COVID Booster Rates Wane As New Subvariant Looms

NEW YORK CITY — Less than half of New Yorkers have received COVID-19 vaccination boosters that could protect them from a subvariant surging across Europe and headed for New York City, officials warn.

Only 36 percent of city dwellers have received a booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine as the United Kingdom sees a sharp rise in infections, according to health department data and international reports.

"When a wave hits London, pretty much four weeks later it hits New York City," Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine warned East Harlem's community board last week. "We have to do work to push booster shots."

The number of daily boosters administered has dropped significantly in recent months, according to the city.

About 39,000 boosters were administered in December — when the highly contagious omicron variant sent New Yorkers running back to vaccination and testing sites — but in March the number plummeted to 2,900 as of Friday.

New Yorkers who received those third doses, or boosters, vary wildly across the city, raising concerns about which communities will face the highest risk.

"Unfortunately, there's a lot of inequality," Levine said.

Black New Yorkers have the lowest rate of booster shots at 24 percent, with Hispanic and Latinx New Yorkers at 26 percent, white New Yorkers at 37 percent, Native American/Alaska Native New Yorkers at 56 percent and Asian/Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander at 57 percent.

Data also shows wide variation by borough.

While 46 percent of Manhattanites have received a booster, only 28 percent of Bronx residents got a third dose, according to data.

And while 55 percent of New Yorkers 65 and older received a booster, just 22 percent of eligible teenagers have, according to data.

Levine noted that many New Yorkers who have yet to receive a booster did get the first and second shots, which means they are not people opposed to the COVID-19 vaccine.

"These are not anti-vaxxers," Levine said. "They’ve gotten their first or second shot — they just haven’t gotten around to the booster."

The potential for a new wave of COVID-19 infections comes as Mayor Eric Adams rolls back protections, allowing professional unvaccinated athletes to play ball and ending vaccination and mask mandates in schools and certain businesses.

Rollbacks from Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul arrived after an almost-unfathomable peak of nearly 50,000 cases per day in December, but the electeds left the door open to reinstate rules.

Experts fear the emergence of BA.2 — a subvariant of omicron that appears even more transmissible — could fuel another viral wave.

"We are behind as a city on booster shots," Levine warned. "We are now seeing cases rise in New York City."

The daily average of COVID-19 cases in the city stands at 961, which marks an increase over the 722 per day seen in the past month, according to city health department data.

By the last count, BA.2 accounted for roughly 30 percent of cases in New York City, officials said.

Jay Varma, who served as a senior health adviser for now-former Mayor Bill de Blasio, has raised alarms over the spread of BA.2 and criticized Adams' recent decisions to lift mandates.

"[The] virus has evolved, so another wave is coming," Varma recently tweeted. "Best way to avert severe illness & death = 3 vax doses."

New Yorkers can find more information on how to get a booster here.

Patch writer Kathleen Culliton contributed to this report.