Health & Fitness

NYC Hits 82K COVID Vaccinations For 5-11 Age Group

Newly eligible city youngsters are now 12 percent vaccinated against COVID-19, compared to 10 percent nationwide, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

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Principal Alice Hom, in purple jacket, stands outside Yung Wing School P.S. 124 and a vax van where for the second time this month, pop-up sites have been stationed to offer students age 5-11 the covid vaccine on Thursday.
Principal Alice Hom, in purple jacket, stands outside Yung Wing School P.S. 124 and a vax van where for the second time this month, pop-up sites have been stationed to offer students age 5-11 the covid vaccine on Thursday. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

NEW YORK CITY — New York City's second full week of vaccinating youngsters against the coronavirus closed with 82,000 kids overall getting a dose, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

De Blasio said Friday the city's inoculation effort targeting 5- to 11-year-olds reached 12 percent vaccination so far among that group.

The national average for them is 10 percent, he said.

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“We’re off to a very strong start with vaccinating our youngest New Yorkers," he told WNYC's Brian Lehrer.

Vaccinations for young New Yorkers have so far exceeded expectations, at least at school vaccination sites.

Find out what's happening in New York Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Some sites last week experienced long lines and supply shortages.

School officials since then have worked to address the problems and expanded the school-based vaccination drive.

De Blasio said pop-up sites were in charter schools Friday and will be in more Department of Education-run buildings next week.

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