Good morning. Today is Tuesday. We’ll look at why most New York City public school students may not be required to get the Covid-19 vaccine when school opens next fall. We’ll also find out why one of the city’s cultural institutions added “New York” to its name.
Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul both said they support Covid-19 vaccinations being mandatory for all public students. But my colleague Sharon Otterman said it is not likely to happen in time for the next school year.
In order for the Covid-19 vaccine to join the other 12 vaccines required by state law for school attendance, the New York State Legislature would have to amend public health law. Democratic lawmakers have introduced bills in Albany to do just that.
However, Senator Brad Hoylman, who introduced the childhood Covid vaccine bill in the state Senate last October, said it was a potato so hot it wasn’t even fixed. official bill number. “It’s clearly a sign that it’s not ready to be reviewed,” he said.
The mayor can order the vaccine mandate on his own. But Adams, who took office in January, pushed the city in the opposite direction. He suspended a citywide program that effectively encouraged families to immunize their children by requiring vaccinations when entering restaurants or indoor entertainment venues.
Adams has said many times that he will advocate for rights over students once the vaccine is fully approved by the FDA for them. A decision on Pfizer’s vaccine for 12 to 15 year olds could be made in the next few months. The company has yet to apply for full approval for children ages 5 to 11. But the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine in children under 12 years of age has been disappointing.
Immunization rate of children of primary school age in the city is higher than the national rate but still at a relatively low level. Citywide, 46 percent of children ages 5 to 12 are fully immunized, compared with 80 percent of 13 to 17 year olds.
These rates vary widely by community and by race, alluding to the profound challenge of carrying out a mission. For example, 99% of Asian children 5 to 12 years old in New York City are fully immunized, according to city statistics. But only 37% of the city’s white children between the ages of 5 and 12 are like that. Vaccination rates for white children of that age vary widely by county, from 21% in Staten Island to 84% in Manhattan.
Brad Lander, the New York City curator, and Jumaane Williams, the city’s public advocate who is also running for governor, were among a number of public officials who recently called for a mission. But Lander admits that there seems to be little political support for it.
“Some of that depends on what happens over the next few months,” he said last month. “Without more mutations and variations – as I wholeheartedly desire – then I doubt there would be much incentive to get there.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics continues to recommend vaccination for all children and adolescents 5 years of age and older, including those who have been previously infected. But jumping from there to a mission is a big step. Some experts say it would be better to continue focusing on voluntary immunization programs before next fall.
Dr Toni Eyssallenne, internist and pediatrician with Strong Children Wellness, a medical group based in Queens, said: “Pediatricians are also divided on whether schooling should be compulsory or not. are not.
One mission would be to boost vaccination rates, she said. However, she adds, “because this is a relatively new vaccine, some parents may be pulling their children out of school or other activities that could positively affect development.” development, socially and emotionally.”
Weather
Enjoy a sunny day near 70s New York, with gusts of wind throughout the night. The evenings are mostly clear with temperatures dropping to the high 40s.
Parking next door
Valid until May 26 (Ascension).
Fund for abortion rights
New York state is bracing for a wave of women seeking abortions if the Supreme Court reshapes reproductive rights in the US, as suggested by draft opinion leaked last week.
Lawmakers in Albany and Letitia James, the state attorney general, are pushing an invoice that has establish a state fund to pay abortion providers. The measure would also offset costs for low-income and uninsured or uninsured abortion patients.
New York codified Roe v. Wade – the 1973 decision establishing the constitutional right to abortion – into state law in 2019 along with the Reproductive Health Act, which removed restrictions on abortion. , including a ban on the procedure after 24 weeks. Proposals under consideration aim to expand and strengthen the protections.
One would protect New York-based providers by barring law enforcement from cooperating with investigations in states where abortion is criminalized, reflecting recently passed law in Connecticut. Another measure would bar New York courts from issuing subpoenas alongside out-of-state abortion procedures.
And an amendment to the state’s Constitution to add abortion rights is gaining momentum. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Liz Krueger of Manhattan, said such a move was vitally important to protecting the right to reproductive care.
“We can no longer afford to play a risky game,” she said, adding that the expected Supreme Court ruling “opens the door to more cases after other things, including same-sex marriage, fundamental rights to privacy, all of which are not necessarily true in our Constitution. “
Latest New York News
Adding ‘New York’ to the name of a cultural institution
Facebook has become Meta. High-end home furniture retailer Restoration Hardware has become RH. And 92 Y Street soon to be 92nd Street Y, New York.
Seth Pinsky, chief executive officer, said the name change was just one modification. “What we are changing is our logo and in doing so, the nickname people use,” he said. “People in recent years tend to use the nickname 9-2-Y and we are modifying that with the new logo to 9-2-NY.”
The addition of the reference to New York grew out of 92nd Street Y’s experience during the pandemic, as it moved the show online and its audience exploded, with viewers in 200 countries as well as all 50 states state. “We went from being an organization in New York to being an international organization,” he said, and “realized that there were people who knew who we were and our reputation. But there are many people who are not. We think making it clear that we are a prototype New York institution is something that will help define us,” he said.
The new logo, the work of a team at design firm Pentagram, is being introduced as 92nd Street Y, New York, reorganizing its programs under five “pillars” and promoting an online learning platform. named route Round table it is aimed at “a very specific niche,” he says — “higher-level, very rigorous courses” in the liberal arts. “This is not 101 classes,” he said. “They are grades 201, 301, and 401.”
And then there’s the actual house at 92nd Street Y, New York, at 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue. The first phase of the $200 million master plan is starting with renovating the second-largest performance space, building a new dance center and upgrading its gym.
What we are reading
METROPOLITAN . Diary
Buy attractive items
Dear Diary:
I walked into a pharmacy on Amsterdam Avenue to buy a vending machine. Somehow, I ended up at the register with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food that was frozen like ice.
I was about to eat my hastily bought while crouching around the corner, so I asked the cashier for a plastic spoon.
“Sorry,” he said. “We don’t have any.”
The security guard disagreed.
“We definitely do!” she said, pointing to a jar of spoons. “Get two,” she added, “in case one of them breaks.”
Good call.
– Daniel Simon
Illustrated by Agnes Lee. Send submissions here and Read more Metropolitan Diary here.
So glad we can get together here. See you tomorrow. – JB
PS This is for today Small crosswords and Spell Bee. You can find all our quizzes here.
Melissa GuerreroOlivia Parker and Ed Shanahan contributed to New York Today. You can reach the team at [email protected].
