New York State Vaccine Progress: Where to get it, Who is Eligible

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on March 29 that all New Yorkers 30 years old and up could receive the COVID-19 vaccine starting the following day. Those 16 and up could get vaccinated the following week. This increase in eligibility adds to the list of those who can book a vaccine appointment, along with healthcare workers, frontline workers, teachers and those with certain underlying conditions.

"New York is moving forward with reopening our economy and looking forward to a post-COVID world; we know the vaccine is the weapon that defeats this invisible enemy, and we are getting more shots in arms than ever before,” Cuomo said in his statewide update last week.

As of March 29, approximately 5.9 million people, or 29.6% of the state population, received their first dose of the vaccine, and 3.4 million people, or 16.8% of the state population, completed their vaccination series.

New Yorkers can receive one of three federally approved vaccines; Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson. Pfizer and Moderna both require two shots to reach immunity, while Johnson & Johnson only needs one shot. 

“The safety of these vaccines has been studied extensively. They’ve been tested now in about 75,000 patients in total, and the incidence of the adverse effects is very, very low,” said Doctor Andrew Badley of Mayo Clinic’s COVID-19 Research Task Force. 

New York State has set up many mass vaccination sites across the entire state. Residents can also get their shot at a local pharmacy -- like CVS, Walgreens, or Rite Aid -- if available.

President Joe Biden directed states to make sure all adults are eligible before May 1, 2021. Neighboring Connecticut announced the last week that residents ages 16 and up would be able to get a vaccine starting April 1. Other contiguous states of New York plan on increasing their vaccine eligibility on April 5. In New Jersey and Massachusetts, those 55 and older will be allowed, and in Vermont, those 40 and up will be able to sign up for their first vaccine. Right now in Pennsylvania, those 65 and older, without another prequalification, can get the vaccine.

Dutchess County currently runs two Point of Dispensing (POD) Vaccination Centers. One center is located at the former JCPenney store in the Poughkeepsie Galleria, and the other at a former CVS on Route 22 in Dover. To reserve a vaccination at these appointment-only centers, people must fill out the form provided by the state. For the week of March 29, the state allocated 100 doses to Benzer Pharmacy in Armenia and Pine Plains Pharmacy in Pine Planes, as well as 200 doses to McCarthy’s Pharmacy in Stanfordville. Additional amounts may have been sent out to other pharmacies by the federal government, and other hospitals and health care centers across the county. For the latest updates on allocations in Dutchess County, check this website.

On March 17, Cuomo announced the opening of 10 new state-run mass vaccination sites, including two in the Hudson Valley: SUNY Orange, Diana Physical Education Center, and Ulster Fairgrounds. 

"New York needs to be ready for the next increase in supply, and these sites located throughout the state will help bring residents and their families peace of mind and get us a step closer to defeating the COVID-19 pandemic and restoring a sense of normalcy," Cuomo said. 

Marist College served as a pop-up vaccine location from March 5-10, administering the then newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Marist was one of three colleges in the state to support the state’s immunization efforts, SUNY Genesee in Batavia, Genesee County, and Jamestown Community College in Olean, Cattaraugus County. 

“Marist has a long history of successful partnerships with the State and County governments and related organizations in supporting initiatives to better our Hudson River Valley community. We are especially pleased to be able to do so in the COVID-19 pandemic.” Executive Vice President Geoffrey Brackett said. 

There are government resources available online to learn more about eligibility for a COVID-19 Vaccine, along with locations across New York State. To look for appointments outside of state-run areas, people can visit https://vaccinefinder.org.

Additional reporting by Julianne Fagan

Source: Nataliya Vaitkevich from Pexels