New charts from NYC Dept Health make it clear how far NYC has come in vaccination—and how far we still have to go.
For our population overall, we are at about a 50/50 split:
For adults in NYC (age 18+), we are at about a 60/40 split for vax'd vs. unvax'd:
For aged 65+ in NYC, we're approaching a 70/30 split for vax'd vs. unvax'd:
There remains enormous inequality in vaccination in NYC.
Rates of fully vaccinated among adults:
* White- 46%
* Black- 28%
* Latinx- 35%
* Asian- 63%
We can't ignore the data on vaccination even as we celebrate our reopening. NYC needs to do much more to reach people who have not yet been vaccinated—through ubiquitous access and more outreach.
It's wonderful news that students will be able to return to in-person learning in NYC in the fall.
But there are many Qs on what the classroom experience will be like. Here's a vision for updated safety protocols in light of the progress we're making against the pandemic. 1/
Our goal should be that schools start returning to normal this fall—for the sake of our kids’ education & social/emotional health—while we also continue to take steps to minimize and contain future covid outbreaks.
Below are key components of a plan that strikes this balance. 2/
Make the 3ft rule a goal but not a requirement. In crowded schools a strict 3ft spacing rule would require moving some students out of the building. Better to avoid this by leaning in to other safety measures as outlined below. 3/
Today most public indoor venues in NYC can reopen at full capacity, and the universal indoor mask mandate is being lifted.
Also today: 53% of NYC residents have not had their 1st shot, and we're averaging 700 new cases/day.
Each of us has a role to play to keep NYC safe now. 1/
If have have not been vaccinated, please continue to use great caution. Wear a mask in all social settings. Get tested regularly. And most importantly, get the vaccine as soon as you can. 2/
If you are a store/supermarket/gym/salon/movie theater owner, please continue to require masks of ALL customers, to protect your workers, the immunocompromised, and kids (the alternative of requiring masks only for vax'd cases on the honor system will not work).
3/
Yes, CDC has announced that fully vax'd people can safely unmask in most indoor settings.
But requiring only unvax’d people to wear masks in stores etc would be unworkable. And it would expose workers, kids & others to risk.
NY should not yet lift the indoor mask mandate. 1/
The revised CDC guidelines are great news for those who are vaccinated, and should serve as added incentive for anyone debating whether to get the shot.
But CDC also said it is leaving it up to local governments how to change mask mandates.
2/
NYC has made enormous progress in vaccination. But still 54% of our population has not gotten even their 1st shot.
Likewise cases have dropped significantly in recent weeks, but still we are averaging over 1,000 new cases/day in NYC. 3/