'Intense Focus On Upper Manhattan': De Blasio Talks Vaccines

UPPER MANHATTAN, NY — Mayor Bill de Blasio addressed the complete absence of city-sponsored COVID-19 virus vaccine distribution sites in Upper Manhattan during his Wednesday morning briefing.

De Blasio stated firmly that there "is a very intense focus on Upper Manhattan" to open vaccine hubs within the two neighborhoods.

A Patch reporter asked de Blasio this question: "Everybody has noted the impact of COVID-19 on lower-income communities. Now Washington Heights and Inwood currently have the highest COVID rates in Manhattan, but there don't appear to be any city-run vaccine hubs in those two neighborhoods, at least in the initial rollout. Are there any plans to bring some?"

The mayor initially responded that he would turn the question over to Dr. Mitchell Katz of NYC Health + Hospitals and Dr. Ted Long, who heads the NYC-COVID-19 Test & Trace Corps. The two organizations are playing leading parts in the setup of vaccine sites across the five boroughs.

However, the mayor also said, "We absolutely, let me be clear, we have been building out sites constantly, and we're building out the hours of those sites, and again, our central challenge will be lack of vaccine soon, if we don't get a major shipment."

At the end of the statement, the mayor added, "there is a very intense focus on Upper Manhattan."

However, some have noted that there are currently no city-sponsored vaccine distribution sites above 136th Street in Manhattan.

The absence of vaccine sites is in spite of the borough's high COVID-19 positive rates in Inwood and Washington Heights. Yet, as of Wednesday afternoon, if a resident from either of those neighborhoods wants a vaccine and is eligible, they must travel below 140th Street.

"Health and hospitals has a long tradition of caring for the uninsured, the low income, Black and brown communities, minority communities, and we are going to keep expanding our sites so we reach everyone," Katz said in response to whether vaccine sites would open in Washington Heights or Inwood.

Long, who spoke afterward, mentioned the eight vaccine hubs that are open in Harlem.

However, none of the three who spoke Wednesday mentioned any specifics about a vaccine hub opening in Washington Heights or Inwood.