If you think the city and state’s rollout of coronavirus vaccines is confusing, you’re not alone.
Four out of five of the city’s borough presidents are calling for greater clarity and urgency on the vaccination process, saying the pace to date is “insufficient.”
Amid confusion over who’s eligible to get a vaccine, the beeps proposed a color-coded system to let New Yorkers know when they’ll be eligible to get a vaccine.
A “red” group consisting of frontline workers and others “with the highest level of need” would continue to get vaccinated first. They’d be followed by a “yellow” group consisting of people in ZIP codes “most impacted by the virus” and people with health conditions that make them especially vulnerable, among others. Everyone else would go in a “green” group.
The borough presidents also want a map where New Yorkers can find vaccination sites near them, along with a hotline to set up appointments. The city is currently offering vaccination appointments to eligible groups online, and a map are hotline are in the works, according to de Blasio spokesman Bill Neidhardt.
“We must not waste the precious resource of vaccines, but we need a plan that provides clarity and transparency to help us get through this crisis,” Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Manhattan BP Gale Brewer, Staten Island BP James Oddo and Queens BP Donovan Richards wrote the city and state health commissioners earlier this week.
U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) and 14 other city and state electeds signed the letter, too.
“As to the proposal on groups, we agree with these city leaders that the current set-up from the state is not moving fast enough,” Neidhardt stated. “The Borough Presidents and Mayor agree: New York City should have the freedom to vaccinate more people right now.”
Asked for comment, a state Health Department spokeswoman referred to a Thursday statement from Cuomo spokesman Peter Ajemian.
“The rules of the COVID vaccine distribution have been clear for many weeks,” he insisted. “Once [front-line] healthcare workers who want to accept a vaccine are afforded the opportunity, vaccinations go to the … category which includes essential workers including police, firefighters and 75+ year old New Yorkers.”
On Wednesday, de Blasio announced that 25,000 city cops would get vaccinated, only to be contradicted by Cuomo later that day — the latest in a series of snafus.
Following a slower-than-hoped-for start, de Blasio has vowed to get 1 million New Yorkers vaccinated this month.
