COVID-19 Vaccine Webinar: Fact or Fiction

With more of our young people gearing up to return to our centers for Fall programming and heading back to school, Avenues for Justice held an emergency webinar titled “Facts and Fiction” for our staff, participants, and their families.

The landscape of what New Yorkers can and cannot do in public without being vaccinated is changing daily.  In the past two weeks alone, New York City has had over 27,000 new cases of COVID-19 reported, of which at least 90% are the Delta Variant. (New York Times, NYC DOHMH).

With more of our young people gearing up to return to our centers for Fall programming and heading back to school, Avenues for Justice held an emergency webinar titled “Facts and Fiction” for our staff, participants, and their families. The workshop was led by Dr. Simbo Ige, Assistant Commissioner, and Nia Thomas, Crisis Response Team, both from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). 

The workshop was informative but also set up a space that was welcoming to all to ask the hard questions or clear misconceptions. Below is an overview and links to help guide our AFJ community with research and discovery:

Delta Variant:

  • The Delta Variant has an incubation time of just 4 to 5 days - shorter than other current COVID strains. It is also highly contagious, comprising 90% of New York cases.
  • NYC Department of Health is seeing an increase in cases in both younger and high–risk patients. This speaks to the Delta Variant’s strength. This is critical information for AFJ where the majority of our youth live with, or are in close contact with those who are high risk

Those who are unvaccinated are especially vulnerable:

  • The majority of COVID infections are impacting those who are unvaccinated and are not breakthrough cases among those who are vaccinated. This means you are at greater risk of contracting the COVID Delta Variant (currently the primary strain in NYC) if you are unvaccinated.
  • Between January 17 and August 17, people who are unvaccinated in NYC accounted for:
    • 96.1% of all COVID-19 cases
    • 96.9% of COVID-19 hospitalizations
    • 97.3% of COVID-19 deaths

https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/COVID/COVID-19-main.page

Vaccine & Testing Updates:

  • All three vaccines - Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson - are considered safe and effective. At this writing, Pfizer is allowed for those as young as age 12. The other two vaccines are currently indicated for ages 18 and up.
  • If you are vaccinated, regular testing for COVID contagion is not required unless you have been in close contact with someone who is COVID positive. If you’ve been exposed, you must get tested within 3 to 5 days.
  • Those who are unvaccinated should get tested every week. Tests are currently free!
  • At this time, no booster or third dose is needed unless you are immunocompromised.
  • As of August 17, people 12 and older are required to show proof they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine for:
    • Indoor dining
    • Indoor fitness
    • Indoor entertainment
  • NYC requires all government workers and school employees to show proof of vaccination.

Precautions that both Vaccinated and Unvaccinated should follow:

  • You do not need to wear a mask outdoors or when gathering with friends and family at home or in other private settings.
  • Masks are still required in schools, on public transportation, in health care settings and in certain congregate settings, such as nursing homes and homeless shelters, and at any other setting if designated by a business or location.
  • The Department of Health recommends wearing a mask in all other public indoor settings, even when it is not required, as well as in any setting when you do not know the vaccination status of those around you.
  • Keep your mask on if you are around unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19.

Want to learn more?  Here are links provided by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene:

Vaccine Mandate NYC: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/COVID/COVID-19-vaccines-keytonyc.page

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