More than 4 million New York City residents are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the city’s Health Department — but that numbers accounts only for about 41% of the city’s entire population.
While the vaccination effort remains brisk since the first New Yorker received a dose back on Dec. 14, 2020, both Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo have acknowledged it will take an increased, incentive-laden effort to get more residents inoculated against the potentially deadly virus, and bring the pandemic to an end.
Of the five boroughs, Manhattan stands out as the citywide leader in vaccinations. The Health Department reports that 61% of the island’s population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 53% of residents are now considered fully vaccinated.
To be considered fully vaccinated, a person must have received either the one-and-done Johnson & Johnson vaccine or both doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, which are administered 21 to 28 days apart.
Manhattan’s first dose and fully vaccinated rates exceed the citywide average of 49% with at least one dose and 41% fully vaccinated. To date, Queens is the only other borough which exceeds the citywide averages (54% with at least one dose, 43% fully vaccinated).
Across the city, the fully vaccinated rates in each ZIP code range from as little as 23% to as high as 83%.
Manhattan’s Financial District (ZIP code 10004) boasts both the highest single-dose and fully vaccinated rates in both the borough and the entire city. The city’s Health Department says that 100% of the vaccine-eligible population have received at least one dose, while 83% of them are now fully vaccinated.
Queens’ best vaccination rates are in the communities of Flushing, Murray Hill and Queensboro Hill (ZIP code 11355), where 78% of the vaccine-eligible population has had at least one shot, and 61% are fully vaccinated.
Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO (ZIP code 11201) have the highest vaccination rates in all of Kings County. According to the city’s Health Department, 71% of the area received at least one dose and 62% are fully vaccinated.
Tucked in the northwestern corner of the borough, Fieldston, North Riverdale and Riverdale in the Bronx (ZIP code 10471) has the county’s top rates, with 64% receiving at least one dose and 56% considered fully vaccinated.
On Staten Island, the neighborhoods of Lighthouse Hill, Midland Beach, New Dorp and Oakland (ZIP code 10306) leads the borough, with 51% having at least one dose and 44% fully vaccinated.
Though the city’s got a long way to go in terms of vaccination, the effort thus far has resulted in a remarkable decline in COVID-19 cases across the city. De Blasio reported on Sunday that the citywide 7-day positivity rate had dropped to 1.16%, with only 94 new hospitalizations and 417 new cases reported in the last 24 hours.
The news is encouraging all around, based on city Health Department data which indicates that COVID-19 cases are plummeting across the five boroughs. Between May 13-19, approximately 78 neighborhoods registered 7-day positivity rates below 1%, with 70 communities having fewer than 10 new cases — and 32 areas with less than 5 new cases — reported during the period.
Only two ZIP codes in New York City had registered a 7-day positivity rate of 3% or higher between May 13-19: Ozone Park, Queens (11416, 3.03%, 21 new cases reported) and Fieldston/North Riverdale/Riverdale, Bronx (10471, 3%, 22 new cases).
In terms of new cases, the Ocean Hill/Brownsville ZIP code of Brooklyn (11212) has the highest number in the city at 59. Three other areas of Brooklyn are in the top 10 in total new cases: Cypress Hills/East New York (11208 and 11207, 89 cases combined); Canarsie (11236, 45 cases); and East Flatbush (11203, 42 new cases).
Meanwhile, six communities in New York City did not report a single new case of COVID-19 over the last week, including two areas of the Financial District (10004 and 10005) and Tribeca (10007) in Manhattan. City Island and Hunts Point in the Bronx (10464 and 10474, respectively) and the Arverne/Broad Channel area of Queens (11693) also had zero new COVID-19 cases.
State Health Department data that the Governor’s office released on Saturday continued to underscore the declining number of COVID-19 cases in New York City. The state reported that the five boroughs had a 7-day positivity rate of 0.75%, though 495 of the 1,347 new COVID-19 positive test results (36.7%) that the state received on May 22 came from New York City.
Sadly, 10 New York City residents died of COVID-19 on Saturday — six in Brooklyn and two each in Manhattan and Staten Island.
Meanwhile, you can get a COVID-19 vaccine in New York City without an appointment at any of the city’s vaccination hubs. Visit vaccinefinder.nyc.gov to find a location near you.
