ALBANY, N.Y. (WCBS 880) — New York has confirmed eight more cases of a more contagious COVID-19 variant that was first identified in the United Kingdom.
That brings the total number of cases in the state to 12, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a conference call with the media Tuesday.
The governor did not disclose where the new cases were detected. Cases were previously confirmed in Saratoga and Nassau counties.
Cuomo said there are 80 cases of the strain nationwide.
The governor also announced that the state will follow new federal guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday and will expand the vaccine eligibility to anyone 65 and older.
The move comes a day after the state started offering the vaccine to people 75 and older and essential workers, including police officers, firefighters, transit employees, grocery clerks, teachers, and others.
Cuomo expressed frustration over the CDC changes, saying many people are now eligible without prioritization.
"If I'm 90 years old, I'm in the same class as a person who's 65-plus," Cuomo said. "If I'm 90 years old and I have cancer and heart disease, I'm in the same category as a person who's 65-plus. Nurses, doctors who still haven't been vaccinated, and there's hundreds of thousands who haven't been vaccinated, are now in the category of 7 million. So the policy and the intelligence of the federal system alludes me, but we will do the best we can."
He is also questioning whether there is enough vaccine supply.
"You have 7 million people now eligible. You're providing 300,000 dosages per week, that would take literally about six months to administer," Cuomo said. "So you're telling people today you're eligible, but you're simultaneously telling people we don't have enough dosages to get to you for the next six months. Is that helpful? I don't think so. I think it creates more frustration and more anxiety."