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Cuomo says state one step closer to vaccination milestone  

Governor Cuomo's office

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the state is one-tenth of a percentage point away from his goal of having 70% of New Yorkers age 18 and over obtain at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccination.

Cuomo says Sunday’s vaccination numbers show the rate at 69.9%. But, he says, the percentages vary greatly by zip code, with rates in some low-income urban and rural areas as low as 38.8%. The governor says local governments need to focus on those areas and give it "one more push."

“Go door to door,” Cuomo said. “Go to churches, go to social events, go to community events.”

The governor says when the state’s vaccination rate reaches 70% for people age 18 and over getting at least one dose, he plans to hold a celebration. Currently, the number of adults who were fully vaccinated as of two weeks ago, is lower, at 60.1%.

Cuomo, speaking Monday at an event in Syracuse, also announced that because statewide positivity rate continues to be low — .41 % on Sunday — the New York State Fair will open later his summer at 100% capacity.  He said social distancing will still be practiced whenever possible, and unvaccinated people will be asked to wear a mask, though no one will be asked for proof of vaccination.    

“That is on the honor system,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo and State Fair officials say they will likely downsize the current mass vaccination site at the fairgrounds and are considering scaling back other sites, where Cuomo says the activity has slowed to a “trickle.” He says there will still be vaccinations available at the fair and other more targeted locations around the state.  

On Sunday, 617 New Yorkers remained in the hospital with COVID-19, and seven died from the virus.

Karen DeWitt is Capitol Bureau chief for the New York Public News Network, composed of a dozen newsrooms across the state. She has covered state government and politics for the network since 1990.