Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday that the state had fined a New Rochelle hospital for vaccinating first responders without Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s consent.
De Blasio told radio host Brian Lehrer that a hospital in the city of New Rochelle, once the hard-hit epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in New York, was fined and remaining vaccines were confiscated after officials began vaccinating first responders. (RELATED: De Blasio Blasts Cuomo For ‘Arrogance’ After Governor Threatens To Fine Hospitals)
.@NYCMayor just announced on @brianlehrer show that the city of New Rochelle started vaccinating first responders and were fined and their vaccines taken away. @1010WINS
— Juliet Papa (@winsjuliet) January 8, 2021
According to @NYCMayor spox, it’s the hospital in New Rochelle that is facing a fine for vaccinating out of state order. @1010WINS
— Juliet Papa (@winsjuliet) January 8, 2021
De Blasio has clashed with Cuomo numerous times over the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine after several requests to move forward with vaccinating New Yorkers over the age of 75 — with vaccines that NYC officials already had on hand — were denied by the governor’s office.
Mayor @BilldeBlasio says NYC has 270,000 unused doses that could go to people over 75, age cohort likeliest to die from the disease, and 560,000 people in NYC over age 75. Asking state for permission to use those extra doses for the elderly.
— Laura Nahmias (@nahmias) January 8, 2021
“Right this minute we have 270,000 (vaccine) doses that we could be giving right now to New Yorkers over 75”
That includes my father
Governor Cuomo, please allow NYC the freedom to vaccinate people over 75 NOW pic.twitter.com/RNOvrAu4Dt
— Eli Klein (@TheEliKlein) January 8, 2021
.@NYCMayor: “We are not allowed by state law to give a single shot to a single New Yorker over 75.”
— Adam Shaw (@AdamShawNY) January 8, 2021
New York’s strict guidelines — and the failure to find enough people who meet the criteria for priority vaccination — has already resulted in a number of doses being thrown away. (RELATED: Cuomo Hopes To Speed Up Vaccinations By Threatening $100,000 Fines Against Hospitals)
New York’s strict vaccine guidelines forced one clinic to throw away vaccine doses after it couldn’t find eligible people. https://t.co/8amoBp7PZZ
— Jorge Arangure (@jorgearangure) January 8, 2021