NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday said a full shutdown is possible after Christmas but says the city is focused on making sure as many New Yorkers get vaccinated as soon as possible.
"We're going to need to do some kind of shutdown in the weeks ahead, something that resembles the pause that we were in in the spring," de Blasio said. "My nomination would be right after Christmas."
According to the mayor, the start of vaccinations is a "shot of hope" for New York City as the infection rate continues to climb, with front-line health care workers and nursing homes remaining the top priority.
"Clearly these numbers are going in the wrong direction," the mayor said. "We've got to beat it back."
73 health care workers received their first dose already today, with 40,950 vaccine doses expected to be available at 42 city hospitals.
A possible schedule of vaccinations in coming weeks, according to Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi who said the focus for this week and next week is the high-risk health care workers, particularly high-risk hospital workers who are relied on as COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise.
Dr. Choksi added that the vaccine will get to the general public depending on the supply of vaccine that will be available.
"We should have a better sense of this by late December or early January, he said. "We're hoping by mid-2021 we'll be able to vaccinate everyone in New York City that wants it."
The mayor said the goal is to get everyone vaccinated who wants it by the end of Spring but wants to get more information out widely to assure New Yorkers of the safety of the vaccine.