Pregnant women, people with asthma and obese adults of any age will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in New York from February 15.
Governor Cuomo announced on Friday that he was expanding the vaccine’s eligibility pool to include a list of people with comorbidities.
Announcing the changes, Cuomo said: ‘New Yorkers with comorbidities and underlying conditions exist across the state’s population – they are our teachers, lawyers and carpenters, in addition to the doctors who keep us safe every day, and they are a highly populated population. affected.
“We are committed to vaccinating the vulnerable populations that have suffered the most, as we distribute a strictly limited supply of vaccines, and people with comorbidities account for 94% of COVID deaths in the state.
“That is why we will open eligibility for people with comorbidities starting on February 15th and give hospitals the ability to use the extra doses they need to serve this population.
‘Local governments have a week to prepare for the new change – they need to prepare now.’
The general population of people under 65 without any of these conditions has yet to receive a vaccination date.
New York vaccinated 75% of hospital staff, but has not yet started vaccinating the general public.
On Friday, a long-awaited vaccination facility at Yankee Stadium opened.
But the only appointments that exist are for people who live in the Bronx, the neighborhood with the highest rate of positive testing, and many of the appointments remained unclaimed on Thursday.
New York representatives are asking people who live there to get the vaccine for fear that they will go to waste.
There remains a great distrust of the vaccine between blacks and Hispanics.
Speaking at his briefing on Friday, Cuomo said he understood why people would be skeptical about vaccines if they had been approved by the Trump administration, but that his state health council also reviewed and approved them.
The Bronx has by far the highest rate of COVID infection anywhere in New York City
On Thursday, New York City opened a mass vaccination post at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, but in the afternoon, at least 300 appointments had not yet been filled between February 7 and 12 (left and right)
New York City councilor Mark Levine criticized the city for lack of reach and said more canvassers needed to be on site to schedule appointments. In the photo: Vacancies not filled for vaccines at Yankee Stadium
They are, as defined by the CDC;
• Cancer (current or in remission, including 9/11 related cancers)
• Chronic kidney disease
• Lung 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 disabilities, including Down syndrome
• Heart problems, including, but not limited to, heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies or hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Immunocompromised status (weakened immune system) including, but not limited to, solid organ or blood or bone marrow transplantation, immunological deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, use of other drugs to weaken the immune system or other causes
• Severe obesity (BMI 40 kg / m2), obesity (body mass index [BMI] 30 kg / m2 or greater, 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