NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — While he has been holding a low profile in recent weeks, Gov. Andrew Cuomo was in Queens on Monday to encourage New Yorkers in communities of color to get vaccinated.
Currently embattled in dual scandals involving his handling of COVID-19 in nursing homes and allegations of sexual misconduct, the governor had not held a public event in over 10 days.
The governor has seemed to seek shelter in historically Black churches, drawing criticism from leaders in the Black community, who slammed the governor’s treatment of minorities in the state last week.
On Monday, Cuomo made another appearance with Black leaders as he tried to convince vaccine skeptics to get their shot.
“Nobody is asking you to go to first – 10 million New Yorkers have taken the vaccine. I've taken the vaccine. It’s safe, we know that,” the governor told the crowd.
The appearance was part of the governor’s new “Roll Up Your Sleeve” campaign, encouraging all residents in the state to get vaccinated.
“The vaccine is the weapon that will win the war, but only if we all take it, and starting April 6, all New Yorkers age 16 and older will be able to get vaccinated," Cuomo said. "Since the start of this critical phase of our fight against COVID, we have made it our top priority to bring the vaccine to the communities that were hit the hardest by the virus, and with the 'Roll Up Your Sleeve' campaign, we are helping ensure that no community gets left behind in the vaccine distribution process.”
He is especially calling on communities of color to get vaccinated, as they were disproportionally affected by COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic.
“The best way to save Black and Brown lives is to get to as many people vaccinated as possible,” Cuomo said.
The governor announced a new pop-up site will open in Rochdale Village in Queens on Tuesday to help with vaccination efforts.
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