What you should know
- New York City’s chief physician said Monday that all New Yorkers over the age of 18 can receive a COVID booster if they wish.
- The FDA and CDC have yet to authorize the boosters for all adults, which could come as early as next week, but New York City is making them eligible for the boosters now, citing density as a risk factor. high.
- In New Jersey, the governor almost supported the same idea, telling reporters that “you can assume this is a direction in which we are headed.”
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NEW AYORK – If you live in New York City and are at least 18 years old, you can already receive a COVID-19 booster shot, regardless of which vaccine you received the first time or if it has been six months since that dose; you probably don’t even need an appointment.
You ask for it, you got it – that’s the message New York City Chief of Health Dr. Dave Chokshi, who battled COVID earlier this year, is sharing with providers and the public alike. He signed a notice from the commissioner a day ago reminding doctors and pharmacies not to deny any adult to come and ask for a COVID booster shot.
The holidays are close to us, marking the busiest travel time of the year, and New Yorkers, along with the rest of the country, are aware of what happened after the last winter season. This time, American officials say, they have the power of mass vaccination on their side, and local health officials are urging people to use it.
The New Jersey governor says his administration is heading in a similar direction as New York City in making reinforcement universally accessible to adults. Gov. Phil Murphy made the comments Monday as his health commissioner reported the highest number of new serious cases of COVID in children in some time.
According to the latest figures from New York City, the weekly average of new confirmed COVID cases is up 13% compared to the moving average for the previous four weeks. Only a fraction of those new cases are state-of-the-art infections, but research shows the vaccine’s effectiveness declines over time, no matter what brand it carries, and health officials urge people to get an extra boost of protection. At this time of year.
Across New York State, the number of people testing positive for the virus each day has increased 45% since Halloween. As of Monday, New York averaged about 5,400 new cases per day for the past seven days.
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday did not go so far as to say that all New York adults across the state could get reinforcements if they wanted, and her health commissioner did not issue a warning like Chokshi, but the governor said she believes that “No one who feels they are at risk should avoid receiving a COVID-19 booster shot.”
He noted recent comments by Dr. Anthony Fauci that underscore the point. Fauci himself also referred to the increase in cases on Monday, saying that it also extends to the national level. He said two regions, the Northeast and the Midwest, were primarily responsible for the recent influx. Deaths and hospitalizations remain low, a testament to the power of vaccines to prevent serious diseases, authorities say.
U.S. health officials have yet to authorize booster shots for all adults, but current federal guidance says they are recommended for anyone 65 years of age or older, who has an underlying health condition, or is living and working in a workplace. “high risk” environment.
New York City’s density makes it a high-risk environment by default, Chokshi said. Dr. Mitchell Katz, executive director of the city’s public hospital system, agreed.
And the holidays present a time of maximum vulnerability as New York City, the epicenter of the global pandemic, seeks to continue its accelerated pace of recovery.
The federal government approved COVID booster vaccines last month for millions of Americans, including the combination of vaccine brands. Health officials say the latter is safe, and boosters are recommended for most of the population.
Federal booster clearance for all adults could arrive next week.
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