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More Than Half Of New York's Adults Have Been Fully Vaccinated, Cuomo Says


By

Sophia Chang

Published May 15, 2021


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As people wearing masks stand in line behind metal barricades, a vaccine site worker verifies eligibility and registration to get COVID-19 vaccine of people on line at a mass vaccination site at Citi Field in Queens in March.

 

Ron Adar/SOPA Images/Shutterstock


By

Sophia Chang

Published May 15, 2021


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Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday that 51.5% of New Yorkers over the age of 18 have now been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The state also reported 61.4% of adults have received at least one vaccine dose. The federal government this week authorized kids ages 12-15 to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, though the state did not report the number of residents between the ages of 12-17 years old who have been vaccinated. Still, 49.6% of all New Yorkers have received at least one dose, and 41.3% of all New Yorkers have been fully vaccinated, according to the state.

In New York City, 3.89 million people or 47% of the city’s population have now gotten at least one vaccine dose, while 3.165 million, or 38% of the city, have been fully vaccinated, according to the city Department of Health.

The number of New York City residents under the age of 18 who have received at least one dose grew to 46,554 minors, or 3% of the city population. There have been 27,090 minors, or 2% of the city population, who have been fully vaccinated as of Friday, the city DOH said.

Read More: How To Get Your 12-To-15-Year-Old Kid's COVID Vaccine Appointment In NY, NJ Right Now

"Our progress on vaccinations is remarkable, and with about half of all New Yorkers now having received at least one dose of the vaccine, we are steadily moving towards the light of the end of the tunnel. Even as we continue to reopen and adjust to a new normal, we need to remember that this virus is still out there and the vaccine is the best weapon we have to defeat it," Cuomo said in a statement.

All the state-run and dozens of the city-run vaccination sites are open for walk-ins without appointments. For either booked appointments or walk-ins, minors will need to be accompanied by their parent or guardian or have proof of consent.

The city’s seven-day positivity rate was 1.72% Friday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced. The state’s seven-day positivity rate was 1.18%, the lowest since October 19th, Cuomo said.

There were 1,688 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the state Friday, a decline of 490 patients compared to the week before. Of those patients in hospitals, 407 were in intensive care units. Of those in ICUs, 246 patients were intubated.

The state recorded 23 deaths Friday, including three people in the Bronx, one person in Brooklyn, two people in Manhattan, and six people in Queens.

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COVID-19

coronavirus

vaccine


Sophia Chang

Sophia Chang is a former WNYC and Gothamist reporter.

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


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