COVID-19 cases continued to tumble across the Five Boroughs last week — a decrease that reflects the higher number of New Yorkers vaccinated against the virus.
The latest data from the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene shows that 85.3% of all New Yorkers have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 76.2% of all residents are fully vaccinated.
Yet vaccination rates continue to lag behind among New Yorkers younger than 18 years of age. The city’s Department of Health reports that just 44% of these individuals have had at least one dose, while 38% of them are fully vaccinated. These figures include children under 5 years of age, for whom a vaccine has yet to be approved.
The rates are far higher for teenagers than elementary or middle school students. Approximately 88% of children between 13 and 17 years of age have had at least one dose, and 78% of the demographic are fully vaxxed. Meanwhile, just 50% of all children between ages 5 and 12 have had at least one dose, and 41% of them are fully vaccinated.
Looking at the figures by neighborhood, to little surprise, areas which have lower overall vaccination rates are also lagging behind in pediatric vaccinations.
East Williamsburg/Williamsburg, Brooklyn (11211) has the lowest vaccination rates for children in the entire city, with 21% of youngsters having received at least 1 dose and just 17% of fully vaccinated. Overall, the community has the fourth-lowest vaccination rates in the Five Boroughs, with 64% of all residents with one dose and 57% fully vaccinated.
Tottenville, Staten Island (10307) has the second-lowest pediatric vaccination rates at 27% first dose and 25% fully vaccinated. Overall, the community on the southwestern tip of The Rock has a first-dose rate of 66% (the seventh-lowest number in New York City) and a fully vaccinated rate of 61%.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the areas with the highest number of pediatric vaccinations were also among the New York City communities with the best overall vaccination rates.
Leading the way was the area of Chelsea/NoMad/West Chelsea (10001), which has 99% of all youngsters with at least one dose and 98% fully vaccinated. The area registers that 99% of all residents are completely vaccinated against COVID-19.
Three areas of Manhattan’s Financial District (10004, 10005 and 10006) have 99% of all children, and 99% of all its residents, fully vaccinated.
The vaccination rates, as well as the spread of COVID-19, figure to be under greater scrutiny over the week ahead as Governor Kathy Hochul reconsiders a mask mandate in all schools — something that a contingent of parents and politicians are seeking to have ended.
While the vaccination rates are not expected to change very much in a week’s time, the spread of COVID-19 across the city continues to decrease by the day.
The city’s 7-day positivity rate was down to 2.31% as of Feb. 18, with just 109 suspected COVID-19 cases reported citywide on Feb. 15. The citywide transmission rate of 83.08 cases per 100,000 residents is now solidly below what’s considered “very high transmission.”
Only one New York City area registered a 7-day positivity rate above 5% between Feb. 9-15: Annadale/Rossville, Staten Island (10312), which had a 5.03% positivity rate and 69 new cases during the period.
Two other communities had a positivity rate beyond 4%: Charleston/Prince’s Bay/Woodrow, Staten Island (10309, 4.46%, 37 new cases) and Flushing/Murray Hill, Queens (11354, 4.39%, 47 new cases).
Just one neighborhood logged more than 100 new COVID-19 cases between Feb. 9-15: Manhattan Valley/Morningside Heights/Upper West Side (10025), which registered 105 new infections and a 2.12% positivity rate.
