elderly

Despite being hit hard early in the pandemic, New York City lags behind in vaccinating people 65 and older, and its efforts to reach the homebound and disabled have been disorganized.

In the latest sign that the idea is catching on, two big players — Kaiser Permanente and the Mayo Clinic — announced plans to collectively invest into a company that provides such services to expand programs.

Falls among people age 65 or older accounted for more than 90 percent of the emergency visits and hospitalizations in 2018, according to the “Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.”

Florida hospitals have registered a 46% drop in admissions for COVID patients aged 70 or over since mid-February, an encouraging sign in the fight against the pandemic.

The vaccine's Colorado-based medical transport company cited "unforeseen circumstances" for the delay; 7,500 people with appointments to get their first dose must now wait.

It's an effort to get the vaccine in the hands of seniors who are struggling to get to drive-through sites or making reservations.

As of Tuesday night, only 12.% of COVID-19 vaccinations in Florida had been administered to people 65 and older, according to state data.

Social isolation has made life difficult for many senior citizens during the pandemic. Volunteers at one Sarasota organization are finding that a regular phone call can help.

Uncertainties remain. Among them: What side effects can older adults anticipate and how often will these occur? Will the vaccines offer meaningful protection to seniors who are frail or have multiple chronic illnesses?

The project begins by testing the use of blood thinners to reduce bad outcomes in COVID-19 patients, part of a study tied to Operation Warp Speed.