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A screengrab from the web stream of pscp.tv shows New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo delivering a speech at the Riverside Church in New York City's borough of Manhattan, Nov. 15, 2020. (Xinhua)

"Let me be clear, the black and brown communities that were first on the list of who died cannot be last on the list of who receives the vaccine," says Andrew Cuomo.

NEW YORK, Nov. 15  -- New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday once again criticized the Donald Trump administration's vaccine distribution plan, saying its inequities will hurt the country and its people.

"The Trump administration's proposed plan is such an affront. I tell you today if the Trump administration does not change this plan and does not provide an equitable vaccine process, we will enforce our legal rights, we will bring legal action to protect New Yorkers," said the governor while delivering a speech at the Riverside Church in New York City's borough of Manhattan.

"Let me be clear, the black and brown communities that were first on the list of who died cannot be last on the list of who receives the vaccine," Cuomo added.

In his speech, the governor stressed the need to make special efforts with the vaccine to "reach the underserved black, brown and poor communities," such as enlisting communal and faith-based groups to distribute the vaccine in their communities to help cover the blind spots of the private market, and finding medical and outreach teams to help public housing projects and low-income communities benefit from the vaccination plan.

"The Reverend Dr. (Martin Luther) King who spoke in this magnificent church said of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and the most inhumane because it often results in physical death. COVID proved Dr. King right," said Cuomo.

"New York state will mobilize an army to vaccinate all New Yorkers fairly, equitably. No state will do it better," he added.