Thousands of New Yorkers had already claimed the $100 incentive offered by the city for getting a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at city-run sites, hours after the start of the popular new program.
More than 450 people had received the $100 offer and their first dose of the vaccine by 10:30 a.m. Friday, Bill Neidhardt, the mayor's press secretary, tweeted. By 4 p.m., that number had increased to over 2,100.
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the city's latest incentive on Wednesday, hoping yet another offering to the unvaccinated would get them to take a dose. His announcement came just days after he told all city workers to get vaccinated or face strict weekly testing protocols.
The next day, President Joe Biden called on state and local officials to similarly offer $100 cash payments to incentive the vaccine.
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It also came amid a surge in cases in the city, driven by the explosion of the delta variant. As of Friday, the rolling average of new daily cases was 57% higher than a week prior.
According to New York State Department of Health data, between 45% and 65% of New York City residents are fully vaccinated, depending on the borough.
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Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that cities in high-transmission areas -- which includes New York City -- should "seriously consider" adopting the CDC's new guidelines on indoor masking for vaccinated people. But Cuomo stopped short of fully mandating it.
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