Westchester County hit a milestone on Aug. 2 when County Executive George Latimer announced that 80 percent of adult residents (18+) living in Westchester County have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The 80 percent vaccination rate equates to 653,829 people vaccinated out of a total population of 967,612 in Westchester. Westchester County continues to outpace the national vaccination rate for adults, as well as over-performing vaccination rates in neighboring Bronx, Suffolk, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess and Ulster counties.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “I am extremely proud that we have achieved this great milestone with 80 percent of our population receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has proven month after month to protect the people that we serve, with positive cases on a general downward trend along with hospitalizations and deaths. We have a long way to go and COVID is not yet behind us, but these vaccination statistics are proof that we are moving forward, we are united, and we will be stronger because of it.”
Since the COVID-19 vaccine first became available to Westchester’s residents, the County set the stage with a robust marketing campaign to get the public vaccinated and keep them informed. Westchester County successfully ran vaccine distribution centers at the Westchester County Center, Westchester Community College, and the Health Department clinics in Yonkers and White Plains. The County also worked to create pop-up vaccination sites across Westchester, to ensure that the largest number of people had access to the vaccine.
The marketing campaign included a series of town halls targeted to specific populations such as youth, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, the business community and others. Using the tagline “Kick COVID to the Curb,” a series of public service announcements were released on social media and in local news, featuring testimonials from residents young and old, students, religious leaders, members of the non-for-profit community, athletes, celebrities, Spanish language PSA’s and more. Westchester County’s Department of Senior Programs and Services established the in-home vaccination program, to ensure that those who were homebound or disabled and their caregivers could still receive the vaccine. Free ParaTransit Transportation Service was also made available for seniors and people with disabilities to transport constituents who needed help getting to the vaccine. Latimer continues to hold regular conference calls with the local school districts and municipal leaders, to build public confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine.
If you have not yet received the COVID-19 vaccine, please visit the Westchester County Health Department website or use the Vaccine Finder Tool.
