Federal government calls for states to vaccinate people 65 and older, immunocompromised

New changes were made Tuesday by both the state and the federal government to speed up the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

News 12 Staff

Jan 12, 2021, 11:01 PM

Updated 1,335 days ago

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New changes were made Tuesday by both the state and the federal government to speed up the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
Dr. Frederick Davis, from Northwell Health, says time between doses is usually three or four weeks, and although he believes it is important to receive the second dose on time - he says getting the first dose out should be the priority.
"Ideally, the push would be to get as many people as you can some immunity and worry about the booster shot later," said Davis.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced Tuesday a move by the federal government to speed up the COVID-19 vaccination roll out by no longer holding back required second doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
"We would much rather see states move as quickly as possible and use every avenue possible to meet demand, than to leave vaccines sitting in a freezer," said Azar.
Azar also asked states to immediately begin vaccinating people 65 and older and younger people with health issues.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo says New York state is on board.
"We are going to accept the federal guidance of the 65 plus and the immunocompromised," he said.
Davis says it is a move that can save lives.
"I think trying to get as many people as we can vaccinated even if it is not full immunity is one of the ideas to help reduce the risk to a larger percentage of the population," said Davis.
Azar also announced increased vaccine supply and the pace of manufacturing will ensure everyone who gets a first dose will get a second dose on schedule.