Vaccination Category 1B Expands to Include More New Yorkers

By Yehudit Garmaise 

     In anticipation of the Feb. 14 re-opening of indoor dining Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters this morning that he thought that restaurant workers should be prioritized for vaccinations.

     Shortly thereafter, Jeff Zients, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator said that President Biden would provide a minimum of 10.5 million doses per week, across all jurisdictions, before Gov. Cuomo agreed to add restaurant workers, taxi drivers, and the developmentally disabled the list of 7 million other New Yorkers who are now eligible in the current 1B phase of the vaccine rollout. 

    Just as recently as yesterday, however, Gov. Cuomo was questioning those who have suggested adding worthy categories of people to the list of people who should be prioritized for the vaccine.

     “We have much more distribution in place than we have supply,” the governor said yesterday. “[Right now], 7 million people who are eligible for the vaccine in the state, but we only get 300,000 doses per week. That is the disconnect, the confusion, and the tension.”

    All New Yorkers need to get vaccinated, but the supply is limited, Gov. Cuomo said with frustration.

   “Who would you take off the current list to make room for more people?” asked Gov. Cuomo.

     Before today, only people who are 65 and older and other frontline workers such as healthcare workers, teachers, police officers were eligible to get their shots.

(photo: Don Pollard/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)