Coronavirus Update New York City: NYC opens NYCHA pop-up vaccine centers, urges against holiday gatherings

Coronavirus update for NYC

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Thursday, April 1, 2021

NYC opens pop-up vaccine centers, urges against holiday gatherings

New York City is opening new pop-up COVID-19 vaccinations sites Thursday, as health officials warn against large holiday weekend gatherings.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- New York City is opening new pop-up COVID-19 vaccinations sites Thursday, as health officials warn against large holiday weekend gatherings.

The vaccine sites, aimed and increasing vaccine equity, are open through Sunday at NYCHA locations.

"In the Bronx, the Castle Hill Houses and Forest Community Center; in Brooklyn, the Van Dyke Community Center; Manhattan, St. Nicholas Houses, Johnson Houses, Gompers Community Center; Queens, Jacob Riis Community Center," de Blasio said. "We're going to continue to deepen this grassroots effort."

More than 4.1 million vaccinations have been given in New York City so far, but with the Passover and Easter holidays, the city is still warning against big gatherings.

They are urging residents to keep them small and outside, wear snug fitting face coverings, and remain socially distant even among vaccinated populations.

"The notion of being fully vaccinated, that means 14 days after your second dose, after the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or 14 days after your J&J vaccine," Health Commissioner Dr. David Chokshi said.

After you receive the second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, what can you safely do? An infectious disease specialist answers your questions.

New results from an ongoing study show that the Pfizer vaccine offers protection for at least six months after the second dose, but what happens after that is still being researched..

It protects against variants and is 100% effective against severe disease. Pfizer also says it remains more than 91% effective against disease with any symptoms.

"If there was a simple preventive measure other than vaccination we would've figured it out," de Blasio said.

As the U.S. races to increase supply, workers at a Baltimore plant reportedly mixed up vaccine ingredients for Johnson % Johnson's single dose vaccine, ruining 15 million potential future shots.

A quality and control check caught the mistake weeks ago, before they went into arms, and J&J says the error doesn't effect the 20 million doses already given or scheduled.

NJ Burkett reports on the vaccination efforts in New York City.

The company remains on track to deliver 24 million more does in April, completing the promised delivery of 100 million doses in the first half of this year.