Opening of Mass Vaccination Site at Yankee Stadium
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New York Yankees President Randy Levine, New York Yankees Manager Aaron Boone and Mariano Rivera announced the opening of the mass vaccination site at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
VIDEO of their remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
AUDIO of today's remarks is available here.
PHOTOS are available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:
Governor Cuomo: There are challenges in reaching the Black community and there are two challenges. One, access - can they get it? Is it accessible? And two, is the acceptance or the hesitancy. We have to address both and we are. The hesitancy must be directly addressed with facts and validation and I'm speaking to leaders in the Black community, pastors, community groups. We have to get the information out.
Yes, there's reason for cynicism. Go back to the Tuskegee experiment. Yes, there are bona fide reasons for distrust of the system. I get that. But it's not true with this vaccine and that is going to be a process of communication and we're going to have to talk through it because we can't deny it. It's real. It has to be addressed. We're starting an advertising campaign working with validators in the community. But it is an issue that's going to have to be addressed. We expected it. We talked about it early on. We are addressing it but it still exists. Making special efforts to get into the community, to have the conversations, make it accessible, we're doing more in this state than any state in the nation in this regard. But, you can never do enough.
One of the things we're doing is mass-vaccination sites in high-positivity areas which are also Black, Latino demographic. And one of the mass vaccination sites it opening today. It's at Yankee Stadium. It is only for Bronx residents. As you saw, the Bronx has one of the highest positivity rates in New York City, and it has been persistent in its high positivity. A landmark in the Bronx, landmark in New York City, is Yankee Stadium. And that is true for so many, many decades. I remember the first game my father took me to see in Yankee Stadium. That's back in the days of the Mickey Mantles of the world.
We reached out to Yankee Stadium with a somewhat unorthodox request, which is would Yankee Stadium be willing to help us with this COVID crisis by making the stadium available as a mass vaccination site. It was an unusual request, I understand that. But, Yankees ownership and management said yes they would, and we now have a mass vaccination site at Yankee stadium.
I want to thank SOMOS healthcare, who's actually providing the clinicians. New York City is a partner. I want to thank them. I want to thank the National Guard, which is doing a great job setting it up. They really are extraordinary. But also I want to thank the Yankees themselves, and I want to thank the president, Randy Levine, who's been a good friend to all New Yorkers, and always steps up to the challenge no matter how different it is, and this was a different request, I get it. And Aaron Boone, who's the manager of the Yankees, and they had a very strong season and we're going to see an even better one next year. And Mariano Rivera, who to me symbolizes in many ways the best of the Yankee spirit. I'm just been a phenomenal fan of Mariano Rivera and his style, his accomplishment, his performance, and his spirit, and his smile. He just has an infectious smile.
We have with us today the president of the Yankees, Randy, good to see you, the manager, Aaron Boone, and the Sandman himself, behind the mask, Mariano Rivera. Randy, I know this was an unusual request. You stepped up to the plate, pardon the pun. I knew I would get on the field in Yankee Stadium one way or the other as a kid. I never through it was going to be this way, but I'll take it. I said to everyone who's going to Yankee Stadium, I promised you we wouldn't destroy the infield. Any damage to the infield, the state is going to be responsible. I'll be there with the new sod and I'll fix any divots that we create. But Randy, thank you so, so much. Thank you for what you did. Randy Levine.
Randy Levine: Thank you Governor, and it's an honor to be with you today. Of course we've got our manager Aaron Boone, and the only unanimous hall of fame person ever elected, one of the greatest Yankees ever, Mariano Rivera. You know, from Hal Steinbrenner, the whole Steinbrenner family, let me just say that this is an honor and a privilege for the Yankees to be able to be your partner, and the city's partner and SOMOS' partner in this endeavor. You know, this stadium is historical. It's built into the fabric of the city and the Bronx, we're part of the Bronx community. And this is bigger than baseball. This is a bigger, bigger purpose than baseball. So we are so honored and privileged to partner with you. we will do whatever it takes to make it better. I came in this morning, there are hundreds of people out there, and Governor, I wish you could see their face, because it's hope, we're getting to the end of this, it's hope. And they're registering. Everybody here is communicating. The people on the ground are wonderful. Congratulations on the way this was set up, both to your staff and to our staff, it's just phenomenal. So, we're here to do whatever it takes, because this is the most important thing that each and every one of us are dealing with every day. So please don't hesitate to ever call on us for anything, and if it's alright with you I'd like Aaron and Mariano to say a few words.
Governor Cuomo: Please.
Aaron Boone: Thanks Randy, thanks Governor, this is an exciting day in the Bronx, and you know, this is a special place, Yankee Stadium, and has been the host of a lot of really special opening days, and I would say this is the most special opening day, the fact that we're able to be out there and really saving lives in this community, like Randy said, this is a day of hope, and it's really exciting to be here and to be a small part of it. Mariano?
Mariano Rivera: Thank you for having me here because this is amazing, I consider this my house, and Dr. Ramon Tallaj of Somos, it's wonderful, what you guys are doing, because I mean I used to pitch here and save games, now this is about saving lives. Randy mentioned, as he said, and he could not have said it better than that. This is greater than baseball. I mean, we're talking about thousands and millions of people, and I walk around people there getting the vaccine, and I see so many smiles on faces, that's what it's all about. Hope is the name of the game right now. And thank God, yes, thank God for everything because Yankee Stadium has been providing, I mean many, many wonderful games and World Series, but now they're providing opportunities for the people of the Bronx, our people, to come here and receive vaccines, and I'm happy. That's why I'm here to support, they supported me for so many years, and I'm really here to support now. Thank you very much.
Governor Cuomo: Well, Randy Levine, I can't thank you enough, and I can't thank you enough on behalf of all New Yorkers. Again, you're right, this is unusual times, and you really do get to see what people are made of. And when I called you, I knew how unique this request was, and you could have very easily said no thank you, but you were one hundred percent open, and your entire group has been fantastic to work with. Randy Levine I can't thank you enough. Manager Boone, you had a great season, we'll have a better one.
Mariano, your spirit means so much to the people of this state. The love they have for you, and your credibility, your credibility that you are there today, and you're saying that this is what people should do, I think is going to go a long way. And your words, the words you just used, that you've saved games in that stadium, which is totally true, and now you're saving lives. Truer words were never spoken, and there's a sweet poetic irony in that. You are saving lives, and this vaccine does save lives, and that's why it's so important that people know that and they accept it. Because this vaccine can save life. And your presence today is going to bring that message home to many, many people because they do trust you and they do respect you, so thank you very much for being a part of this today.
Randy Levine: Governor, can I --
Governor Cuomo: Please, Mr. Levine. To help get people here, what we're going to do, so all you Yankee fans and baseball fans, we're going have some Yankee, over the next couple of days, some little Yankee gifts and trinkets for people to help incentive them for coming down here.
Governor Cuomo: Randy, I'm coming. Save some for me Randy. So put some on the side. Randy Levine, Mariano Rivera, Manager Boone...
Randy Levine: We'll replace the turf, you can take any of it home.
Governor Cuomo: It's the one thing I'm competent to do on the field is to do the seeding. It's all I can do. Mariano, you should know, I've gotten pretty good at hitting the curve ball in this job. I'll tell you the truth because they throw a lot of curve balls in my league.
Thank you all very much. God bless you. Thank you very much. I'll see you soon. Thank you.
Oh that was a treat and that's an important message. Yankee Stadium and the Bronx and Mariano Rivera, I hope people hear those words and I hope they take them to heart.
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