Vaccine Update: NY Receives Fewer Dosages As Demand Spikes

LONG ISLAND, NY — Despite a "crush" of demand for coronavirus vaccinations and what some have called a chaotic rollout of the program after eligibility expanded dramatically — and after revelations that the Trump administration doesn't have the vaccine stockpile it said it did — Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state received less dosages this week than it has in the past.

In a week that has seen eligibility opened to 7.1 million New Yorkers, only 300,000 vaccinations dosages had been received weekly statewide. Cuomo said Friday that the state received only 250,000 vaccine dosages this week.

"It was like opening the floodgates and forcing it through a syringe," he said.

With a statewide positivity rate of 6 percent Friday and 183 deaths — Long Island's positivity rate stood at 8.27 percent Friday — Cuomo said with the federal government expanding eligibility to people 65 and over, 7.1 million of New York's 15.4 eligible residents are now able to receive a vaccine. But at 300,000 dosages received per week, it would take six months to vaccinate all eligible, he said.

Those trying frantically to secure an appointment may have to wait up to 14 weeks for their turn. Most sites are fully booked, Cuomo said.

"The federal government has created a crisis by increasing eligibility but not supply," he said.

A lack of federal supply has led to backlog and pressure on what was supposed to be a prioritization process, Cuomo said.

Overall, statewide, 74 percent of vaccine first doses have been delivered and "are in arms," Cuomo said.

The state is waiting for guidance on those with pre-existing conditions, he added, a group that would add 5 million to the eligibility pool.

New York has received 1.1 million doses in the past four weeks; most have been administered and most of the rest are part of the federally administered program to vaccinate nursing home residents, state officials said.

The UK strain continues to keep Cuomo up at night, with one new case diagnosed in Nassau County for a total of 16 statewide, he said.

Cuomo also said there is no need to worry that those who have received first dosages won't receive a second.

Cuomo aide Melissa DeRosa addressed the frenzy of many rushing to the state's website to try to book a vaccination appointment. When the website first launched, she said, the website listed state sites, of which there will be 20 next week; it was also a "one-stop shop" for pharmacies and other places administering the vaccination. When the numbers eligible went from a "manageable universe to 7.1 million," the "crush" causes servers to go down.

Now, individuals are asked to contact individual providers and pharmacies for appointment availability; those sites have been removed from the state website to help keep traffic manageable.

Meanwhile, vaccination rollout has been "uneven" by region, Cuomo said. On Long Island, he said, 84 percent of first and second doses have been administered out of doses received.

Vaccine declination

In addition, the percentage of hospital workers who have received the vaccine is "uneven," despite the dire need to get hospital staff vaccinated in order to keep hospital capacity open and avoid a shutdown, Cuomo said. The number of beds available is not an issue but the number of hospital workers getting sick is a concern, he said.

On Long Island, 60 percent of hospital workers have received the vaccine. "Not good enough," said Cuomo, who said 70 percent to 90 percent is needed as a basic benchmark.

Some declining the vaccine

Another issue is those healthcare workers who are declining to take the vaccine, Cuomo said. Those declination rates vary by region, with 13.4 percent of hospital workers saying "no" to the vaccine on Long Island, and 60 percent vaccinated. In the mid-Hudson region, 28.5 percent have declined and 57.9 percent have been vaccinated.

Cuomo also said vaccine providers who are designated to a specific group need to prioritize that group— hospitals for health care workers; county and county health departments for essential workers, who are also self-vaccinating; and pharmacies, for those 65 and over — so that everyone gets their fair allocation.

A focus will continue on communities of color where dueling concerns of access and distrust need to be addressed through education and outreach, Cuomo said.

And, he said, New York needs more doses, which is the job of the federal government. They said they would increase the distribution by sending out all they had stockpiled for second doses, but it turns out they had already depleted the stockpile, Cuomo said. "I think it was all politics. 'We're going to open it up to everyone and by the way I leave next week.'"

Cuomo said he had tried unsuccessfully to buy vaccine directly from the manufacturers.
New Yorkers are urged to be patient.

On the East End, lawmakers demanded that residents receive their fair share in an area where few vaccination sites exist.

The goal continues, Cuomo said: "We need to get needles in the arms."

Patch editor Lanning Taliaferro contributed to this report.