It looks like it’s going to be an awkward Valentine’s Day at Gracie Mansion.
Mayor Bill de Blasio stumbled Monday while trying to dance around the issue of his wife’s age after he was asked at Monday’s daily presser why he and first lady Chirlane McCray had not yet gotten COVID-19 vaccinations.
“The first lady is in a different category than I’m in,” de Blasio euphemistically said in reference to McCray, who at 66 is seven years senior to the 59-year-old mayor and thus able to get the vaccine as a senior citizen.
“So, she, literally, according to the priorities laid out by the state, she qualifies differently than I do,” he added, in further reference to his wife’s age.
Bill de Blasio made an awkward comment about wife Chirlane McCray’s age when discussing eligibility to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography OfficeDe Blasio said Monday that he’s held off getting a jab to ensure that others get the coveted vaccine — which has been in short supply in recent weeks.
Despite her age, McCray has yet to be vaccinated, said a City Hall spokesman .
“Although she looks younger than the mayor, the first lady is actually the first one in the family to qualify for the 65+ vaccination eligibility,” said press secretary Bill Neidhardt, phrasing his words in a way that may keep the mayor from sleeping on the couch.
De Blasio has previously said he would receive the vaccine publicly to instill confidence among New Yorkers who might be skeptical about its safety.
