NYC has weapons to keep fighting pandemic, new health commissioner says
NEW YORK - With just two days on the job, New York City's 44th health commissioner spoke one-on-one with Fox 5 News.
"Amazing — this is a crown jewel in public health in this city, in this country, in the world, and it's just an incredible honor to be leading it," Dr. Ashwin Vasan said of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Vasan is a Chicago native, a husband, father of three, and a doctor with extensive experience, including working with the World Health Organization. He is an epidemiologist, a practicing physician, and the president and CEO of Fountain House, a nonprofit organization that takes care of people with mental illnesses.
Appointed by Mayor Eric Adams, Vasan takes over the Health Department at a time when COVID-19 cases are low, with a positive rate of 1.36%.
"It's all really encouraging. We have come out of a difficult winter where we were seeing case positive rates up to 40%," he said.
With BA.2, a sub-variant of omicron, already spreading in parts of the world, Vasan told us it has been detected in New York City, too.
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"We are on it and even if it's circulating here in New York, what gives me encouragement is that number one — we have not seen any signs that it causes more severe illness," Vasan said. "And number two — we see good evidence that existing vaccines offer strong protection against it."
So how will he respond if another wave hits the city?
"We have more tools in our tool kit today than we ever had during the pandemic and so I think we are more prepared than ever to respond to whatever the pandemic throws at us," Vasan said. "I'm going to lead on the basis of science, on the basis of strong values, including equity."
Vaccination remains key. He said that 77% of New Yorkers are vaccinated but more work still needs to be done, particularly among children ages 5 to 11.
"We are very excited," Vasan said. "On Monday, we are launching a new vaccination campaign with our colleagues at the [Department of Education] to really make sure those kids 5 to 11 get vaccinated."
Whether more mandates will be lifted, including the private sector vaccine mandate, Vasan said only the science will determine that.
"Look, I want nothing more than that day to come and for me to sit here and tell you the pandemic is over and we are in total control," Vasan said. "When that day comes is when we can reevaluate the need for mandatory vaccination."