Norwood dad, Tarek Ahmad, called it a “privilege” to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, but having the shot administered to him by his daughter was a complete surprise.

 

On Monday, Jan. 25, Ahmad told the Norwood News about the sweet moment that unfolded on Friday, Jan. 22 at the Fort Washington Avenue Armory vaccination site, located at 168th Street in Manhattan through a chance encounter with his daughter. “Initially, I was scheduled [for a COVID-19 vaccination] in one of the city hospitals in the Bronx, but they called and cancelled my appointment.”

 

He added, “Thankfully, I was able to get an appointment at the [168^th Street] armory.” Admad’s daughter was working at the Manhattan vaccination site that day. (Her name cannot be disclosed.) However, Ahmad said he knew she was at the location that day, where 1,500 to 2,000 people were getting vaccinated a day, despite other locations having already exhausted their supplies.

 

Explaining his luck of the draw, the proud pop recalled, “I was very surprised. I did not plan on getting it from my daughter. My turn came and my daughter was available.”

 

Ahmad said he had recently been a little bit worried, having heard that the City was running out of vaccines. “I would really like my son, who is at high risk of getting COVID, to get it,” he said, adding that if there was a shortage, this would not be possible.

 

Ahmad already had, and has recovered from, the coronavirus. “I am also worried that if there’s a shortage, I will not be able to get the second dose.” He said for now he has, at least, secured an appointment for a second dose in February.

 

One year since the first confirmed case of the coronavirus was announced in Washington state on Jan. 21, 2020, as of Jan. 26, 2021, more than 95 million people have been infected worldwide with COVID-19, and the death toll now stands at just over 2 million.

 

Meanwhile, the current death toll in the United States has surpassed 450,000 according to data from John Hopkins University of Medicine. Meanwhile, the New York State Department of Health reports 35,631 deaths statewide as of Feb. 3 and 3,812 in the Bronx.

 

However, as deaths and hospitalizations continue to fall, there is talk of Gov. Andrew Cuomo possibly loosening some COVID-19 restrictions. On Feb 2, amid news of additional COVID vaccine doses arriving from the feds, Cuomo said it would allow the city and other local governments to expand eligibility. An additional 4 percent supply increase on top of current shipments means additional frontline workers like restaurant workers, taxi drivers and people in developmentally disabled facilities can now get vaccinated also.

 

Up to now, the vaccine, was mainly being administered to anyone over 65, teachers and school staff, childcare workers, Department of Corrections staff, first responders, public transit workers, grocery store workers and those working and living in group homes and homeless shelters.

 

New York City Department of Health data shows that, currently, the highest rate of infection in the Bronx is in Charlotte Gardens and Hunts Point with a rate of 12.73 percent, followed by Fordham, Kingsbridge and University Heights at 12.2 percent and Allerton, Pelham Parkway and Williamsbridge at 11.36 percent.

 

For more information, call 311 or visit the city’s website at: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-vaccines.page.

 

On Thursday, Feb. 4, as reported by the Norwood News, it was announced that Yankee Stadium would open on Friday, Feb. 5 as an additional vaccination site in the Bronx.

 

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.