Gov. Hochul expands vaccine boosters to all NYers who feel ‘at risk’

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced during a briefing Tuesday that any adult in New York who feels at risk can now get a COVID-19 booster shot – but what does “at risk” really mean?

It's a subjective answer. The governor said most of the state is in a high-transmission area, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Food and Drug Administration is also said to be planning to authorize booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine for all adults as early as Thursday, according to the New York Times.

Her booster expansion goes above and beyond the CDC, which currently recommends boosters for:

Anyone 65 and older

18 and older with an underlying health condition

Any adult at a high risk of exposure

Adults who got a Johnson & Johnson shot

The expanded eligibility comes as COVID-19 positive cases are on the rise. In the Mid-Hudson region, the positivity rate is up to 2.7% - 50% higher than it was two weeks ago.

Hochul said she's extremely concerned about what COVID-19 numbers might look like after Thanksgiving if more people, including children, don't get vaccinated.

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"We're heading into a vulnerable time. I want to make sure that we protect our kids in schools, keep our children safe, make sure you're safe in the workplace, and safe when we gather for Thanksgiving," she said.

Breakthrough infections are up nearly 10% from last week, though that number is just above 1%. Health experts say this is because more people are spending time indoors and their immunity is waning over time since their last dose.