Daylight savings gripes
What to know about vaccine boosters
A medical worker prepares a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/Files
COURIER LIFE, N 28 OVEMBER 12-18, 2021
EDITORIAL
OP-ED
Has Daylight Savings
Time fi nally run out in
America?
This past weekend, we
turned the clocks back an
hour, allegedly gaining an
hour of sleep in the process.
In the Five Boroughs, the
change ended sunrises after
7 a.m. (at least for another
few weeks) but it began a
stretch of about two months
when the sun sets before 5
p.m.
Yes, this is the time of
year when we’re losing minutes
of daylight each day
through the winter solstice
on Dec. 21. The days are indeed
getting shorter.
But the time change
comes with all kinds of consequences.
The NYPD, for
instance, noted that vehicular
crashes tend to increase
this time of year because the
streets are darker earlier,
and drivers have a harder
time seeing pedestrians on
the street.
As always, New Yorkers
will eventually adjust to
the time change and then
wind up re-adapting in early
March, when Daylight Savings
Time begins and the
clocks go forward an hour.
The alleged loss of sleep from
the time change causes its
own street safety problems
from exhausted drivers, bicyclists
and pedestrians.
The annoyance of switching
between standard time
and Daylight Savings Time
has recently become the subject
of debate. Some lawmakers
want to make Daylight
Savings Time a year-round
fi xture, claiming that we’ll
gain an hour of sunlight
each day.
That’s not really true; we
can’t manipulate the immutable
laws of nature, and the
Earth’s rotation on its axis,
merely by synchronizing
our clocks and watches. All
we’re doing is shifting the
time to make the sunlight
a little more convenient for
our schedules.
For New York, there’s
nothing convenient about
sunrise after 7 a.m. (during
Daylight Savings Time) or
sunset before 5 p.m. (during
standard time) in late fall
and early winter. Yet there
isn’t really much we can
do to avoid either circumstance.
We, as a country, are going
to have to pick one clock
or the other. Or we can do
what we’ve always done best
— compromise and meet in
the middle, move the clocks
forward 30 minutes in the
spring and leave them there.
Either way, we must remember
that there are many
things in which we are in
control of our own destiny.
The Sun isn’t one of them.
BY DR. DAVE A. CHOKSHI
Recently, important updates
about the COVID-19
vaccine were announced—
that certain people are
now eligible for a “booster”
dose. Since the beginning of
COVID-19, our scientifi c understanding
of the virus has
constantly evolved, and many
New Yorkers understandably
have questions about this
new development.
I would like to provide the
“who, why, and where” about
boosters.
Who should get a
booster?
All three brands of booster
shots are available for many
New Yorkers—Pfi zer, Moderna,
and Johnson & Johnson—
and “mixing and
matching” of the vaccines is
safe. But who is eligible for a
booster depends on the vaccine
you originally received.
At this time, the Pfi zer
and Moderna boosters are
approved for certain people
vaccinated at least six
months ago—specifi cally,
people who are aged 65 or
older, adults with underlying
medical conditions (like diabetes),
and adults at higher
risk of exposure due to their
job (like health care workers)
or due to where they live (like
nursing home residents).
The Johnson & Johnson
booster is approved for anyone
ages 18 or older who received
at least two months
ago—as I did. Since “mixing
and matching” is now authorized,
Johnson & Johnson recipients
can get a booster of
any of the three authorized
vaccines (Moderna, Pfi zer, or
Johnson & Johnson). There
is limited data showing that
Moderna or Pfi zer vaccines
could result in higher antibody
levels.
Why get a booster?
The science continues to
show that all three of the authorized
COVID-19 vaccines
are safe and save lives. That’s
why getting more New Yorkers
vaccinated with their fi rst
and second doses remains the
most important thing. The
booster adds another layer
of protection—it is meant to
“boost” your immunity. This
is particularly important for
people who are most at risk for
severe illness.
Where can New Yorkers
get a booster?
In New York City, booster
shots are available at sites in
all fi ve boroughs, and for inhome
vaccination. To fi nd a location
near you, go to nyc.gov/
vaccinefi nder. The vaccines
are free at City sites to all New
Yorkers, regardless of immigration
status.
Already, over 250,000
New Yorkers have received
a booster shot. That means
thousands of New Yorkers will
have stronger protection from
COVID-19. They will be able
to gather with friends, family
and loved ones more safely.
And for any New Yorkers who
are still unvaccinated, I urge
you to take the fi rst step today—
join 6 million other New
Yorkers and get vaccinated. It
is our single best way out of
this pandemic and a return to
normal life again.
Dr. Chokshi is New York
City’s Health Commissioner.
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