Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a Baldwin native, said during a visit to Long Island that only 14% of adults in the U.S. have received the latest coronavirus vaccine, a number that is far too low. Ta. Monday.
Cohen urged local residents to get vaccinated, noting that about 1,000 New Yorkers have died from COVID-19 in the past three months, although the number of infections appears to be low. She echoed calls for influenza and respiratory syncytial virus vaccination, noting that both are on the rise locally and nationally.
After touring Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, Cohen said: “I was born and raised here in Nassau County.” “So I hope the people of Nassau County can make their voices heard. They’ve come home this holiday season to protect themselves.”
About 7.2% of Nassau County residents and 6.8% of Suffolk County residents have received their latest vaccination, according to state Department of Health statistics, but these numbers may be incomplete because reporting is not required. There is. The state’s overall rate, including areas outside of New York City, is 8.7%.
However, national rates are not directly comparable to county or state numbers because they are collected differently.
The CDC’s numbers are based on a national survey of self-reported cases. As of November 17, 5.4% of children, 14.8% of adults 18 years and older, and 31.7% of adults 65 years and older had received the latest dose of a coronavirus vaccine.
This year marks the first year that a vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) will be available for young children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Cohen acknowledged that there remains a shortage of RSV monoclonal antibody treatments for infants and young children.
“The manufacturer did not anticipate the high demand for this shot,” Cohen said. “I’ve personally had dozens of calls with them to speed up production. We’ve actually just released another 70,000 doses.”
Cohen said people should be careful when gathering or traveling for Thanksgiving. This is because such events can lead to the spread of the virus.
“We understand that it’s difficult to miss family gatherings, but if you’re sick, please don’t spread the virus to those around you,” she said. “We want to remind people to stay home if they’re sick, get tested, get treated, and make sure to do what we’ve learned over the last few years: wash your hands, use a mask, open your windows. We want you to be safe. There are many ways to stay safe.”
Early in the morning, Cohen received a memorial letter from Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman during a ceremony at his office. She was accompanied by her mother, Susan Krautmer, a nurse who previously worked at Hempstead General Hospital and Mercy Medical Center.
Dr. John Zaso, an East Meadow pediatrician affiliated with NUMC, said the number of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus cases has increased in recent weeks.
“We’re very busy right now with RSV and influenza,” he said, noting that most of the influenza cases he’s seeing are occurring among unvaccinated children. he pointed out.
Regarding the effectiveness of influenza vaccines against circulating strains, he said, “This year’s accuracy rate is very good at 60-65%.” “It’s not too late to get it. If you get that vaccine, your risk of hospitalization is much less.”
