New York, Dec 4: New York City is expecting Covid-19 vaccine shipments as early as December 15 and the first batch will prioritize healthcare workers and nursing home residents, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

"We've been in a brutal battle with Covid-19, but this month the cavalry is coming... Over time we'll have enough (vaccine) for every New Yorker," Xinhua news agency quoted the Mayor as saying in a tweet on Thursday.

Also on Thursday, the NYC government announced that its Covid-19 infection rate on a seven-day average surpassed 5 per cent for the first time in months, reaching a new high of 5.19 per cent, compared with 4.8 per cent one day earlier. Pfizer Slashes COVID-19 Vaccine's Production Target from 100 Million to 50 Million in 2020 Owing to Supply Chain Challenges.

The rate topped 3 per cent on November 18, has remained above the level ever since, and topped 4 per cent for the first time on Monday.

Three per cent is deemed by the municipal government as a threshold for a second wave of the pandemic. So far, New York City has reported 24,305 coronavirus death and 321,053 cases.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 04, 2020 01:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).