Approximately 7,000 single adults living in city shelters—about 40% of this population—have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Earlier this year, in March, that rate was just 10%. After the city introduced the one-dose Johnson & Johnson shot and delivered it directly to shelters, vaccination increased.

Despite this number being 20 percentage points lower than the citywide rate, officials are citing this boost as a reason they’re moving homeless people from hotels back into congregate shelters. Unhoused New Yorkers had been staying in hotels since the early days of the pandemic to prevent COVID-19's spread.  A spokeswoman at the Department of Social Services says they’re doing everything they can to ensure this population has easy access to the vaccines.