New York City will give $100
to all New Yorkers who receive their boosters now through December 31st, Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced.
The offer will only apply at city-run vaccination sites as well as those run by SOMOS Community Care, a network of nearly 2,500 providers that partner with the de Blasio administration. As of Tuesday, New York City has administered more than 1.7 million booster doses, the city's Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi said. Nearly 6 million New Yorkers of all ages are vaccinated.
The latest incentive comes 10 days right before De Blasio's tenure ends, and another vaccination push by the city to try and contain this surge in infections. Health experts predict that additional shots will limit Omicron's reach and severity in affecting people and businesses.
The new program supplement is already a continuum from the previous $100 incentive for the first doses that began in late July.
The CDC is recommending boosters for anyone 18 and older, 6 months beyond their second Pfizer or Moderna shots. For those who have received the Johnson & Johnson, CDC urges those adults to get a second dose of authorized vaccines 2 months after their initial shot.
The latest incentive also comes as the city awaits more testing resources from the federal government. President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that a rollout of federal sites across the country will be in place. The feds will also distribute 500 million rapid tests for free.
As de Blasio is trying to ramp up the vaccination rates to fight the latest wave, the sight of long testing lines is far from over and can be seen every day around the city.
The city has not been able to deliver an accurate picture of all the available testing options through its interactive website because it does not include more than 90 mobile units.
De Blasio also said that one of its challenges with testing, particularly in schools, has been the supply of at-home rapid tests.
