NYC Expands Phone Blitz Campaign to Increase Covid Vax Rate

By: Hellen Zaboulani

Big Apple health investigators have launched a full blown phone blitz campaign to urge thousands of residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine. 

As reported by the NY Post, Workers with the Test & Trace Corps are making calls to households in New York City to determine the vaccination status of residents, and offering to set up appointments at city-run vaccination sites for those who aren’t yet immunized.  For those who have already received the job, they are asking what led them to get the jab. The initiative comes amid a spike in new cases of the bug led by the highly contagious Delta strain.

New data from the city’s Health Department showed that over 98 percent of hospitalizations and COVID-related deaths between January and June were among those who were not fully vaccinated against COVID-19.  Also, the data revealed that 73 percent of adults are now fully or partially vaccinated, but 27 percent are still unvaccinated.  A spokesman said the Test & Trace’s “Vaccine Outreach Phone Campaign” initially started making the calls back in March.

“The main function of the calls is to make sure that if New Yorkers are interested in scheduling an appointment, we can facilitate that for them,” said the spokesman, Adam Shrier.  “If people are already vaccinated, we ask to learn more about what guided their decision. If they are hesitant or resistant, we ask them to articulate why so we can connect them with city resources that can help address their concerns.”

As per the Post, Shrier said the interviewers offer residents three kinds of resources: appointments at city sites, direct connection with a city-contractor who does at-home vaccinations, or a referral to a Health Department nurse and doctors hotline to answer questions about the vaccine.

Last week in an initiative to thwart the spread of the virus, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city is requiring proof of vaccination in order to allow entry into certain indoor businesses — including all indoor restaurants, entertainment venues and gyms.  Also, all the city’s government workers are now being required to either show proof of vaccination, or wear a mask and get tested regularly.

The number of daily COVID-19 cases in NYC has increased from an average of 1,084 over the past 28 days, to 1,597 cases over the past week.  Since the start of the pandemic, there have been nearly 1 million NYC residents who tested positive for COVID-19, and tragically 33,588 deaths linked to novel virus.