NEW YORK (WBEN) -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday blasted the Trump administration over its plan for distributing a COVID vaccine, saying the plan violates the constitutional rights of minorities and that the state will sue if it’s not changed.
At Riverside Church in Morningside Heights, an impassioned Cuomo slammed the trump vaccine plan, saying it depends on private entities like hospitals, big-chain drug stores and private doctors to give the shots and that communities of color don’t have the same access to that kind of care.
“The Black and brown communities that were first on the list of who died cannot be last on the list of who receives the vaccine, period,” Cuomo said.
The governor warned that the vaccine plan violates the constitutional right to equal protection and that the state is ready to join the Urban League and NAACP in a lawsuit.
“If the Trump administration does not change this plan and does not provide an equitable vaccine process, we will enforce our legal rights. We will bring legal action to protect New Yorkers,” Cuomo said.
The governor said the state will lead the way to vaccinate all New Yorkers but can’t do it without Washington’s help.
“New York state will mobilize an army to vaccine all New Yorkers fairly, equitably. No state will do it better,” he said.