1 Millionth COVID-19 Vaccine Dose Administered
12-year-old and 71-year-old marked the milestone at NYC Health + Hospitals/Coney Island
by receiving their first and second dose, respectively
The public hospital system leads in vaccinating the most people of color in NYC
Jun 23, 2021
NYC Health + Hospitals today announced that it administered its one-millionth COVID-19 vaccine dose, a milestone in the City’s public health system’s vaccine efforts. Twelve-year-old Ciara McAvoy and 71-year-old Francisca Lind helped mark the occasion by receiving their first and second dose, respectively, at NYC Health + Hospitals/Coney Island. The historic moment was captured on Mayor de Blasio’s daily press conference. NYC Health + Hospitals leads in vaccinating the most people of color in the City compared to other health systems and hospitals.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has come with many milestones for our City and public health system, but reaching our one-millionth administered vaccine dose is cause for celebration,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “All of our hospitals and clinics have been working tirelessly to get anyone who wants to be vaccinated, vaccinated. The numbers today show that work. Because our public health system has built the trust of immigrant communities, Black and Brown communities, and low-income communities, we have been able to proudly narrow vaccine disparities in NYC.”
McAvoy is the daughter of Jeffrey McAvoy, an Executive Assistant who joined the hospital this past year in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lind is a patient of NYC Health + Hospitals/Coney Island and resident of South Brooklyn. She is originally from Puerto Rico.
“I am really excited to get my COVID-19 vaccine today at the beginning of summer break,” said McAvoy. “I can’t wait to see my friends, go in the pool, and go back to my drama group to begin performing again.”
“I was so happy to get my COVID-19 vaccine so I don’t get sick, and so I can protect myself and my family,” said Lind.
Of the first doses and single vaccinations given at NYC Health + Hospitals, 76 percent were for people of color, compared to 73 percent for the independent hospitals, and 56 percent for the other hospital systems in New York City.
“Each COVID-19 vaccine milestone has been incredibly special – from our first vaccination back in December of 2020, to our first community member vaccinations in January, to today, when we have the honor of administering NYC Health + Hospitals 1-millionth dose,” said Svetlana Lipyanskaya, CEO, NYC Health + Hospitals/Coney Island. “As a leader of this hospital and mother, it is especially meaningful to see kids like Ciara step up to be vaccinated and protect themselves and others.”
“We have celebrated every vaccine dose administered to our community, but one-million doses is monumental, and it’s all thanks to the dedicated work of our pharmacy teams system-wide and New Yorkers who are doing their part in fighting back this virus once and for all,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President of Business Operations and Chief Pharmacy Officer Danielle DiBari, Pharm. D.
NYC Health + Hospitals began offering COVID-19 vaccines to its workforce in December 2020, and since has invited residents, patients, non-affiliate community providers, essential workers, and all New Yorkers over 12-years-old to get their vaccine at its hospitals, and community-based health centers. The Test & Trace Corps also manages the City’s mass vaccination sites in Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, as well as a number of mobile vaccine sites.
New Yorkers eligible for a vaccine can find a walk-up site near them or make an appointment by visiting nyc.gov/covidvaccine.