Nassau County Executive Laura Curran has announced that 82.0% of adult residents (18+) in Nassau County have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, the highest percentage among all large Counties* in New York State according to the State Department of Health. Among Counties in the United States with a population greater than 1,000,000 according to Census data, Nassau County ranks 4th in adult vaccination rate behind King County - WA, Middlesex County - MA, and Alameda County – CA. The County continues to over-perform State and National vaccination rates among Seniors (65+), as well as among Black and Latino residents.**
“I'm proud that Nassau County has one of the highest vaccination rates in the United States, and we are committed to protecting our progress and building on it. The vaccine is saving lives everyday. This virus hasn’t disappeared, and as more infectious variants like Delta continue to spread, getting vaccinated is more important than ever. ” said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran.
Nassau County has become a national model for COVID-19 vaccination, early on kicking off the “We Can Do It, Nassau” campaign to build public confidence in COVID-19 vaccines. The County ran four successful vaccine distribution centers at Nassau Coliseum, Nassau Community College, LIU Post and the “Yes We Can” Community Center. The County has worked to distribute vaccines to hospitals and other community providers, partnering with Northwell Health and other medical providers to hold pop-up distribution events targeting hard to reach populations. Nassau also has collaborated with various community organizations like churches and synagogues for pop-up sites to get vaccines to residents in every community.
The County established a designated way for veterans, seniors, and homebound residents to receive appointments. Veterans were able to make appointments through the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency by calling 516-572-6565. A hotline for seniors and the homebound was also created to get shots in the arms of the vulnerable. The Senior/Homebound population can make an appointment by calling 516-227-9590.
For young residents, Nassau County pioneered a first-of-its-kind Student Vaccination Initiative, which continues to vaccinate thousands of eligible students. The initiative engaged and trained youth ambassadors to support and encourage peers to roll up their sleeves. The County drew national attention with this program and has been contacted by other Health Departments seeking guidance and detail on the County’s model.
Health equity has been a cornerstone of Nassau’s vaccine campaign, and the County has utilized multimedia, multilingual communication to promote public confidence in the vaccine by emphasizing its importance for returning to normal. The County has reaches tens of thousands of residents through its SMS text system, which provides information about vaccination appointment availabilities in 6 languages. The Department of Health’s Office of Health Equity has held multiple webinars with the County’s minority outreach agencies to provide information about the vaccine, including in Spanish, Haitian Creole, and other languages.
In addition, County Executive Curran formed the Nassau County Healthcare Equity Group to combat hesitancy of the COVID-19 vaccine and increase vaccine access for communities of color. The Team is led by Deputy County Executive for Health and Human Services Kyle Rose-Louder, and includes members from the Department of Health, Office of Minority Affairs, Office of Hispanic Affairs, Office of Asian American Affairs, and the Office of Human Services.
Click here for more information on the vaccine and for available appointments.