ALBANY, N.Y. — The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) will recommended that states open up vaccine eligibility to people over 65 years old and people who are immunocompromised, according to NBC News.
Governor Andrew Cuomo says New York State will follow the CDC recommendation; however, there is not enough doses available to immediately vaccinate everyone.
"I don't want New Yorkers to think we're not doing everything we can to make them eligible for the vaccine," Cuomo said, but added that the "dose of reality" is that there are a lot more people eligible than there is vaccine to go around.
"That is a population of seven million New Yorkers," Cuomo said.
"This compounds the request for patience, because how do you say on one hand, seven million people are eligible, but we only have 300,000 doses per week," Cuomo said.
He again renewed his call for the federal government to increase supply by approving new vaccines or acquiring more of the existing ones.
It's not yet known how exactly the guidelines define who is considered immunocompromised. NBC News reported that the guidelines are "expected to include adults of any age with an underlying health condition that would put them at risk for complications or more severe illness."
Cuomo added that he doesn't want New Yorkers to be left out when other states follow this guidance; that "in these anxious times" he wants to keep people calm.
Cuomo's team says that the state website has now been updated to let people 65 or older register for the vaccine.
Additionally, the governor emphasized that hospitals must still prioritize the vaccination of their workers, county health departments should prioritize essential workers, and pharmacies can vaccinate the general public.
Cuomo emphasized this, saying that the number one risk for the state with COVID-19 is the collapse of the hospital system.
For more information about the state's phased vaccine rollout, click here.
COVID-19 in New York State: Day 318
Some fast facts on COVID-19 in New York State as of Tuesday, according to Governor Cuomo:
- Statewide positivity rate is 7.7 percent.
- Hospitalizations are up by 281 people.
- Seven-day positivity rate is 9 percent in the Finger Lakes region.
- Seven-day positivity rate is 7.6 percent in Western New York region.
- Seven-day positivity rate is 4.6 percent in the Southern Tier region.
- The Finger Lakes and Mohawk Valley regions have the highest percentage of COVID-19 patients relative to the population, each at .07 percent.
- 164 New Yorkers died from the virus on Monday.