navigating this process. People who have more confidence in the vaccine will make more efforts to get it, ”said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
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The map marks the most vaccinated areas in dark blue tones. City Island, the Bronx, is in the lead, with 51% of adults fully or partially vaccinated.
It is 40% in Breezy Point, Queens, home to many rescuers.
City officials have been pushing to place more vaccination sites in hotspot areas to address disparities. They say they are dealing with an insufficient supply of vaccine, in addition to many people who simply do not want it.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
“What we are hearing is that there are questions about the schedule and the science and how quickly the vaccine was developed,” said Dr. Torian Easterling, director of actions for the New York City Department of Health.
“Just as we saw a smaller proportion of vaccines going to black and brown New Yorkers, we see these geographical disparities revealing themselves as well,” he added.
“It is about addressing inequality, doing something very tangible about it. This effort will not stop. We will go deeper and deeper into the communities to ensure there is equity, ”said de Blasio.
Washington Heights councilor Mark Levine says the nomination system is also a big problem overall and helps to drive inequality.
“The appointment system is deeply problematic. It requires people to browse dozens of different sites, sign up multiple times, make eligibility screens repeatedly, just to see if an appointment is available, ”said Levine.
Levine said in a tweet that in some rich, white areas, 16% of adults have been fully vaccinated, while some low-income neighborhoods of color have vaccination numbers as low as 2%.
Moya says there must be a better way to reach the most vulnerable, even if it means setting up tables on the corners of affected communities.
“Make Health Department employees available to help people register, so we have to do that and in multiple languages,” said Moya.
Tuesday night, during a town hall meeting with CNN, President Joe Biden was asked how he would tackle inequalities in the distribution of vaccines across the country.
“I am also providing mobile vans and mobile units to go to hard-to-reach neighborhoods,” said Biden. “The fact is that if you’re 70, you don’t have a vehicle and you live in a difficult neighborhood – which means it’s a high concentration of COVID – it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to walk five miles to get a vaccine. “
Meanwhile, the City Council is holding a hearing on Wednesday morning on legislation aimed at simplifying the nomination system.
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Jessica Layton of CBS2 contributed to this report.