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- SoulCycle instructor Stacey Griffith posted a video of herself receiving a coronavirus vaccine Friday evening.
- “I see hundreds every week, I think it’s fair to say it was a good decision,” Griffith said in a comment on the now-deleted post.
- In New York, healthcare workers, people over 65-years-old, teachers, public-transit workers, and first responders are eligible for the vaccine.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
A SoulCycle instructor drew ire for an Instagram post showing her get a COVID-19 vaccine jab.
Stacey Griffith, a New York City and Los Angeles instructor, posted a video of herself receiving a coronavirus vaccine in Staten Island Friday afternoon.
“Step one of the Moderna magic!” read the caption on Griffith’s now-deleted post. “One hour drive to Staten Island worth every minute!”
In New York state, healthcare workers, people over 65-years-old, teachers, public-transit workers, and first responders are eligible for the vaccine. Gov. Andrew Cuomo loosened restrictions in mid-January to allow certain providers to open vaccinations to a wider group if it would prevent shots from going to waste.
New York's eligibility guidelines has not yet opened vaccines to fitness instructors. Griffith does not appear to work a second job that qualifies for the vaccine.
Immunocompromised New Yorkers will be included in the next eligible group, but the state is "working with the CDC to find out exactly how best to define this category," said Melissa DeRosa, Cuomo's secretary.
SoulCycle and Griffith did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for additional comment.
Got a tip? If you have information on individuals or businesses abusing coronavirus vaccine rollout rules, email [email protected] or [email protected].
Many people criticized Griffith's post in the comments, saying they've struggled getting appointments as essential workers or immunocompromised people.
"But also questioning the priority allocations in NY State if a fitness professional (even with pre-existing conditions) is in front of elderly, teachers, essential workers, etc," fellow SoulCycle instructor Julianne Mulvey commented. "I love teaching at Soul and think it is a personal priority to get vaccinated, but am certain I wouldn't take the vaccine for safety in my workout classes if I thought it would mean even one person in the group listed above was going without."
Some SoulCycle insiders have questioned the special treatment instructors like Griffith get from company management. Insider's Katie Warren reported on the lavish perks, like luxury cars and Soho House memberships, allotted to top instructors. Some SoulCycle ex-employees and riders said management even let instructors off the hook for harassment complaints.
Two former employees recently told Vox Griffith made a minimum of $800 per class, which adds up to $500,000 a year not including other bonuses.
"Keeping you all safe is my top priority, keeping my elderly riders safe is my top priority," Griffith said in response to one comment. "I see hundreds every week, I think it's fair to say it was a good decision."