CDC reports young adults at lowest vaccination rate prompting push from doctors

Long Island doctors and officials are looking to push for more vaccinations among young people as cases creep up and the delta variant spreads.

News 12 Staff

Jul 11, 2021, 9:34 PM

Updated 1,160 days ago

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Long Island doctors and officials are looking to push for more vaccinations among young people as cases creep up and the delta variant spreads.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say vaccine rates for Americans 65 and older is 80%, but only 38% for people 18 to 29 years old.
Uniondale resident Cooper Shannon, 20, says he hasn’t received the vaccine yet because he worries about a past underlying health condition, though he hasn't asked his doctor about it yet. He also says he got a mild case of COVID-19 last year.
Shannon says many of his friends aren't getting vaccinated because they believe young people rarely get very sick or die from the virus.
“The mentality for people my age is like, ‘I think I'll be fine,’” he says.
However, Dr. Chid iloabachie, from Northwell Health, says he's seeing more young people in the emergency room with severe COVID symptoms. He says vaccine hesitancy is real and something he's trying to combat.
“The risks of COVID-19, particularly with the delta variant circulating across the U.S., are still very real are still very real and are still very scary,” he says.
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran says getting this younger age group vaccinated is a priority for the Island.
“We have to get information out there to the kids, the young people, parents and trust people to make the right decision for their families and for the community,” she says.
Hempstead resident Alisha Riggs, 22, tells News 12 she believes false information that's easily spread on social media is one of the reason her demographic’s vaccine rates are down.
She says she got her vaccination after she researched the science, and she encourages all of her friends to do the same.
Shannon says he's looking into it and will likely end up getting the vaccine before going back to college.
Vaccinations are available across Long Island. More information on getting vaccinated can be found on the state’s vaccine finder, as well as by contacting your county health department.