The Delta variant, highly contagious according to experts, continues to spread in New York. In Washington Heights, some fear returning to the restrictions of the past.
“He’s coming back, because we don’t take care of ourselves,” said a neighbor.
“That it is more dangerous than the first, so I would recommend to people over 60 and young people, to get vaccinated, to get vaccinated, that this is not a game, that is a reality,” added another neighbor.
After weeks with the Covid 19 infection rate below 1 percent, the infection rate exceeds 1.27 percent in all five counties.
This causes concern among health authorities although more than 60 percent of New Yorkers have already been immunized against the virus.
“Clearly there are new symptoms here, which were not as bad before as the headache and obviously we don’t want that to happen because we have a lot of unvaccinated people,” said Dr. Ramon Tallaj of Somos Community Care.
In the last 7 days, Covid infections increased by 32 percent compared to the 7-day average of the last four weeks and health authorities warn that we are at the worst time not to be vaccinated.
“The important thing now is to get vaccinated, everyone to get vaccinated. Vaccines are still effective for this variant,” added Dr. Tallaj.
According to city government data, there is a relationship between increased infections and neighborhoods that have a low vaccination rate.
Of the 10 neighborhoods with the highest numbers of infections, 6 have a low percentage of vaccinations, as is the case with Hunts Points in the Bronx. In the four Washington Heights and Inwood zip codes, only an average of 50 percent of residents have been vaccinated.
“Those who have not been vaccinated are the ones who should be concerned about it. Because they are not carried away with the truth and they start inventing things that one is astonished,” said another neighbor.
And follow the recommendations that help prevent contracting and spreading the virus.
“You have to take care of yourself, take precautions, wear masks, clean your hands well,” said another neighbor.
“Although we are vaccinated, we cannot leave the mask, because the mask prevents another person from getting sick,” said another neighbor.
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