NYC Coronavirus Vaccinations Hit 12K In Single-Day Record

New York City NY

29 December, 2020

11:18 AM

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NEW YORK CITY — More than 12,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine went to New Yorkers in one day right before Christmas. Mayor Bill de Blasio said that single-day record set Dec. 23 is only the beginning. The city's vaccination program — likely the largest in its history — will only speed up in the coming days, he said. "I want to see this vaccine campaign take off, I really do," he said Tuesday during a briefing. About 67,000 doses of vaccine have been distributed in New York City since the first shipments arrived, de Blasio said. He touted the vaccination pace — which stands about twice the national average — before he faced questions about the rollout, especially in light of a continuing COVID-19 surge in the city. The coronavirus positivity rate in New York City stood at 7.45 percent, with an average of nearly 3,400 new cases a day, de Blasio said. The city is following New York's official guidance as to who receives the vaccine first, he said. That means health care workers and nursing home residents will remain at the front of the line, he said. Urgent care employees and front-facing health care workers will start receiving the vaccine this week, he said. Distributions to other groups — such as older residents, people with underlying health conditions or NYPD officers — will follow as spelled out by state guidelines, said health Commissioner Dave Chokshi. The state hasn't yet released which so-called "priority groups" will be the next to receive the vaccine, Chokshi said. New York City will have received 369,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines by the end of 2020.