Study says vaccines prevented 48,000+ Covid deaths in NYC
Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr
More than 48,000 deaths, 300,000 hospitalizations, and 1.9 million cases have been prevented since the city’s Covid-19 vaccination campaign started in December 2020, the New York City Health Department announced on Friday. “COVID-19 vaccines have saved so many lives and prevented an immense amount of suffering,” Dr. Dave A. Chokshi, Health Commissioner, said. “Nearly 48,000 New Yorkers will celebrate another birthday this year due to the power of vaccination.”
Image courtesy of the NYC Department of Health
The estimates regarding the city’s vaccination effort are from an updated analysis done by epidemiologists at Yale University, supported by the New York City Health Department and the Commonwealth Fund.
Mayor Eric Adams lifted the mask mandate for public schools last Friday, as well as the city’s Key to NYC indoor vaccination requirement. The mayor also introduced a new four-level, color-coded Covid-19 alert system that helps New Yorkers understand the necessary precautions to take depending on the level of risk.
“COVID-19 has upended so many aspects of our lives, but New Yorkers, in overwhelming numbers, have continued to do the right thing” Dr. Celia Quinn, Deputy Commissioner for Disease Control, said. “My thanks go out to every New Yorker who has done their part to flatten the curves by getting vaccinated, boosted, and following public health precautions.”
While many mandates and requirements have been lifted, masks are still required in all public spaces like trains, buses, and airplanes, as well as health care facilities. Businesses still have the right to require proof of vaccination from patrons.
According to the Health Department, over 77 percent of New Yorkers across all ages are fully vaccinated and over 17 million vaccination doses have been given out in NYC since vaccinations began.
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