Cuomo: NY to begin vaccinating people with health problems Feb. 15

NEW YORK - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday that people in the state with certain health problems like cancer, Type 2 diabetes, and more will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine beginning February 15.

Cuomo said Friday the state will come up with enough vaccine by reallocating remaining doses set aside for hospital workers. He said about three-fourths of hospital workers have received a first dose, and that hospitals will have one more week to get more staff vaccinated before the state will reallocate doses to local governments to use for people with comorbidities.

"New Yorkers with comorbidities and underlying conditions exist throughout the state's population—they're our teachers, lawyers and carpenters, in addition to the doctors who keep us safe every day, and they are a highly affected population," Governor Cuomo said in a statement. "We're committed to vaccinating vulnerable populations that have suffered the most as we distribute a strictly limited supply of vaccines, and people with comorbidities are 94 percent of the state's COVID deaths. That's why we'll open eligibility to people with comorbidities starting February 15 and give hospitals the ability to use extra doses they have to address that population. Local governments have a week to prepare for the new change—they need to get ready now."

The list of comorbidities and underlying conditions that the state will use to determine eligibility for the vaccine is:

• Cancer (current or in remission, including 9/11-related cancers)
• Chronic kidney disease
• Pulmonary Disease, including but not limited to, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate-to-severe), pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and 9/11 related pulmonary diseases
• Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities including Down Syndrome
• Heart conditions, including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, or hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) including but not limited to solid organ transplant or from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, use of other immune weakening medicines, or other causes
• Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2), Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)
• Pregnancy
• Sickle cell disease or Thalassemia
• Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
• Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
• Neurologic conditions including but not limited to Alzheimer's Disease or dementia
• Liver disease

The governor's announcement came weeks after he said on Jan. 12 that New York would accept new federal guidance to expand vaccine access to younger people with certain health problems, including those with weakened immune systems.

But weeks later, cancer patients and others with underlying health problems aren't eligible for vaccination in New York unless they are age 65 or older, are in a nursing home or have certain jobs.

The governor's announcement came a day after The Associated Press reported that at least 13 states have opened eligibility to some people under age 65 with certain health conditions.

The Democrat said again Friday that state officials were still working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to decide what types of conditions should push someone nearer to the top of the vaccine priority list.

States get to define at-risk conditions themselves, though the CDC has provided a list of conditions that have the "strongest and most consistent evidence" of increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Those include cancer, Type 2 diabetes, severe obesity, heart conditions, sickle cell disease, pregnancy and having a weakened immune system from a solid organ transplant.

"We're working with the CDC to clarify some definitions," Cuomo said. "But we're basically going to follow the CDC guidance."

Smoking is on that CDC list. Some states exclude it; New Jersey allows it.

It’s also unclear whether New York will include other kinds of medical conditions that have consisted but limited research on whether they put people at higher risk, including HIV, immune deficiencies, Type 1 diabetes, being overweight, liver disease and neurologic conditions.

Research into whether there is increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 because of asthma, hypertension or use of immunosuppressive medications has been inconclusive.

Public health experts have called for more clear federal guidance.

With the Associated Press.