Some NYC Health Care Workers ‘Hesitant’ To Get Vaccine: Mayor

NEW YORK CITY — A sizable portion of New York City’s health care workers remain “hesitant” to get a coronavirus vaccine, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

Some health care workers’ refusals to get vaccinated contributed in part to the city ’s slower-than-expected COVID-19 vaccine rollout, De Blasio said Monday.

“We cannot leave out of this discussion the point that there are a number of folks, even in the health care world, who do not yet choose to be vaccinated,” he said. “So, I want to use up every single dose we have but we can’t give those doses to someone who’s not willing to take it.”

The specter of wide hesitance toward the coronavirus vaccine — which experts say is safe — isn’t a new fear. But de Blasio’s remark comes amid growing concerns about the slow pace of coronavirus vaccinations at the city, state and national level.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, speaking at his own briefing right after de Blasio, said if anything there are too few doses for health care workers — who remain the largest group New Yorkers currently authorized to receive the vaccine.

He flatly said he doubted tales of health care workers’ refusals, or the need to require them to get it.

“I don’t believe the refusal rate is going to be that high,” he said.

Cuomo resisted calls from Mayor Bill de Blasio to approve vaccine distribution for groups other than health care workers.

De Blasio estimated the vaccine refusal rate generally stands more than 30 percent. Mitchell Katz, president and CEO of the city’s Health + Hospitals, agreed that rate sounded accurate for his system.

“We've had amazing, amazing take-up from our physician staff, but among the nursing and support staff, as the mayor has said, there are people who have justifiable concerns,” he said. “They need some more time. They worry about the speed the vaccine was developed. They want some more time before they are ready to be vaccinated.”

The FDA found two coronavirus vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna are safe and approved them for use. The vast majority of side effects, if any, are mild to moderate.