As Nation Begins COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout, BP Adams Co-Hosts Virtual Town Hall To Educate New Yorkers

Press release from the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President:

Brooklyn, NY – On Friday, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams held a virtual town hall on New York’s vaccine distribution plan with public health officials, clergy, and elected leaders; a recording of the town hall is now available on Borough President Adams’ YouTube channel. Earlier last week, the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered in the first phase of the rollout. Joining Borough President Adams were New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) First Deputy Commissioner and Chief Equity Officer Torian Easterling, MD, who provided an overview of the City’s distribution plan, and former New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) President Ram Raju, MD, who provided helpful information to New Yorkers on the basics of the vaccine.

As of yesterday morning, more than 38,000 Pfizer vaccine doses had been administered in New York State. This week, the first 346,200 doses of the Moderna vaccine are expected to begin arriving in the state, as well as an additional 120,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine . In the first phase of distribution, health care workers, long-term care facility residents, and long-term care facility staff will receive priority. Governor Cuomo said in a recent briefing that phase two of the vaccine distribution, which would include first responders, teachers and school staff, child care providers, public health workers, other essential workers who interact with the public such as grocery workers or transit workers, people living in congregate settings, and people at high risk of severe disease from the novel coronavirus because of other health conditions, could begin in late January. Mayor de Blasio has also said that the residents of 27 neighborhoods within the city that bore the brunt of the pandemic will also be prioritized in the second phase.

Borough President Adams, who held a press conference with Council Member Robert Cornegy, Jr. in front of Interfaith Medical Center the weekend before the first vaccinations were administered, reiterated the urgency of creating a comprehensive distribution plan that is accessible, equitable, transparent, and data-driven.

“With the first round of vaccinations, we can finally see a glimmer of hope on the horizon,” said Borough President Adams. “But that doesn’t mean we can let down our guard, or rest on our laurels. We as a city have a lot of work to do to ensure New Yorkers can trust the process of distributing this vaccine, and that communities that were hardest hit by the virus are prioritized, so we do not deepen the inequities that this pandemic has exposed. I thank Dr. Easterling and Dr. Raju, our partners in the faith community, and our partners in government for joining us, and look forward to continuing our partnership as we begin this unprecedented effort in the weeks and months ahead.”

“For community members to feel comfortable getting COVID-19 vaccinations, they need to understand its benefits and the science behind its development. Thanks to the leadership of Borough President Adams, today we had an opportunity to educate faith and community leaders about the facts behind this critical vaccine. They are now equipped with the knowledge to empower their members to make informed decisions regarding the vaccine,” said former New York City Health and Hospitals President Ram Raju, MD.

“At this critical moment, the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines should bring us hope for ending this pandemic,” said DOHMH First Deputy Commissioner Dr. Torian Easterling. “Now is the time to engage all our community partners and leaders to share the facts about the vaccines and address the concerns of all communities so we can achieve the level of vaccine coverage needed to end this pandemic as quickly as possible in the new year.”

“The distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine marks an important turning point in our battle against this terrible threat to our health and well-being,” said State Senator Brian Kavanagh. “New Yorkers who get vaccinated will not only be protecting themselves, but will also be preventing the spread of this disease to loved ones, neighbors, and co-workers — and too many people they will never even meet. I thank Borough President Eric Adams for convening this important public forum, the faith leaders for the wisdom and moral clarity that they have brought to the many challenges we’ve faced during the pandemic, and the medical experts for educating us on New York’s plans for rolling out the vaccine in the coming weeks.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has upended our lives as we know it, but help is on the way. The vaccine distribution plan will be critical to ensuring frontline workers and our most vulnerable are prioritized while also securing equitable vaccination in communities. While we are one step closer to seeing the end of this pandemic, we must remain vigilant. Wearing masks and practicing social distancing will help us in the long-term until every person is vaccinated against COVID-19,” said Assembly Member Joseph R. Lentol.

“As our city and the world look forward to widespread immunity through vaccination, we must also remember the simple actions of hand washing, mask wearing, and healthy spacing until we get there. Many New Yorkers fear the known and unknown effects of the virus and now the vaccine. It is not enough to collect the data. We must work together to abate fears and increase understanding. I look forward to a healthier New York,” said Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel.

Widespread distrust of the vaccine may prove to be an obstacle to achieving herd immunity, which scientists say will require a minimum of 75 percent of the population to be vaccinated. These concerns are especially acute in Black and Brown communities. In an online survey conducted by DOHMH between Saturday, October 3rd and Wednesday, October 14th, only 52.6 percent — slightly more than half — of city respondents said they would get the vaccine. While specific numbers weren’t provided, DOHMH Commissioner Dave Chokshi, MD testified at the City Council hearing that a disproportionate share of those who responded that they would not get the vaccine were Black and Hispanic.

In recent weeks, Borough President Adams has called for the City to develop a comprehensive communications plan that reflects the diversity of New York; earlier today, City Hall announced its plans for a citywide multimedia public education campaign titled “NYC Vaccine for All.” Borough President Adams believes credible messengers should be on the ground in every community handing out informational materials with basic facts about the vaccine, the phases of distribution, who is eligible to receive the vaccine, and where it will be available in different neighborhoods. He has also urged the City to activate the Census outreach network, which was instrumental in getting New Yorkers to respond to the 2020 Census that concluded just a few months ago to spread information to local residents.

This press release was produced by the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President. The views expressed are the author's own.