Hochul Urges Parents To Make Vax Appointments For Kids 5 To 11

LONG ISLAND, NY — A vaccination against COVID-19 for kids 5 to 11 could be coming as soon as early-to-mid November, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday — urging parents to call their pediatricians to set up appointments before the "crush of interest" ensues.

During a weekly COVID-19 update Tuesday, Hochul, with what she called a focus on increased transparency, unveiled a new COVID data landing page that will include vaccination rates per county, hospitalization data, and other information daily.

Currently, she said, New York's coronavirus rate statewide stands at 2.58 percent, with Long Island also at 2.58 percent. Across New York State, 2,183 are hospitalized, with numbers stabilizing and flattening, Hochul said, adding that she'd like to see them continue to decline; capacity remains key, she said. "We're in a holding pattern. It's a good place to be, rather than going up — but we are heading into a vulnerable time."

With the holiday season approaching, beginning with Halloween, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidance last week on how to stay safe with the delta variant still a concern.

"Hopefully, this will be the last Halloween when parents should have to worry about trick-or-treating or head to the mall and wonder if Santa has been vaccinated," she said. "We know the answer is within our reach."

Across New York, 86.1 percent of individuals 18 or older have received at least one vaccination, and 77.4 percent have completed their vaccination series. In the 12 to 17 age group, 68.7 percent have received at least one dose and 59.8 percent have finished the series, she said.

Earlier in October, Pfizer-BioNTech asked the U.S. Food And Drug Administration to green light the use of its two-dose COVID-19 vaccine in children between the ages of 5 to 11.

Hochul said that could happen as soon as early-to-mid November, meaning 1.5 million children in that elementary school age group would be eligible.

"I expect there could be a crush of interest in this," she said. "I want to be sure doctors' officers are ready."

Hochul plans to speak to the New York State chapter to the American Academy of Pediatrics and set up engagement webinars with pediatricians. Schools, she said, are also the answer; the state is focusing on connecting schools to provider partners and community organizations, providing outreach and educational materials, and planning for ways to vaccinate kids, including in schools.

"We want to make this as easy as possible," Hochul said.

To parents, she said, "Make your pediatrician appointments now — you don't want the first available appointment to be in February."

Hochul said mass vaccinations sites will be opened but as a mother, she understood that most parents would feel more comfortable with their own pediatrician.

Discussing Colin Powell's death, who died from COVID-19 related causes while battling cancer although fully vaccinated, Hochul said "his story cannot be hijacked by anti-vaxxers. He had unique circumstances. I don't want anyone to say this is the reason not to be vaccinated. He got sick because someone who was not vaccinated gave him the virus. If we had more people vaccinated, people in vulnerable situations would not have contracted COVID. Your action or inaction can have dire consequences."

Last week, the number of breakthrough cases of New Yorkers who had been vaccinated but still got sick was 0.9 percent; cases of those requiring hospitalization was 0.06 percent, she reported.

Statewide, 590,020 New Yorkers have received boosters, Hochul said. Last week, a panel recommended the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "We are still waiting for final approval," she said.

Hochul also discussed those fighting the long-term impacts of COVID-19 and said, "We are going to look out for them and ensure they have medical coverage."