New Yorkers reflect on pandemic hardship and the relief of vaccination. NYC built a vaccine appointment platform in under three weeks using NYC Vax Finder, helping residents navigate the rollout during a time when schools and small businesses like food pop-ups were struggling to survive.
March 24, 2021.
NYC Vax Finder.
Less than three weeks.
At the beginning of the pandemic, New York City was the epicenter. We had significant pain and suffering. Vaccinations are joyful for us because it is the one thing that we're looking at that will get us out of this.
New York City is sort of like a hub for the best of the best. And I feel like I needed to be part of that. I love cooking food because it connects me to people.
Teaching is pretty much my family business. My parents are both teachers. One of my siblings is a teacher. I definitely had that moment where I realized I was born to do this.
I was doing a pop up dinner series then to hear in the news, like no gatherings whatsoever. My livelihood was kind of like down the drain. Basically changed everything. You build your business and start all over again. It's, it's, it's a lot, it's a lot to navigate. Sorry.
When I heard that the school was going to be closed, I was afraid. Many of my students and families suffer from the trauma of poverty. The kids need me and the more that I've worked there, the more I realize that I need them too. Bye. Bye.
We had a platform, live less than three weeks. I think the thing that will stick out most is watching people use this platform to get us out of this pandemic one shot at a time.
I finally got an appointment through NYC Vax Finder.
I remember leading up to that first injection was this wave of what the whole year has done and what the world has changed to.
I felt really excited and I just felt really good. And I haven't felt really good in a really long, long time.
New York was live again. I'm watching this place come back to life.
The thing that I'm most looking forward to is to be sitting at a table and sharing a good meal, hugging my mom, who I haven't seen in over a year and a half. That's where I like most excited about.
