What to Know
- Fifty thousand New Yorkers have received the $100 vaccine incentive available at city-run vaccine sites, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday.
- The majority of the $100 cards have gone to New Yorkers of color and among New Yorkers between 35 to 64-years-old.
- COVID patients in intensive care have also tripled in the last month and now stand at 289, more than 3.5 times what they were this time in July -- concerning numbers reflective of a national trend that has officials invigorating vaccination pushes with a fervency not seen for months.
Fifty thousand New Yorkers have received the $100 vaccine incentive available at city-run vaccine sites since it kicked off late last month, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday.
"Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is easy, safe, and even comes with a bonus $100 at City-run sites," de Blasio said in a statement. "I'm thrilled 50,000 New Yorkers have taken advantage of this incentive so far. This is clearly a smart, effective way to drive up vaccination rates. It’s proof that more cities and states across the country should follow President Biden’s urging to adopt New York City’s $100 incentive.”
The incentive kicked off July 30 and within hours proved to be incredibly popular as thousands of New Yorkers claimed the $100 incentive offered by the city for getting a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at city-run sites, hours after the start of the popular new program.
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More than 450 people had received the $100 offer and their first dose of the vaccine by 10:30 a.m. the Friday it launched, Bill Neidhardt, the mayor's press secretary, tweeted. By 4 p.m. that very same day, that number had increased to over 2,100.
To date, the majority of the $100 cards have gone to New Yorkers of color and among New Yorkers between 35 to 64-years-old.
According to city data, of the 50,000 people who have received the $100 incentive, 43% self-identified as Hispanic, 21% as Black, 13% as Asian, 9% as White, 5% as other and 7% preferred not to say. In addition, 23% of those who selected to receive $100 are under 18, 36% are 18-34, 38% are 35-64, 3% are 65-74 and 1% are over 75.
“We’re excited to see the positive outcomes our City’s $100 incentive for first shots is having on our vaccination rates,” Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Melanie Hartzog said. “Regardless of the motive, the ultimate reward is protecting themselves and their loved ones from the threats of COVID-19 and its Delta variant.”
First Deputy Commissioner and Chief Equity Officer Dr. Torian Easterling shared similar sentiments, saying in a statement: “One hundred bucks is great, but the real reward is protection against COVID-19 and more safely returning to the things we love."
Meanwhile, NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz said he is pleased that more New Yorkers have gotten vaccinated.
“As a physician, I’m pleased to see more and more New Yorkers get their COVID-19 vaccine, which is still proven to be the safest defense against serious illness against this terrible virus,” Katz said in a statement. “Whether it’s after a thoughtful conversation with your doctor, or to cash in on the great incentive our City is providing, the advice to get you and your family vaccinated will remain the same.”
News
Nearly 1,450 New Yorkers are hospitalized with COVID as of Thursday, the highest total since mid-May, marking a 70% increase since Aug. 1 and more than quadrupling over the course of the last month as the nation battles the delta surge.
The state reported a double-digit death toll for the fifth straight day after a lengthy stretch in the low single digits, while the daily case count rose to its highest total (4,701) since late April.
COVID patients in intensive care have also tripled in the last month and now stand at 289, more than 3.5 times what they were this time in July -- concerning numbers reflective of a national trend that has officials invigorating vaccination pushes with a fervency not seen for months.
The vast majority of new COVID patients in New York and across the board are among unvaccinated people, to be sure. Breakthrough infections -- those that involve immunized people -- account for a fractionally low percentage of all new severe cases, which are the cases officials are most concerned about, but that share is rising, as data shared by New Jersey's governor earlier this week shows. Due to this, officials continue pushing for those who can get vaccinated to do so.
