New sites open as NYC targets under-vaccinated neighborhoods

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — A new vaccination site opens Wednesday at Teachers Preparatory High School in Brownsville, Brooklyn.

It is for residents of the immediate neighborhood, and here’s why.

On Tuesday the city released data showing wealthier, predominately white neighborhoods with vaccine rates above 20 percent.

By contrast, in lower income, black neighborhoods like East New York, Jamaica and Bedford-Stuyvesant, just 3 percent of the population has gotten the first dose.

Those neighborhoods with low vaccination rates also tend to have higher rates of infection.

Mayor Bill de Blasio says the city is opening more vaccination sites in these neighborhoods to try to change that.

“We’re going to be doing a lot of grassroots outreach to draw people from Brownsville and East New York to this center right in their community, to get the help that they need and deserve,” the mayor said. “And grassroots outreach, grassroots leadership, is going to be key to getting this done.”

This comes as the state is paring back vaccine supply at hospitals, shots that were originally intended to vaccinate the staff.

Mount Sinai Hospital announced Tuesday night that they were canceling some appointments to give out first doses of the vaccine because they were suddenly getting fewer doses from the city than promised.

NYU Langone said it is cutting back on the number of appointments they offer to give out the vaccine for the same reason.

Both the state and city are shifting resources to get vaccine into neighborhoods most in need.

Tomorrow, a site at Empire Outlets on Staten Island opens for residents there.

Here are the newest vaccination sites opening in New York City:

Teachers Prep High School in Brooklyn: Opening Wednesday 2/17, prioritizing home health aides, Brownsville and East New York community. Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., six days a week

Empire Outlets on Staten Island: Opening Friday 2/19, for Staten Island residents only. Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 days a week.

For homebound seniors, NYC will use the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to deliver the single dose to seniors in their homes and at vaccine clinics at retirement communities. The city will vaccinate 25,000 home health aides within the coming month.