New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is pushing for adults in the city over 75 to be prioritized for vaccination against Covid-19, amid the worsening trend in this age group.
Eligibility for vaccination is finally approved by state authorities. The state currently has a five-stage vaccination priority plan. The first two phases prioritize health professionals and patients from long-term care institutions and other important professionals. Adults over 65 are in phase 3 of the plan.
The mayor said he hopes to start pre-registering the elderly at some of the vaccination posts available in the city.
New York City Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi elaborated that, in the past 30 days, 6% of all cases occurred over 75 years of age, but 30% of hospitalizations and 58% of deaths occurred in people aged 75 or over. more. Percent positivity is also increasing in this category.
“I believe New Yorkers aged 75 and over should be eligible for the vaccine as soon as possible,” said Chokshi, adding that “several states have already prioritized older adults.”
Overall, New York City reported 3,845 additional cases over an average of 7 days, which de Blasio said was “very high”. The city also recorded a “big jump” in hospitalized patients suspected of Covid-19, with the mayor scoring 279 in Wednesday’s report.
De Blasio said he was hopeful that the impact of the holiday will wane in the coming weeks, leading to an improvement in Covid-19 numbers.
New York City was the U.S. epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic in March, with hospitals struggling to cope with the flow of patients.
After a more peaceful summer, the city is facing an increasing number of infections and new restrictions have been imposed.