Fully vaccinated New Yorkers reaches 54%, Gov. Cuomo says
Beth Heffernan gives the coronavirus vaccine to Marianne Plunkett as the Town of Hempstead officially launched its homebound COVID-19 vaccination program on Friday in Bellmore. Credit: Howard Schnapp
Some 63% of New Yorkers over the age of 18 have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination shot, while 54% are fully vaccinated, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Friday.
Statewide, a total of 18,170,406 shots have been administered, he said, including 145,291 in the last 24 hours and 863,635 in the last week.
"Even as we continue to lift many restrictions and resume a number of activities across our state, we have to remember that COVID is still out there and the vaccine remains the best weapon we have against it," Cuomo said in a statement.
"We are continuing to do everything we can to make the vaccine accessible to every New Yorker, and we are doubling down on creating incentives for anyone who still needs to get vaccinated because we cannot get complacent with our vaccination efforts."
All New York State mass vaccination sites are now open to eligible New Yorkers for walk-in vaccination on a first-come, first-served basis, he said. Among those sites are Stony Brook University, Jones Beach and Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo makes an announcement at Buffalo Niagara International Airport in Cheektowaga on Thursday. Credit: Mike Groll/Office of Governor An/Mike Groll
The Town of Hempstead on Friday launched a program to bring COVID-19 vaccinations to homebound people who can’t get to vaccination sites.
The shots will be administered by town EMTs.
"We hope to reach those who have been unable to get a vaccine, especially those who are unable to leave their homes or struggle with mobility and help society get closer to beating this pandemic," said Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin.
Hempstead officials said it was the first program of its kind operated by a town government on Long Island.
COVID-19 indicators continued to drop statewide, according to state data released Friday.
The daily average of positive results in testing was 0.86% statewide, while the seven-day average was 0.99%.
The seven-day average was 0.84% on Long Island and 0.78% in New York City.
The number of new confirmed cases was 83 in Nassau County, 80 in Suffolk County and 573 in New York City.
"COVID-19 is on the run in New York State as we get more shots in arms, put people back to work and reopen our economy," Cuomo said.
Across the state, 15 people died Thursday of COVID-19-related causes, including one in Nassau. None were in Suffolk.
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