NYC Eclipses 10M COVID Vaccine Doses

New York City NY

02 August, 2021

1:23 PM

Description

NEW YORK CITY — Ten million. That's how many times New Yorkers and others rolled up their sleeves to get a shot of coronavirus vaccine. Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday announced the city surpassed the milestone — a moment that not too long ago looked liked an "insurmountable possibility." "We're going to go a lot further," he said. And the city has to go farther as the highly contagious delta variant of coronavirus spreads. Vaccinations in the city have nosedived in recent weeks. Last week they reached the lowest level since February, city health data shows. The slowing vaccination pace coincided with the delta variant's rise and a wide movement toward wide vaccine mandates. De Blasio highlighted the city's new $100 incentive for people who get vaccinated. But he also set a strict new mandate — every new person hired by the city must show proof of vaccination. The city's "NYC COVID Safe App" launches Monday to give New Yorkers another method to display their vaccination or testing status, he said. "More and more, there's going to be a reality where if you're vaccinated a world of opportunity opens up to you," he said. "If you're not vaccinated, there's going to be more and more things you can't do. I say that to say, go get vaccinated so you can fully participate in the life of this city." De Blasio and health officials Monday also strongly recommended that vaccinated New Yorkers wear masks indoors. Patch writer Anna Quinn contributed to this report.