Mar 22, 2021
- Starting tomorrow at 8 a.m., New Yorkers 50 years of age and older will be eligible to receive the vaccine. We continue to kick vaccinations into overdrive throughout the state by expanding eligibility, establishing new vaccination sites and opening up eligibility to providers to reach new populations. New York's distribution network is ready to handle an expected increase in supply, and we're excited to expand eligibility even further as we move to get through the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, limited supply from the federal government means that New Yorkers should remain patient. If you are among those who become eligible tomorrow, check New York State's Am I Eligible website to find an appointment (if available) at a State-run vaccination site near you, or call 1-833-NYS-4-VAX. VaccineFinder, a website affiliated with the CDC and Boston Children's Hospital, can also help eligible New Yorkers find vaccination locations.
Photo of the Day: Today I spoke at Grace Baptist Church, which will become the latest of over 160+ community-based pop-up vaccination sites.
(Photo by Don Pollard)
Here's what else you need to know tonight:
1. COVID hospitalizations dropped to 4,470. Of the 152,328 tests reported yesterday, 6,361, or 4.18 percent, were positive. The 7-day average percent positivity is 3.29 percent. There were 885 patients in ICU yesterday, down 5 from the previous day. Of them, 576 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 46 New Yorkers to the virus.
2. As of 11am this morning, 26.1 percent of New Yorkers have completed at least one vaccine dose. Over the past 24 hours, 103,425 total doses have been administered. To date, New York administered 7,737,230 total doses with 13.4 percent of New Yorkers completing their vaccine series. See data by region and county on the State's Vaccine Tracker: ny.gov/vaccinetracker.
3. Today we launched the "Roll Up Your Sleeve" campaign to encourage houses of worship of all faiths to sign up as vaccination sites. Religious leaders of all faiths are trusted voices in their communities and can help New York counter vaccine hesitancy and get the vaccine to harder-to-reach communities in a fair and equitable way. New York State is calling on medical providers to volunteer to partner with houses of worship to conduct vaccination clinics. Medical professionals and houses of worship who are interested in being involved can learn more and sign up at ny.gov/rollupyoursleeve.
4. Pharmacies can vaccinate New Yorkers with qualifying health conditions. Previously, pharmacies were exclusively vaccinating New Yorkers age 60+ and seniors. If you are eligible for the vaccine due to an underlying health condition or comorbidity, contact your local pharmacy or check the VaccineFinder website to see if there are available vaccine appointments at a pharmacy near you.
Tonight's "Deep Breath Moment": A New York City teacher who became seriously ill with COVID a year ago reunited with the ICU staff who helped save his life. Tyrone John, a high school math teacher, was among the earliest people to become hospitalized in New York for COVID-19. Fortunately, he made it through. In a segment on the Today Show, he reunited with the staff who looked after him for weeks, including when he fell into a coma. One nurse reflected that John's recovery "gave us hope" during the darkest moments of our state and nation's fight against COVID-19.
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