More Than 100K NYers Got COVID Vaccine This Week: Mayor

NEW YORK CITY — Another 100,000-plus New Yorkers rolled up their sleeves for the coronavirus vaccine this week, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

"We can now say for the last two weeks in a row, we have had more than 100,000 folks come in to be vaccinated for the first time in New York City," he said Friday on WNYC's "Brian Lehrer Show."

The recent increase in NYC vaccinations is being sustained—this marks two consecutive weeks with more than 100,000 first or single doses administered.

59% of first/single doses thus far in August were administered to Black and Latino New Yorkers.

Let's keep it up NYC! pic.twitter.com/LPARGffXtc
— Commissioner Dave A. Chokshi, MD (@NYCHealthCommr) August 20, 2021

Just a few weeks ago, vaccinations in New York City had reached their lowest point since February — a cause for concern for experts as the highly contagious delta variant spread.

The dip prompted de Blasio to institute a spate of sweeping vaccination mandates that effectively restrict unvaccinated people from many public spaces and work situations.

The city has so far distributed more than 10 million doses, but only recently surpassed 75 percent of adults who received at least one dose. Certain areas and groups of people across the city have much lower vaccination rates, which likely will make them more vulnerable to the delta variant.

De Blasio said Friday that Black and Latino New Yorkers accounted for 59 percent of people who received shots this week.

Both groups have fallen behind the city's average vaccination rate. About 45 percent of Black adults and 63 percent of Latino adults in the city have received at least one dose, according to data.