NY's Senior COVID-19 Vaccination Rate Lags Behind

The latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the state of New York is trailing the rest of the nation in vaccinating people over age 65 against COVID-19, reports the New York Post . New York ranks 44th on that basis. Whereas 73 percent of Americans over 65 have now received at least one dose across the country, only 67 percent of senior New Yorkers have so far. Meanwhile, the state ranks ninth in terms of immunizing residents ages 18 to 65, and 24th for vaccinating its total adult population. "The disparity suggests that New York's vaccination policies and procedures are giving younger people an advantage relative to other states," said Bill Hammond at Empire Center. The think tank suspects the Cuomo administration's prioritization of essential workers for shots in December created this disparity. "This may relate to the number of younger New Yorkers who were competing for limited slots at any given time, and the process for finding and scheduling an appointment, which gives an edge to the computer-savvy," Hammond said.