Governor Cuomo Announces Additional Individuals Can Begin Scheduling COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments
Governor Cuomo, in a January 12 news briefing, announced that those aged 65 and older can now begin scheduling appointments with individual providers, including pharmacies, local health departments, and hospitals, to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Eligibility determinations and a list of nearby providers where appointments can be scheduled can all be done through New York's new 'Am I Eligible " app. New Yorkers can begin calling the New York State Vaccination Hotline at 4PM on Monday, January 11: 1-833-NYS-4VAX (1-833-697-4829).
Federal supply continues to severely limit the ability to distribute vaccine, all are encouraged to remain patient and not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.
The growing network of vaccinators will utilize doctors' offices, Federally-Qualified Health Centers, county health departments, ambulatory centers and pharmacies to get doses in the arms of eligible New Yorkers. More than 1,200 pharmacies have already committed to participating in this network, with nearly 500 scheduled to come on-line this week.
Providers across the state will began accepting vaccination reservations on Monday, January 11. Pharmacies will be provided vaccines for New Yorkers aged 75 and older, while hospitals will continue vaccinating 1a healthcare workers, and local health departments and union-organized efforts will serve essential workers in 1b.
Additionally, the Department of Health is setting up 20 mass distribution sites throughout the state over the next several weeks to support all categories of eligibility. Opening on Wednesday:
• Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (NYC)
• Westchester County Convention Center (Westchester County - in partnership with County Health Dept. and Westchester Medical Center)
• State Fairgrounds (Onondaga County - in partnership with County Health Dept.)
Additional sites will be launched in the days to come.
Under this expanded vaccination network, hospitals will continue to prioritize unvaccinated members of 1a: health care workers. Additionally, large union groups, including but not limited to police, firefighters and educators, have been asked to organize plans for vaccinating their members to the extent possible, incorporating coordination and partnership with local health departments. This will enable other providers in the network to focus on New Yorkers over the age of 75, which represents the largest group in 1b at approximately 1.4 million people.