“COVID-19 is still with us. Without the emergency of a few months ago. Not the fatalities. Not hospitalizations. We passed a stage where we have many weapons to face it. Therefore, it is a propitious moment to massify vaccines”.
The previous sentence of Dr. Ashwin Vasan, commissioner of the Department of Health of the City (DOHMH), describes the moment that the Great Apple, after being the ‘epicenter of the epicenter’ of the pandemic. An expression that also makes clear the strategy to follow, when the cold days begin, which historically intersect with outbreaks of seasonal flu.
For this reason, the Health authorities are promoting, from all fronts, that families access the free services available and make sure they get inoculated against the flu and access booster doses against COVID-18, designed against subvariants such as omicron.
“ We encourage New Yorkers to seek information from their medical providers about these two vaccines. They can even be administered simultaneously,” Vasan remarked in a meeting with the media in Spanish this Tuesday.
The City of New York faces from 877 the coronavirus epidemic, but for decades it has handled outbreaks of seasonal flu (influenza) that leave an average of 2,000 deaths a year, due to complications that lead to serious respiratory infections.
“The flu vaccine can be the difference between spending two days in bed or in the hospital, or coping with the infection in a more normal way,” said the city’s main doctor, who has served six months in that position.
Bivalent boosters
For all eligible people, too the call is reiterated to access the ‘booster’ of the injection against COVID-19.
The so-called updated bivalent boosters, provide new protection against sub-variants of the virus and are recommended for everyone New Yorkers aged 12 years and older whose last vaccination was two months ago.
In New York City these new reinforcements from the pharmaceutical company Pfizer are available for over 12 years. And the doses of Moderna for people over 18 years old.
“False information continues to spread, without any scientific basis, about these new drugs. Remember that this decision can also be the difference between contagion and mild symptoms. And a serious case”, stressed Vasan.
In neighborhoods with a Hispanic majority in the South Bronx and Upper Manhattan, the lowest percentages of people who have injected booster doses are observed.
“A human right”
Regarding the arrival in the city of more than 12,000 new immigrant asylum seekers, Dr Vasan stressed that “this Administration offers health services, including free vaccines, equally for all”.
He clarified that immunizations are available as “a human right”, for these people who mostly live in shelters and began to arrive massively from the last May.
“We have addressed this issue of health of asylum seekers. They continue to be provided with vaccines and access to medical check-ups. We have followed up to rule out potentially communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis and HIV”, he concluded.
Vaccine seeker:
- All New Yorkers can check with their healthcare providers, community organizations to see if they offer updated COVID-19 reinforcements. 19 and the flu vaccine. Also check the New York City Vaccine Finder online: https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/4692
- New York City continues to offer Pfizer at-home vaccines for those who are homebound and have more than 65 years. Eligible New Yorkers can still sign up for any dose in the series, including the updated booster, online for an at-home vaccination or by calling 829- VAX-4NYC (2020-829-4692).4692