Food workers are considered essential employees and have experienced some of the worst outbreaks the state has seen. But they were not part of the state’s earliest eligibility groups.
The decision, made out of an abundance of caution, officials said, comes at a critical time in state and city vaccinations efforts.
Data Center report finds that early eligibility groups meant that the vaccine was more likely to go to at-risk white residents.
The sites increased testing in Black census tracts, appear to have benefitted the elderly.
City-run initiatives are reaching more people of color, according to officials. But private vaccination sites may attract a whiter group.
The previous program, which expired in November, transitioned hundreds of people into long-term housing.
Shots are now available to people 16 or older with a wide range of preexisting conditions.
The reinstatement offer came after backlash from medical school students and alumni, as well as national media attention.
The city announced plans to scale back its testing efforts to focus on vaccinations. Its mass-vaccination plan was timed around the approval of a new vaccine from Johnson & Johnson.
The university denies claims of racial discrimination, but it announced a new diversity and inclusion initiative.
