NYC Hits Single-Day Record Of 93,000 COVID Shots, As CDC Allows Travel For Fully Vaccinated

New York City set a record in same-day vaccinations on Thursday, with 93,000 people getting their jabs. Mayor Bill de Blasio made the announcement during his Friday appearance on WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show.

The mayor also revealed roughly 65,000 public school educators and staffers have received at least one dose, representing just under half of the system's workforce. The city’s success arrives as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that fully vaccinated Americans are free to travel in the United States without quarantining or getting tested.

Based on a CDC study released Monday, the health agency still recommends that these travelers continue to wear masks and socially distance during transit, given they have a very low chance of catching and carrying the virus even while not getting sick. For international travel, fully vaccinated Americans need only to have a negative COVID-19 test within three to five days after returning to the U.S.

“I want to see all the details, but my first impression is that's sensible to say that folks who have been fully vaccinated,” de Blasio said as the news broke during his interview. “The good news about that is it rewards vaccination, which is what we want to see. We want everyone to realize the power of vaccination."

The city’s new record captures all vaccinations given in the city, whether via the federally-run pharmacy program, the various state- and city-run sites or the city’s specialty campaigns for homebound senior vaccination. It also encompasses a daily tally of first and second doses, a signal of the rollout’s recent revival. Early weeks of doling out the jabs were sluggish due to online glitches with booking appointments and severe weather.

Read More: Mayor De Blasio Demos Walk-Up Vaccines Without Appointments To Close Equity Gaps

But since the end of February, the seven-day average for the total doses has skyrocketed to above 60,000 and stayed there. Remember that a person is considered fully vaccinated either two weeks after their second Pfizer or Moderna shot, or two weeks after a single Johnson & Johnson shot.

“Demand is skyrocketing,” de Blasio declared. “As eligibility expands, we see less hesitancy in communities of color.”

Yet there is one concerning sign in the city’s data. The number of new recipients--people taking their first shot--appears to be sliding after reaching a peak in early March. Eligibility and limits on the supply don’t seem to be the issue. This week New York State widened eligibility to all New Yorkers older than 30, and those over age 16 can start booking shots beginning April 6th. According to the NYC Department of Health, an estimated 6.1 million New Yorkers were made eligible this week.

This comes as supply for New York City doses remains strong—an average of about 610,000 first and second doses have been delivered each week in March. Online availability of appointments looks solid, too, as more than 17,000 slots were available Friday morning.

On the education front, De Blasio noted the number of shots among teachers and staff could be much higher since today’s value only represents employees who identified themselves as working for the DOE upon receiving the shot. That pool includes teachers, principals, assistant principals, social workers, and guidance counselors. Paraprofessionals, school food workers, and administrative workers were also folded into this assessment.

"This is just a number we've been able to document," de Blasio told Lehrer. "We do believe there's a substantial number beyond that."

Of the 147,000 employees with the DOE, 110,000 are currently working inside buildings that include pre-K, elementary, middle, high school, and District 75. De Blasio stopped short of saying whether a specific number would trigger a full return to holding in-person classes five days a week this school year. This latter provision has only applied to elementary and middle school students.

"When you get this high a percentage of the adults in the buildings vaccinated that is a game changer," de Blasio said.