Dr. Steven Corwin, CEO of NewYork Presbyterian Hospital, joins Yahoo Finance Kristin Myers and Alexis Christoforous to discuss the latest coronavirus.
Video transcription
ALEXIS CHRISTOFOROUS: Welcome back, everyone. Trying to book an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine has actually become much easier recently. In fact, some vaccination sites now say the slots will be unfilled. And experts are now warning that supply of the vaccine is likely to exceed demand in the coming weeks. Here, to talk about this and more, is Dr. Steven Corwin, CEO of the Presbyterian Hospital in New York, here in New York.
Dr. Corwin, I’m glad to see you again. So what do you see there on the ground at your hospitals? Do you think we’re approaching a high point here in vaccine demand?
STEVEN CORWIN: Well, first of all, I think we are seeing a decrease in cases in the country, which is very comforting. And if you look at the vaccine data, I think the vaccine has a real effect where it’s been administered worldwide, whether it’s Israel, the United Kingdom, and certainly with the rapid release of vaccines here. So we start to feel less pressure on our intensive care beds and we see less in terms of admissions, which is great.
That being said, I think we will always get to the point where demand will start to go down and supply will go up. And I think we need to redouble our efforts now to make sure everyone is vaccinated. For any reason to hesitate about the vaccine, I think it will be important to educate people about the vaccine, depoliticize the vaccine, and get people to take it.
That’s why I think it was important for the FDA to discontinue the J&J vaccine, because I think people want to feel confident that the vaccine is safe. And while it was only a million-dollar chance around blood clots, I think it will be really important to make sure we understand what caused it. So I hope we have reached a positive point in terms of the positive side, but we are certainly seeing a lot more in terms of supply now.
KRISTIN MYERS: So, Doctor, I hear what you’re saying about the vaccine hesitation. For those who want to receive one of the vaccines, curious if there is any hesitation regarding the distribution, at least when it comes to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. I know what you’re saying about those blood clots, which of course worries a lot of people who saw those titles, but now I see other titles that one of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine plants found to have contaminated doses in a series. of malfunctions and with regard to the plant. Of course, what made me think, well, I wouldn’t want the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, especially if I have the Pfizer or Moderna options. There is no way, as the hospital administrator thought, that maybe you should stick with some of these other vaccines instead to distribute them.
STEVEN CORWIN: The big question. I’ll tell you, my daughter just gave birth to our first grandson and got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, so I’m pretty confident in that vaccine. I think you’re right and that’s why we have an experienced FDA. Data monitoring, safety plate, FDA ability to ensure there are no supply chain errors or manufacturing defects.
So, in an almost perverse way, I am comforted by the fact that they caught these supply chain defects. J&J is a great company. We can always make mistakes, but I think the vaccine is effective. I think the vaccine is good and I think we will be fine with any of the three vaccines that have been approved so far, to be honest with you.
ALEXIS CHRISTOFOROUS: What do you see about young people who want to get vaccinated? Is he running after the opportunity? They think, you know what, maybe getting COVID isn’t that bad or you know what, maybe I want to wait and see what those side effects are. What is the impression of the population?
STEVEN CORWIN: Well, I certainly think there was a lot of enthusiasm in younger people and that ended with the J&J vaccine. Now, people just make sure it’s safe. Unfortunately, I think we have a political divide around the vaccine, and you saw the polls as well as I did. I have no firm evidence in this regard, but I think we need to make sure that this is not a Republican or democratic issue, that everyone is educated around it because we need to get the immunity of the herd and we can’t get the immunity of the herd without that the vast majority of people in the country get vaccinated. This is how we get out of this.
And, as I said in my introductory remarks, we really feel that spring has sprung up between the cases that have dropped and the vaccine that has started. If we stick to it as a country, I think summer and autumn will be much, much better than they were last year.
KRISTIN MYERS: Doctor, you mentioned at the beginning of some of your comments that efforts need to be redoubled to reach some of those people who were a little hesitant to get the vaccine. But then, of course, we also saw inequalities, at least, when it came to the distribution of the vaccine between certain populations and certain communities. What efforts or what are you looking at to make sure the vaccine reaches as many people around New York’s presbytery as possible?
STEVEN CORWIN: Well, we had a very strong and coordinated effort around the vaccination site we had in Upper Manhattan. And for your listeners, this is primarily the Dominican immigrant community, but Upper Manhattan, Northern Harlem, and so on. and I found it to be quite effective.
So, our demographics in terms of, we gave about 200,000 doses of vaccines, the first and second dose, and our demographics are remarkable in that regard. I think that almost 60% are BIPOC communities, communities of color. But now we see in working-class white communities people who are reluctant to take it. So this extends beyond communities of color. It is a matter of equity across the country, but our efforts, especially in our communities, have been primarily around communities of color.
ALEXIS CHRISTOFOROUS: This is excellent and could certainly be seen as a plan for other hospitals in the country, Doctor. I just want your thoughts on these variants, on these new variants that continue to appear. Do you see in your hospitals that existing vaccines are actually effective with these variants?
STEVEN CORWIN: Yes very much. I think we see less in the way of disease. I think the British version is now the dominant version in New York. We have a part of the New York version. We believe that the vaccine is effective against everyone and severe hospitalizations have decreased. You see this dramatically in people who have received two doses of the vaccine, especially in the over-60s group.
With regard to the previous points, we need to make sure that people between the ages of 18 and 49 receive the vaccine and receive it as soon as possible. I personally would take – I had the Pfizer vaccine, but I would go Pfizer, Moderna or J&J. And, as I told you, my daughter got the J&J vaccine after she gave birth to our first grandson. So I think everyone is safe and they’re just kicking, really.
ALEXIS CHRISTOFOROUS: Excellent. Excellent prospects, Dr. Corwin. Congratulations on becoming a grandfather. Good news.
STEVEN CORWIN: Thanks. You know, considering everything that happened to COVID, it’s a great feeling to see a new life coming into the world. I’m sure you understand that.
ALEXIS CHRISTOFOROUS: Absolutely a blessing. Okay, thanks again for your time.
STEVEN CORWIN: Thanks a lot.
ALEXIS CHRISTOFOROUS: See you soon.