New Yorkers are cheering after the Empire State reached a major milestone in the battle with COVID.

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On Thursday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul confirmed 80.0 percent of all New Yorkers ages 18 and older have had at least one vaccine dose. Thursday marked the first time the Empire State reached the 80 percent vaccinated milestone.

"As we address challenges and work to rebuild on several fronts, it's critically important that we double down on all the essential efforts and precautions we've been taking to beat back the virus," Hochul said Thursday. "The Delta variant is a serious threat and we cannot let down our guard. If you still need to get your shot, please don't hesitate another day. The faster we get everyone vaccinated, the faster we can overcome the challenges of the pandemic and come back stronger than we were before."

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In December 2020, before COVID variants started spreading, Dr. Anthony Fauci stated 80 percent of the population needs to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity.

"If we get that we would develop an umbrella of immunity that would be able to protect even the vulnerable who have not been vaccinated or those in which the vaccine has not been effective. You can get that kind of immunity with that percentage of people," Fauci told CNBC

As of Monday afternoon, 80.5 percent of all New Yorkers ages 18 and older have had at least one vaccine dose. 72.3 percent are fully vaccinated.

According to Hochul, 68 percent of all New Yorkers have gotten at least one vaccine dose while 60.7 percent have completed their vaccine series.

"We know what COVID is capable of because we've seen the worst of it here in New York, and we don't want to have to relive that experience," Hochul stated Monday. "We also know what works to fight back the virus - getting vaccinated, wearing a mask, and practicing basic safety protocols. It's that simple, and I urge everyone who still needs to get their shot to do so as soon as possible because it can save your life."

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