ALBANY (WBEN) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday announced more than 50% of New Yorkers 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
"Thanks to the extraordinary efforts and commitment of our providers and volunteers, more than half of New Yorkers who are 18 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and more than a third are fully vaccinated," Cuomo said.
The governor also announced that more than one in three residents in the same age group have been fully vaccinated.
According to new data from the state Health Department, over 12.6 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine has been administered.
Additionally, nearly 200,000 doses have been administered across the state's vast distribution network in just that last 24 hours, and more than 1.5 million doses have been distributed over the last week.
"You take the vaccine not just for yourself - you take it to keep other people safe. COVID is still with us, but if we remain 'New York Tough,' we can continue to reopen our economy and gradually defeat this beast," Cuomo said in a statement.
Despite the milestone, the Democratic governor does caution that New York's vaccination network and large population of eligible residents still far exceeds the current supply coming from the federal government.
Because of this, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are being advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.
Those who wish to receive a vaccine can do so by scheduling an appointment on the state's "Am I Eligible" website.
