NEW YORK NOW - More than half of all adults in New York have now been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the state reported Wednesday, but the rate of vaccinations is declining, even as the inoculation becomes more available to the public.
More than 7.8 million New Yorkers have now completed their vaccines series, according to the state, which is just about half of all eligible adults in the state.
But the rate at which people are receiving the vaccine is going down, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday. The state is now targeting two groups they suspect are less likely to receive the vaccine: those skeptical of the shot and those who think they don’t need it.
“Even if a younger person tends to be less affected by COVID, they can transmit COVID just as easily as anyone,” Cuomo said. “So, we have to change the mindset.”
There are about 70,000 fewer vaccines being administered in New York per day on average compared to last month, according to the state. That data shows more than 210,000 shots were administered per day on average in early April.
To encourage more people to get vaccinated, the state is rolling out a series of incentives for the shot. Cuomo announced in Buffalo Wednesday that vaccination sites would be set up at public transit areas in the region, and that recipients would get free ridership for a week.
Similar incentives have been set up in other areas of the state as well. New York City is currently offering vaccines at subway stations in exchange for free rides, and coupons are given to recipients at the Crossgates Mall vaccination site in Albany.
At the same time, the state’s COVID-19 indicators have continued to decline in recent days, with hospitalizations dipping below 2,000 for the first time since mid-November.
As of Wednesday, the statewide positivity rate for the virus was 1.10%, with hospitalizations down to 1,928. There were 26 new deaths.