.@NYGovCuomo : "If the UK spread catches on in NY, hospitalization rate goes up, hospital staff gets sick - then we have a real problem. Then we're at shutdown again."
The problem with capacity now is staff shortage, he says. "We have beds, we have equipment." Primarily nurses.
The problem with capacity now is staff shortage, he says. "We have beds, we have equipment." Primarily nurses.
Cuomo: Very worried about UK strain. Still just 1 case confirmed in NY, but believe we have more. Notes spread in UK only took about 3 weeks.
Says this concern + staff shortages at hospitals is why such a push for faster vaccination of health-care workers.
Says this concern + staff shortages at hospitals is why such a push for faster vaccination of health-care workers.
Cuomo: "We have seen a dramatic increase" in performance of vaccinations.
Were doing 10k per day for first several wks
On Monday, went to 30k
Tuesday, a little over 30k
Wednesday, went to 50k
And today going to be in excess of 50k
"That's 5 times the rate they were doing."
Were doing 10k per day for first several wks
On Monday, went to 30k
Tuesday, a little over 30k
Wednesday, went to 50k
And today going to be in excess of 50k
"That's 5 times the rate they were doing."
Cuomo: Refusal rate varies. Drs taking vaccine at much higher rate. Anecdotal, but would expect to see numbers around 80% for drs. "And drs know best."
Nurses, there's a variation. Would expect to see that 70-80%. 70 is the minimum threshold for viability of vaccination program.
Nurses, there's a variation. Would expect to see that 70-80%. 70 is the minimum threshold for viability of vaccination program.
Cuomo: 2M health-care workers in state. Only have 900k doses for the 2M.
"Any hospital that hits their refusal rate, fine, tell me, we'll reallocate it - bc overall we don't have enough dosages for half the population of health-care workers."
"Any hospital that hits their refusal rate, fine, tell me, we'll reallocate it - bc overall we don't have enough dosages for half the population of health-care workers."
Cuomo: After 1a we'll go to 1b - frontline essential workers & aged 75+.
1b is over 3M people.
We're getting 300K doses per week.
"The supply is our issue."
1b is over 3M people.
We're getting 300K doses per week.
"The supply is our issue."
Cuomo: 1b distribution mechanism different - going to use thousands of points of distribution across the state - pharmacies, drs offices, FQHCs, community groups.
Firefighters, police, teachers, transit workers in 1b. Many have health workers - aim is for them to self-administer
Firefighters, police, teachers, transit workers in 1b. Many have health workers - aim is for them to self-administer
(Self-administer, meaning for eg having firefighters' EMS workers administer the shots. Not actually giving themselves their own vaccines.)
Cuomo: When priority 1b vaccinations start, no local govt can prioritize any group over another, ie police over teachers over those age 75+. "That just will not be allowed, period." Everyone in the priority group gets access.
Cuomo: 75+ group in NY is 1.3M people. Distribution mechanism will be pharmacies, dr networks, local health dept operations, community groups - public housing, churches, etc.
Cuomo: "If by the end of next week we did nursing home residents and staff, that would be a great accomplishment. Then health-care workers so we have hospitals working. Then 1b is going to be very large, but distribution network will be large." But supply so far behind dist.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
