COVID-19 VACCINE

NYC releases initial #COVID-19 #vaccine framework to ensure equality and access for communities hit hardest by the pandemic. 

As the City moves forward with its vision for an equitable, health-focused economic recovery, the de Blasio Administration today announced an initial COVID-19 vaccine framework. The City will work with the State to guarantee maximum distribution of a safe, effective, and free vaccine, with an emphasis on communities hardest hit by the pandemic.  Over the next two months, the City will engage public health stakeholders and community groups across the city’s hospitals, clinics, FQHCs, independent pharmacies, urgent cares, and independent providers to ensure broad and equitable access to a vaccine citywide.

“In the absence of federal leadership, New York City is stepping up to ensure and safe and effective vaccine for all New Yorkers,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “With public health at the forefront, we are moving full steam ahead to rebuild our city, guaranteeing a healthier and more equitable future for all New Yorkers.”

Phase one of distribution—to be available as early as November—will provide a limited number of doses primarily reserved for healthcare personnel, frontline workers, and other vulnerable groups. To prepare for this initial rollout, the City is actively enrolling providers in the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Citywide Immunization Registry, focusing first on hospitals and then on FQHCs. Over 2,500 providers are currently reporting to the Registry. Through webinars and meetings, DOHMH will continue to educate providers about vaccine availability, likely priority groups, proper storage, and how to order, receive, administer, allocate, and report on the vaccine.

Phase two of distribution, which could occur as early as 2021, will see more widespread availability for the general public. To meet this increased availability, the City will ensure that there is adequate storage and capacity. The City will continue to recruit and prepare community providers, including FQHCs, pharmacies, urgent care, hospitals, NYC Health + Hospitals, DOHMH COVID-19 testing sites, and community vaccinators. Vaccine uptake will be closely and consistently tracked through the Citywide Immunization Registry, with results reported out to the public on a periodic basis. The City will also monitor for serious, adverse effects and educate providers on how to report on them. Additionally, the City will conduct its own vaccine effectiveness studies and continually follow up with a sample of New Yorkers who receive a vaccine.

 “New York City has decades of experience mounting successful vaccination campaigns—from smallpox to influenza,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi. “As a City we will also partner with communities to address possible fear or skepticism toward a vaccine. Trust is an essential ingredient for turning a vaccine into a vaccination.”

New York State COVID-19 Vaccination Administration Program

Gov. Cuomo released the first look at the state's coronavirus vaccine distribution plane based on a five-phase approach to target frontline workers and the most vulnerable New Yorkers first.

New York state health officials have begun drafting plans to disperse coronavirus vaccines in anticipation of the completed testing of a federally-funded drug to combat the virus that has so far led to the deaths of nearly 220,000 Americans.

A state vaccine task force has created a draft of a distribution plan for New York ahead of a completed vaccine the federal government has hinted at having ready in the coming months, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday. In order to effectively distribute a vaccine to 20 million New Yorkers, the governor says more information from the government is required to ready and finalize a prioritized distribution formula.

The distribution of a vaccine has already been divided into five phases, prioritizing healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities first, followed by first responders, child care providers, seniors and people deemed "most at-risk."

New York has identified the need for 40 million doses of the vaccine; 2 rounds of an anticipated drug will be needed for each resident of the state, Cuomo said. Executing the administration of some 40 million doses is an unprecedented task for the state, which has already accomplished never-before-seen testing volumes since the start of the pandemic.

"This is a larger operational undertaking than anything we have done under COVID to date; this is a more complicated undertaking and task. 20 million people in state, most of the vaccinations require two dosages depending on which one," Cuomo said.

NYS has released a draft COVID-19 Vaccination Administration Program that will serve as an initial framework for the distribution of a future COVID-19 vaccine in the state. The principles of safety, efficacy and equity are paramount.

Following the determination that the vaccine is safe and effective, the draft Vaccination Program prioritizes vaccination recipients based on science, clinical expertise, and public health. The plan puts forward the following proposed prioritization matrix to ensure those most at risk and essential workers are priority recipients, with particular attention paid to those living in communities with highest COVID prevalence. 

Within each phase, the draft plan puts forward the following proposed additional prioritization phases to be used based on vaccine availability and vaccination rates:

The draft New York State COVID-19 Vaccination Administration Program was prepared by the NYS Dept. of Health and is subject to change based on future details expected from the federal government. The draft plan outlines:

• Guiding principles to be adhered to throughout the vaccine process
• Key assumptions, unknowns, and variables that may impact vaccine planning
• Measures to ensure vaccine safety and effectiveness, both pre and post administration
• Expertise to guide vaccine distribution and implementation
• A vaccine prioritization matrix based on clinical guidance
• A process for efficient vaccine distribution and delivery
• Measures to train, register, deploy and support providers to administer the vaccine
• A data and IT infrastructure to coordinate and monitor all aspects of the vaccine program
• A public education and community outreach campaign to build trust and inform the public
• A Vaccine Central Command Center to manage the entire vaccine program
• A budget and procurement process to obtain necessary supplies and equipment

The draft New York State COVID-19 Vaccination Administration Program responds to the fact that there are still myriad unknowns about the federal government's vaccine development process and plan, including its timing, allocation, quantities, prioritization, distribution, administration and monitoring post-administration. To date, the federal government has not clearly delineated the roles and responsibilities between the federal and state government, outlined how the vaccine will be funded or reimbursed, and provided other key details that will be required before New York can finalize plans for a vaccine program.