NY expects 170K doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine by mid-December
- by Nick Cohen
- in Industry
- — Dec 5, 2020
"The COVID-19 vaccination plan announced today by the Governor for nursing home residents and staff is thoughtful and will safeguard residents, staff and communities throughout NY". Nationally, by month's end, it is anticipated there will be sufficient doses to vaccinate 20 million people nationwide, or about 6% of Americans.
It was the first time that the rate surpassed 5 percent in months.
NY is launching a campaign to educate residents about the importance of not hosting social gatherings at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The committee voted that the first available vaccines be given to health care workers and people living in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes and assisted living. Between 75% and 85% of residents must be vaccinated for normal economic activity to resume in the state, Mr. Cuomo said.
Next, health care workers will receive the vaccine with priority on those who work in emergency rooms and intensive care units in direct contact with COVID-19 patients. The panel will help address public skepticism and cynicism about the vaccine that would interfere with combating the virus.
"In the broad scope of things, we're dealing with increases in hospitalizations, but we're doing dramatically better than essentially every other state in the country". In early October, the average weekly positive infection rate among Saratoga County residents was 0.5%.
The governor launched another task force to come up with a plan to distribute it, and has called for more federal funding to cover the vaccines' estimated $1 billion cost.
Cuomo says he hopes for flattening of the increase by mid-January. "The vaccination program is really the endgame here".
Among the topics were the positivity rates, which Western New York remains the highest across the state, along with the highest increase in hospitalizations in the state over the past three weeks at "262 percent".
"This is probably the only issue President Trump's people and Joe Biden's people agree on". The advisory also applies to those with underlying health conditions. "The CDC recommendation for Thanksgiving was: no more than your household". "When you eliminate other options for socialization, people will shift their behavior and begin joining together in their homes. It's agreed to by both".
