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As hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers wait to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, a surprising resident has got the coveted shot: a famous fitness trainer and SoulCycle instructor.
“VACCINE DAY! First step of Moderna magic !! An hour’s drive from STATEN ISLAND is worth every minute! It takes a village, ”Stacey Griffith, a 52-year-old fitness guru who was featured in The New York Times, proudly announced in a since-deleted Instagram post.
But moments after Griffith revealed to her 64,200 followers that she was one of approximately 850,000 New Yorkers who received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, she was faced with a furious reaction.
“My wife is a stage 4 cancer patient who has to deal with the fear and risk of entering a hospital cancer center every week, while she is immunocompromised, during COVID, in order to receive the treatment that keeps her alive. She is at least 2-3 months before she is eligible for a vaccine, ”commented Gabrielle Novacek, a Chicago-based consultant.
“As a babysitter on which she depends for her support, I am at least 4 to 5 months old. But yes, let’s celebrate as we make the world safe for in-person spin classes in the midst of a global pandemic. What remains of any respect I had for Soul and the leaders she celebrates is over, ”she added.
Griffith, who brings in $ 800 per class, according to a recent Vox story, claimed via text message that her role as an “educator” made her eligible for the coveted COVID-19 vaccination.
“Getting vaccinated can stop the short spread within groups!” Griffith told the Daily Beast. “I work as a commonality for a lot of overlapping people. In my profession as a health and wellness teacher, my daily priority is to make my community and its respiratory system work at full capacity so that they can defeat this virus if they are infected with it. I can only teach them if I am healthy myself.
Griffith added that she “had the same opportunity that everyone else has by going online and filling out a questionnaire” and insisted that she was not doing “any favors, I was not paying anyone money. . “
“All teachers can request the vaccine. My message today was to show my confidence in the system, in our government, and I hope everyone can at least feel more comfortable knowing that I have gone through the process! she added.
When asked if all SoulCycle instructors would be eligible for the vaccine, she replied, “Absolutely not.”
According to the New York City Department of Health, the city has entered Phase 1B of the vaccination rollout, making health care workers, residents over 65, grocery store workers and specific types of teachers eligible for blows. While eligible teachers include those who teach Kindergarten to Grade 12, in-person college instructors, and group child care providers – the list does not include teachers of the fitness freaks.
“Generally speaking, it’s difficult for us to comment on individuals due to confidentiality,” a New York Department of Health spokesperson told The Daily Beast, when asked about Griffith’s coup Friday. “I’ll see what I can find out if there is anything I can say.”
The fact that Griffith got vaccinated in New York City as thousands of teachers, social workers and residents with pre-existing illnesses unable to make an appointment further illustrates the difficult deployment in the Empire State .
Thousands of teachers in New York City who are eligible for the vaccine have reported that their appointments have been canceled due to supply and scheduling issues. Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Teachers’ Federation, told the New York Post this week, around 20,000 teachers requested appointments through the union – and another 10,000 went through their health care providers. But only a quarter of those 30,000 teachers had received one or the other of the vaccines.
One problem, according to Mulgrew, is that the city has canceled appointments en masse due to vaccine shortages and scheduling issues. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio revealed on Wednesday that Moderna’s vaccine deliveries had been delayed and he had asked the federal government for increased shipments and the ability to use second doses on first injections.
“We had to postpone 23,000 New Yorkers, and tell them that they won’t be able to get this appointment due to lack of supplies,” de Blasio said.
While this slow rollout may mean that many eligible people are stranded on waiting lists, it hasn’t exactly closed the door on healthy young Americans – many of whom have used their connections and considerable financial resources to cut off. queue and justify doing so.
The New York Mayor’s Office and SoulCycle did not immediately respond to the Daily Beast’s request for comment.
For her part, Griffith said she deleted her post after the vitriol became overwhelming.
“I hate controversy,” she told the Daily Beast, adding: “It saddens me that people get so dark and mean, I’m really trying to do the right thing and be safe . “
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