1+ Million VAX Doses for NY – Big Reopening News

1+ Million VAX Doses for NY – Big Reopening News: In a Sunday press release, Governor Cuomo announced that New York received and administered over one-million doses of the coronavirus vaccine last week. Also on Sunday, New York surpassed over 5.5 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine administered to date. Including 3,650,948 who have received the first dose – that’s 18% of all New Yorkers. And over 1.8 million have received both doses or 9% of all New Yorkers.

There are currently ten million New Yorkers eligible to receive the vaccine, including health care workers, essential workers, populations aged 65+ and New Yorkers with qualifying co-morbidities and underlying conditions. That means that if New York continues to receive and administer a million doses a week that eligibility guidelines could expand beyond the current expanded Phase 1a and 1b populations by May.

With additional supplies coming from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson and with the number of New Yorkers already vaccinated rising, finding appointments should become gradually less challenging in the weeks ahead. See below for our Latest Vaccine Tips for guidance on how to get an appointment:

Reopening News for Restaurants, Theaters, New VAX Centers: Yesterday Governor Andrew Cuomo also announced that New York restaurants, outside of New York City, can increase their operating capacity from fifty to 75% beginning on March 19. New York City restaurants will remain operating at 35%. This is the latest in a spate of reopening news in recent days as New York’s positivity rate dropped to 2.98% on Sunday.

Earlier in the week the governor announced that theaters and other event venues can reopen at 33% capacity beginning on April 2. All event and arts and entertainment venues will be able to host up to 100 people indoors and 200 outdoors. Those capacity limits can increase to 150 indoors and 500 outdoors if all attendees provide proof of a negative test prior to entry. Social distancing and face coverings will remain as requirements for attendees.

Ten New State Vaccination Centers for Open

With federal vaccine supplies continuing to rise after the approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the governor also announced that the state will be establishing ten new vaccination sites “in the coming weeks.” The closest sites for local residents include SUNY Old Westbury on Long Island, SUNY Orange in Middletown and the Ulster County Fairgrounds in New Paltz – all approximately one-hour fifteen minutes from Armonk. For local residents who work in New York City and can demonstrate it, a new vaccination center will open at a yet to be announced location in the Bronx, as well.

New York Positivity Rate Declines After One-week Spike

Statewide New York’s 7-day average positivity rate dropped from 3.58% to 3.19% last week. This after a one-week uptick the previous week from 3.44% two weeks ago. That one week pause broke a run of seven consecutive weeks of decline from the state’s fall/winter peak of 7.94% on December 29. New York’s Mid-Hudson region, that includes Westchester County, remained the second highest positivity rate in the state at 4.23%. Long Island topped the regional list at 4.3% and New York City was third at 4.01%. The Bronx, on Westchester’s border registered the city’s highest positivity rate at 4.86%. All of the seven remaining New York regions had positivity rates of 2.55% or below and six of the seven regions were below 2%.

New York State’s positivity rate peaked at 49.9% on March 30 and was as low as .09% on September 18. It wasn’t until November 5th that it returned to as high as 2%. Nationally, the 7-day rolling average positive test rate spiked from 4.5% to 6% last week. It’s fall winter peak was 13.7% earlier in January, according to the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine’s Coronavirus Resource Center. The US positive test rate peaked at 21.9% in the spring and bottomed at 4.1% in June and 4% in October.

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The Latest Vaccine Tips

New York State Vaccination Centers (all categories eligible)

The state-run site at the Westchester County Center, which is prioritizing all eligible populations under Phase 1a and 1b as well as immunocompromised* populations under 65, remains your best bet to get an appointment for a vaccine. Check for appointments at the New York State site, and check the New York State hotline for cancellations: 833-NYS-4-VAX.

Westchester County Health Department

Governor Cuomo announced over a week ago that local health departments who are currently prioritizing essential workers will open up to age eligible populations soon. As of this writing The Westchester County Health Department’s website states that they are still prioritizing essential workers. However, they are conducting a first dose clinic for patients with qualifying co-morbidities or underlying conditions on Tuesday, March 8. At the time of this writing there were no appointments available. The Westchester DOH offers an alert system. On Monday nights, the county typically publishes its weekly vaccine allocation report (which we have published in the past and will update upon notice from the county) which drills down to tell you the upcoming allocations for local hospitals, pharmacies and community centers. Check for Week 12 Allocations here.

Northern Westchester Hospital (not authorized for the immunocomprised under 65)

Northern Westchester Hospital is prioritizing all populations outlined in the New York State Guidelines under Phase 1a and 1b, which includes health care workers, essential workers and populations aged 65+. They are not currently authorized to vaccinate immunocompromised individuals under age 65 in the expanded eligibility group that was released on February 15. Here’s the link you can use to check for appointment availability at Northern Westchester Hospital,

Local Pharmacies

You best bet to track the vaccine flows to local pharmacies is to check the Westchester County Weekly Allocation announcements which you can find here. However most distributions to local pharmacies have been going to COVID Cluster spike areas such as Port Chester, Yonkers, New Rochelle, Peekskill and Ossining. The pharmacies prioritize the age 65+ population.

Westchester Residents Who Work in NYC

Finally, if you work in New York City and can prove it you can check the NYC Vaccine Finder to schedule an appointment, assuming you can find one.

• Qualifying Co-morbidities: cancer, obesity, hypertension and other heart conditions, pulmonary disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, pregnancy, sickle cell disease, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and an immunocompromised state because of HIV and other causes.
• New York State receives approximately 300,000 doses per week or 1,200,000 per month. Westchester’s population is approximated 5% of the state population. Westchester County’s non-state vaccine distribution system received 3,900 doses of the vaccine last week or 15,560 on a month-adjusted basis. You can do the math from here.